Two Texel gimmers proved the star attraction at the Aberdeen Christmas Classic show and sale of pedigree sheep securing the top prices at 4500gns and 4000gns, but it was entries from the Stuart family’s Birness Suffolk flock that led the averages.

This multi-breed sale of pedigree females at Thainstone was topped by the reserve Texel, a gimmer from Kenny Pratt’s Hilltop flock from Oldtown, Peterculter, brought out by shepherd Richard Reynolds.

A daughter of the 40,000gns Garngour Alabama, she is bred from a Cwmcerrig-bred gimmer bought at Lanark in 2017 for 7500gns. She sold carrying a pair of lambs to the 8500gns Carlisle purchase Sportsmans Chieftain, to the Green family from Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers.

The champion Texel from Graham Morrison’s Deveronvale flock from Inchbruich, Cornhill, sold next at 4000gns to Roy Adams, manager of a timber frame company, who also owns 20 pedigree Texels in his Deevalley flock from Banchory.

Another backed by the best of genetics, she is by the 42,000gns Mullan Armani and bred from the best ewe in the flock ¬– a Hen Gapel Thunder daughter. She changed hands carrying a pair to Deveronvale Aftershock, a tup that has bred sons to 48,000gns.

Top price amongst the Texel ewe lambs was 1600gns paid for No 1 from Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock from Turriff. She is by the 28,000gns Auldhouseburn Billy The Kid and out of a home-bred ewe by Strathbogie Yes Sir which is an ET sister to the 4200gns Milnbank A Class and 3800gns Milnbank Cantona. The buyer was EH Alexander, Auchenbreddie, Insch.

While the Texels produced the top two prices, Suffolks gave them a real run for their money, with the breed leading the gimmer averages on the back of a cracking line-up from the Stuart family’s Birness flock from Ellon.

In all, the family topped both the gimmer and ewe lamb sections at 3800gns and 3000gns, respectively with their 11 sheep grossing in excess of £18,500.

Tops here was a Birness gimmer by Limestone Legacy, a tup that has bred sons to 30,000gns, out of a ewe by Lakeview Gold Rush. She sold scanned for a pair to Castleisle Capaldi, a tup bought jointly with the Strathbogie flock for 16,000gns at Stirling, to Paul Delves buying over the ‘phone for his Bridgeview flock from Powys, Wales.

The same buyer also went to 2000gns for the pen leader, a gimmer by the same sire and again carrying twins to Capaldi. She is bred from a home-bred gimmer by Cairness Diamond Jubilee.

Leading the ewe lamb prices at 3000gns was a Birness entry by the 7000gns Castleisle Gareth, out of a ewe by Ardlea Champion – one of 160 in the flock. She was knocked down to Martin Bignel, buying over the phone.

Top price for veteran breeder, Jimmy Douglas who is about to become an octogenarian was 2800gns paid for a gimmer by the southern Ireland purchase, Cavangrove Catalyst. She is bred from a Thurston ewe by Cairness See The Stars and sold due with a pair to Cairness A Star, to Lee Dunn, a joiner to trade with 20 ewes in his Corriemount flock from Muir of Ord, Dingwall.

Second top price amongst the Suffolk ewe lambs was 1500gns paid for a daughter of the 20,000gns Forkins Dizzee Rascal, from Rory and Pat Machray’s Middlemuir flock from Inverurie. She is bred from a ewe by Cairness Mi5, the sire of the 10,000gns Middlemuir Masserati and sold to Ron Wilkie, Tillyboy, Echt.

The Machrays also sold a Beltex ewe lamb for 1000gns – the equal top price in the breed. This was paid for Bilboa Enigma ET, a Kingledores Destroyer daughter out of Woodies Without a Paddle, purchased by the breeder of the dam, Stuart Wood, Woolhillock, Sken.

Matching that 1000gns bid was a lamb from Rennie Eva, from Zoey Rennie, Newmill, bought by G Rennie jnr, Newmill. Reserve champion at Keith Show, she is by Matt’s Bullshot and out of Rennie Brenda.

Blue Texels and Bluefaced Leicesters also peaked at 1000gns with the former, a Palace Collette, a gimmer by a Cynllwyn CK1 from Jennifer Cowan out of a Viewforth ewe, selling to K Mackay, Smith House, East Mey, Thurso. She sold scanned for a pair.

Stasa Moyes’ Saltire flock from Woolhillock, also sold an in-lamb Blue Texel gimmer at 1000gns to Iain Almond, Darwen, Lancs.

Bluefaced Leicester best was a gimmer from Matthew Seed, Home Farm of Auchry, Turriff, purchased by Raymond Baynes, Blackford, Croy. The breeding behind this in-lamb entry includes the Robleston H1 sire onto a ewe by Craig YR Orsedd L1.

OTHERLEADING prices

Suffolks – Gimmers – 1800gns – Birness by Limestone Legacy and due to Castleisle Capaldi, to L Dunn, Corriemount. 1600gns – Birness, by Limestone Legend and due to Castleisle Capaldi, to L Dunn, Corriemount. 1500gns - Birness by Crewlands Megastar and due to Castleisle Capaldie, to Messrs Linka, Stonelea, Stenness, Orkney.

Texels – Gimmers – 1800gns – RH Wilson, Milnbank, by Greenstar Alfie and due to Knock Yardsman, to M Anderson, Sonnealm, Dufftown, Keith. 1500gns – K Pratt, Hilltop, by Crailloch Ammunition, and due to Garngour Alabama, to S Moyes, Woolhillock, Skene. 1200gns – RH Wilson, by Greenstar Alfie, and due to Knock Yardsman, to G Christie, Birchfield, Midtown of Glass, Huntly; K Pratt, Hilltop, by Sportsmans Admirall II, and due to Garngour Alabama, to H Sclater, Orkney.

Averages: Texel – 65 gimmers, £749.85; eight ewe lambs, £641.25. Suffolk – 38 gimmers, £761.84; 30 ewes, £345.67; 25 eight ewe lambs, £641. Bluefaced Leicester ¬– Eight gimmers, £537.50. Blue Texels – Three gimmers, £900. Beltex – Three ewe lambs, £773.33; four ewes, £482.50; 20 gimmers, £528.00. Overall, 199 head, £641.00.

Auctioneers: Aberdeen and Northern Marts.