A new centre record price of 8000gns was paid for a Texel gimmer at the Longtown Ladies sale of in-lamb females on Monday evening where no fewer than 31 lots achieved four-figure prices.

A strong trade throughout saw the 133 head forward achieve a 96% clearance with an overall average of £1079.

The event, which also witnessed the first use of the the MartEye online bidding platform, attracted 383 registered online bidders with 38% of the entry selling through the system.

Sale leader at 8000gns was a gimmer by the 125,000gns Rhaeadr Best of the Best, from Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk. Also backed by the best of breeding on the female side, her dam, a 13,000gns Hullhouse ewe by Garngour Vodka, bred the 28,000gns Billy the Kid and daughters to 6000gns. The gimmer sold carrying a single lamb by the 4000gns Bellefield Double Dutch, to Gordon and David Gray, buying for their Ettrick flock from Selkirk.

Another by the same sire and from the same home made 6400gns selling to Northern Ireland breeder, J Cubbitt, Ballymena. The service sire again was Double Dutch, while the dam, a home-bred female by Sportsmans A Star was the 2019 Select Seven sale leader.

The Scottish Farmer: Another from Alan Blackwood made 6400gnsAnother from Alan Blackwood made 6400gns

Auldhouseburn’s two other Texel gimmers – both by Best of the Best – made 4000gns and 3600gns to Irish breeders, T Kenny, Ballinasloe, Galway and B Farrell, Oberstown, Co Meath, respectively. The former sold due to Double Dutch, with the latter to Sportmans Dazzler. Auldhouseburn sold four to average £5775.

Perthshire-based breeder, Robert Cockburn of the Knap flock, Errol, also had a good day with his No 2 gimmer, by Auldhouseburn Billy the Kid and out of a ewe by Tamnamoney Ultimate, selling for 3200gns. From the same family as the 145,000gns Vicious Sid, she sold due to Sportsmans Cannon Ball to Steven Smith and family of the Penparc flock, Welshpool. Knap sold four to average £2546.

Steven Renwick’s Craig Douglas flock from Peebles was another in the money, with gimmers by Knock Bantastic selling for 3200gns to Jamie Pirie, Blarnavaid and at 3000gns to Billy and Andrew Renwick, Yarrow. The former, bred from a ewe by Haddo Whisky Galore, sold scanned for a pair to Sportsmans Cannon Ball, with the 3000gns entry, bred from a Glenside Ring A Ding daughter, carrying triplets to Cannon Ball.

Texel ewe hoggs also hit a top of 3200gns for a daughter of Hexel Born to Be Wild from Donald and Ross MacPherson’s, Berwick on Tweed-based unit. Evistones Farm, Otterburn, was the final bidder on this entry bred from a Clinterty You Cracker-sired ewe that has bred lambs to 3500gns

Danny Hair, Drumbreddan, Stranraer, sold the second top priced ewe lamb at 2200gns to Derbyshire breeder, C Asher, Fiddlers Folly, Ashbourne. She is by Midlock Yorkie and bred from a Springwell Venom ewe.

Top price amongst the Dutch Texels was 2100gns paid for a gimmer from Giles Pyman’s Thacka flock from Stainton, Penrith. She is by the imported sire, A Class Act and sold due to Skiddaw View Busby Babe, to A Mutch and Son, Heath Holm, Oxfordshire.

The Scottish Farmer: Top priced Dutch Texel at 3800gns was this in-lamb ewe hogg from Ali JacksonTop priced Dutch Texel at 3800gns was this in-lamb ewe hogg from Ali Jackson

Dutch Spotted in-lamb hoggs from Ali Jackson’s Tiptop flock from Maulscastle met a flying trade to average £3360 for five. Dearest here at 3800gns was Tiptop Demi, which boasts Dutch genetics on both sides. She sold carrying a single by Westbroad Explorer B, to R Heigh, Brook House, Lancaster.

Tiptop Darcey, a similarly-bred ewe hogg carrying a single to Explorer B, made 3600gns to L Robertson, Ashlea, Horton.

Beltex sold to 520gns for a gimmer from Robert and Maimie Paterson, Upper Auchenlay, Dunblane.

Auctioneers: C and D Auction Marts.

Averages: Texels – 70 gimmers, £1204.00; 19 ewe hoggs £899.00. Dutch Texels – 16 gimmers, £782.00. Beltex – 17 gimmers and ewe hoggs, £441.00. Dutch Spotted – Five ewe hoggs, £3360.