An improved show of Suffolks resulted in increased averages amongst the shearling rams, albeit for fewer sold, with the breed also producing two of the three highest priced lambs of the entire sale at £6000 and £4000.

“It has been a really good sale," said Robin McIlrath, the chief executive of the Suffolk Sheep Society.

“Kelso is used by many as a benchmark for the commercial market and we are delighted with this year’s trade – lambs dominated with an increase in the number sold, while the shearling trade witnessed an average up by more than £90 on the year."

United Auctions auctioneer, Luke Holmes also noted a strong trade for the breed. "Clearance rates were a lot better and there were bidders looking for Suffolk tups right until the end. There was definitely a stronger demand for the breed compared to previous years with commercial tups selling from £500-£700," he said.

It was a particularly good day for young Stewart Lathangie, Pyeston, Glenrothes, when his pen leader, a son of the 9500gns Limestone Legacy a tup owned in partnership with the Blacks at Newton of Collessie, sold to Laura Jane Berry, Rawtonstall, Lancs. Placed at the pre-sale show, he is bred from a ewe by Birness Bollinger.

Derbyshire breeders, Steven and Louise Buckley, Sittinglow, Buxton, were in the money and the tickets, when they sold their pre-sale champion winner for £4000 to Messrs Woolaway, Devon. Backed by Scottish genetics on both sides, this cracker is by the 3400gns Shrewsbury purchase, Strathbogie Peaky Blinder that bred sons to 3800gns at Carlisle, in July, and out of a ewe by Haddo Hi Voltage. The Sitlow flock produced the lead lamb average at £1197 for six.

Despite an early calling, Ronnie Black and sons Mike and Pete, received £2500 for their pen leader from Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, Fife. This February-born ET is bred from a former show ewe by Solwaybank Titan and sired again by Limestone Legacy. He sold to Bryden Nicolson, Knockem, Duns.

Just behind, on £2100 Scott and Gavin Brown sold their best lamb from the Capielaw flock at Haddington to Bill Moor, Nisbit. A son of Strathbogie Dynamite, a £5500 purchase in Shrewsbury last year, he is bred from a ewe by Pennan Finale.

Other tup lambs sold to £1500 from West Yorkshire breeder, Mark Evans, Tower Gate, Jubilee, to Richard Henderson, Barry House, Glenbarry, Banff.

Just behind, on £1400, Lanarkshire breeder, Willie Fleming, Hallhill, sold his best in a two-way split to Thomas Illingworth, Howgillside, Lockerbie and the Grays from Scrogton, Douglas, Lanark.

On the other side of the coin, the Grays, sold the lead priced Suffolk shearling at £4500. The family – Peter and Lynn and sons James, Billy and Scott – who also enjoyed a cracking trade for their Texels, produced their best Suffolk sale here with a son of the £2400 Brijon Blackmagic, a tup that bred sons to £3000 last year. He is out of a ewe by a home-bred sire and sold up to Caithness with Kenneth Sutherland and sons Stephen and Kenneth, Sibmister and Stainland Farms.

Blackmagic sons proved particularly popular for the Grays with two others selling at £2500 and £2200. The first sold to James Delargy, Northern Ireland, while the second headed home with Aberdeenshire producers, William and John Brown, Hilton of Culsh, New Deer.

Scrogton produced the lead flock average at £1404 for 12.

Colin and Fiona Wight, Carwood, Biggar, enjoyed their best ever trade here too, taking £4000 for a shearling son of Rugley Eyecatcher, a tup bought here for the same money in 2017. Placed at the pre-sale show, and bred from a home-bred ewe by a Sunnyhills sire, he was knocked down to Alan and Hazel Smith, Crumhaughhill, Hawick.

While the Ingrams from Logie Durno, Pitcaple, Aberdeenshire, again topped the crossing section, they also came up with the eye candy for their first year selling Suffolks, with a £3800 bid given for their two-shear ram, Logie Durno Sunnyboy.

No stranger to the limelight, this big tup which was a member of the winning inter-breed pairs at the Royal Welsh and the Black Isle Show and reserve male at the Highland, is by Bentley Flyhalf and out of a home-bred ewe. He sold to Messrs Voker, Derbis, Germany.

Unregistered Suffolks also met a sound trade peaking at £2400 and £2200 for Alistair Warden who runs 20 ewes alongside his better known South Country Cheviot flock at Skelfhill, Hawick. Both are sons of an Allanshaws shearling ram bought for £1800 here that has bred sons to £4000. The dearest sold to James Pate, Marvingston, Gifford, while the £2200 shearling was knocked down to Neil Sandilands, Ruecastle Cottages, Jedburgh.

Averages: 208 registered shearling rams, £789.42 (+£92.10 for 87 fewer sold); 250 registered ram lambs, £475.00 (-£45.76 for 39 more); 411 unregistered shearling rams, £635.52 (+£18.99 for 41 fewer).