A good show of sheep coupled with a large ringside of buyers ensured a buoyant demand for C and D Auction Marts' Longtown Ladies evening sale of pedigree females where no fewer 16 four-figure prices were achieved.

Leading the trade for the second consecutive year was a Texel entry from Alan Blackwood's Auldhouseburn flock from Muirkirk which sold for 3000gns. This gimmer, which is a daughter of Sportsmans A Star from the flock's Ettrick Ennis family, sold in lamb to Mr Blackwood's home-bred Crackpot to Bruce Renwick buying for the Castlecairn flock at Kelso.

First time Texel consignors, Allan and Karen Wight, Midlock, Crawford, followed at 2400gns with their lead gimmer, which stood reserve champion at the pre-sale show. Sired by Mullan Amigo and carrying a pair to Sportsmans Cannonball, she was knocked down to new breeders, Messrs Dempster, Harestone, Broughton, of EWG Scotland.

For the third year on the trot, a Texel gimmer from Steven Renwick's Craig Douglas flock from Peebles secured the championship and later went on to sell for 2000gns to Messrs Ayrton, Lancaster. She is by Mullan Amigo and sold carrying a single to Sportsmans Cannonball.

The sale included ewe hoggs for the first time and was topped at 1200gns for a Texel from Danny Hair, Drumbreddan, Ardwell, Stranraer, who also sold entries at 1100gns and 1000gns. His second prize ewe hogg by Midlock Yorkie topped the section and headed north with Charlie Angus, Oldfield, Caithness.

An added feature of the Texel section was the dispersal of the adult portion of Robin Bell and Co's Teviot flock from Kelso, which sold to 1100gns twice. First was a 2016-born ewe by Holylee Volcano, in lamb to Ettrick Cockney Rebel, purchased by Messrs Pritchard, Evistones; and second was a 2017-born daughter of Tima Yogi Bear. She sold in lamb to the same sire to Neil Edmondson, Castlebank.

Top price amongst the Teviot gimmers was 1000gns paid for a Tima Anchor Man daughter in lamb to Ettrick Cockney Rebel, purchased by Messrs Beresford, Alnwick. Another gimmer, by Ettrick Apache Warrior, in lamb to Cockney Rebel, made the same money selling to Messrs Bland, Wigton.

Dutch Texels also sold well and to 800gns for a gimmer from Messrs Pyman, Thacka. She is a daughter of a Skiddaw View and scanned to have two lambs, she sold to Messrs Vaughan, North Wales.

The Bluefaced Leicester section was led by a gimmer from the Wight family at Midlock, with a K4 Marriforth daughter selling to JM Livestock, Ayrshire.

LEADING awards

Texels – Gimmers – 1, Craig Douglas, 2000gns to Ayrton, Lancaster; 2, Midlock, 2400gns to EWG Scotland, Biggar; 3, Holylee, 1600gns to EWG Scotland, Biggar. Ewe hoggs – 1, Drumbreddan, 800gns to Messrs Pateman, Scarborough; 2, Drumbreddan, 1200gns to C Angus, Caithness; 3, Dashwell, 200gns to N Woodmass, Harene.