Averages held up well despite an increased entry and a flock dispersal at the annual show and sale of Blackface females at Lanark auction market, where an unshown ewe attracted the lead bid of 10,000gns.

The event, which attracted a huge ringside of breeders and enthusiasts was topped by a one-crop ewe from Northern Ireland breeders, John and Patrick Harkin, Loughash, Strabane. Producing a personal best for this father and son duo was a daughter of a £20,000 Auldhouseburn lamb, bred from a ewe by a £5500 Dalwyne. She sold carrying a single lamb to the £26,000 Elmscleugh bought at Dalmally, and heads back across the Irish Sea with Veronica and Patrick Fullerton, Draperstown.

Most of the top priced lots were unshown prior to the sale, to include the next best at 7500gns from Hugh and Alan Blackwood's Auldhouseburn flock from Muirkirk. Their classy gimmer, which was one of the flushing team last year, is by a £75,000 Dalchirla bought at Dalmally,and out of a top breeding ewe by a £25,000 Auldhouseburn. She changed hands scanned for a single to the £160,000 Elmscleugh lamb bought at Lanark in 2018 to Skye breeder, Vic Bull, Waternish, bidding over the 'phone.

Near neighbours, Eoin and Kirstyn Blackwood, Dalblair, also enjoyed a good day despite being last in the sale, selling to 5200gns and 3200gns for one-crop ewes by the £52,000 Crossflatt, in lamb to The Bodyguard, a home-bred son of a £28,000 Auldhouseburn retained for breeding. The dearest, bred from a ewe by a £6500 Auldhouseburn, sold due with a single to Oliver and Sean Brannigan, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, with the 3200gns entry, out of a ewe by an £11,000 Dyke and carrying a pair, knocked down to fellow Irish breeders, Mark and Danny Harrison, Annalong.

Two ewes sold for 4500gns to include the first in the ring, a three-crop from Alastair and David Macarthur, Nunnerie, Elvanfoot, purchased by David Morrison, Dalwyne, Barr. Champion at Muirkirk Show in 2018 and bred from the first prize rough ewe at the Highland in 2015 which has bred shearlings to £12,000, this ewe is by a £20,000 Auldhouseburn and sold carrying a single to an £18,000 Auldhouseburn.

John Murray, Crossflatt, Muirkirk, also received £4500 for a gimmer by Tornado – a home-bred son of a £160,000 Dalchirla retained for breeding – out of a ewe by a £16,000 Nunnerie. Davie and Jock Jackson, Pole, Lochoilhead, and Donald McVicar, Lephinchapel, Strachur, joined forced to buy this entry which sold scanned for a pair to last year's £150,000 Auldhouseburn lamb.

Inverness-based breeder, Robert Flett who owns the Crakaig flock based at Blackpark Croft, forked out 4200gns for Paul Coulson's sole entry from Haigh Staward, Langley which also sold due with twins to the £150,000 Auldhouseburn lamb. This two-crop is by a £50,000 Crossflatt and out of a ewe by McCoy, a Crossflatt-bred son of a £30,000 Aitkenhead.

A small but selective show of North-type females also sold well, peaking at 4000gns for a two-crop show ewe from David Baillie, Calla, Carnwath. Reserve champion at Perth Show last year and reserve female at the National breed show at Stirling as a ewe lamb, she is by a 1000gns McAleer and out of a home-bred ewe. She sold scanned for a single to the Conway brothers – John and George – Plumbridge, Northern Ireland.

The Wights from Midlock had a good day both in the show and the sale ring, landing a red ticket amongst the ewes with their four-crop entry by a £25,000 Crossflatt, which went on to sell for 3800gns to Hazel Brown, Birthwood, Coulter. Bred from a daughter of a £90,000 Dalchirla shearling, she changed hands scanned with three to a £24,000 Connachan.

The team's Midlock Gelspin hirsel produced the champion – selected by the judge, Derek (Bo) Brown, Muirhouse, Symington – a gimmer by the same £24,000 Connachan, purchased by Eoin McKenna, Maghera, Northern Ireland. This gimmer entry is out of a ewe by a £7000 Midlock and sold carrying a pair to the Stag – a home-bred son of the £8000 Dyke.

Sadly, only 26 were forward for the judging which saw the reserve champion from David Morrison, Dalwyne, a gimmer by Oasis – a home-bred son of a £52,000 Crossflatt – sell for £2200 to Irish breeder, Charlie Gallagher, Ballybothie. She is out of a ewe by a £10,000 Hartside and sold scanned for twins to the £22,000 Dalchirla.

Matching that bid was the fourth prize gimmer from Robert Cockburn, Hill of Errol, Perth, purchased by the O'Mullans from Rasharkin, Northern Ireland. The breeding behind this entry scanned for a single to the £26,000 Dalchirla includes a home-bred son of a £12,000 Crossflatt onto a ewe by the £50,000 Dalwyne.

Top price for Mary McCall Smith's Connachan flock from Crieff was also 2200gns paid for a gimmer by a grand-son of the £38,000 Auchloy, which sold carrying a single to the home-bred Wheelbarrow which is a full brother to the £4200 shearling sold at Lanark, last year. The buyer was D MacMullan, Maghera, Northern Ireland.

Top price for Sandy McKirdy's Kerrycroy flock from Bute, was 1200gns paid for a gimmer by an £800 Midlock, out of a Millpark ewe by a Dalchirla sire. She sold carrying twins to a Waterlands tup used on loan to Jim Boswell, Burnhead, Darvel. The six entries from Messrs McKirdy and McAlister averaged £542.50.

Averages: 33 ewes, £1712.14 (-£476.88 for 10 more sold); 54 gimmers, £1172.89 (+£3.39 for 12 more). Drumharvie dispersal – 43 head, £112.80.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.