A top price of £18,000 was paid on two occasions at the Perth Ram Society’s sale at Stirling, where the top end north-type Blackface rams were well sought after.

First to achieve that price tag was the pre-sale champion from Matthew Hamilton and son, also Matthew, Woolfords, West Calder, who sold the majority of the top priced rams. Their shearling is by a son of a £15,000 Calla and out of a home-bred ewe by a grand-son of a 11,000gns Breslin. He sold to Irish breeders Billy Grant, Cloughfin, Clonmany, and Charlie Gallagher, Cappry, Ballybofey, Co Donegal, Eire.

 

This Woolfords shearling made £7000

This Woolfords shearling made £7000

 

Woolfords also received £7000 for a shearling which sold in another two-way split to Sandy Carson, Ballybogie Hill, Ballymena, and Kevin McAleer, Camlough, Pomeroy, Co Tyrone. His pedigree features a 6500gns Harkin sire and a £1000 Glenhead sired-dam.

Billy Grant, Cloughfin, also went to £4000 for another Woolfords shearling by a Curran shearling that stood first place at the National Show two years ago, out of a home-bred dam.

Just behind, on £3500, was a £2400 Scarhill-sired shearling which sold jointly to John Shearer and sons, Gavin and Neil, Hillhead of Morinsh, Glenlivet, and Billy and Philip Stewart, Bomakelloch, Drummuir, Keith.

Woolfords lambs by the £18,000 Woolfords shearling which had been used as a lamb, sold to £6000 on two occasions. The first sold to a bus load of buyers: Brian Curran, Coney, Culmore, Co Derry; Owen McEvoy, Yullaree, Kilcoo, Newry, Co Down; Charlie and Cathal Harkin, Loughash, Dunamanagh, Co Tyrone; John McDermott, Seaview Terrace, Glengad, Co Donegal. The second Woolfords lamb at £6000 sold to Brian Curran, Coney, on his own.

 

Joint sale leader at £18,000 was this ram lamb from Calla

Joint sale leader at £18,000 was this ram lamb from Calla

 

Matching that joint top price of 18,000gns was a ram lamb from David Baillie, Calla, Carnwath. He is from the first crop of sons from the 8500gns Harkin shared with the Shearer family, Hillhead of Morinsh, and out of a home-bred ewe by a 5500gns Conway. He was knocked down to Aberdeenshire breeders, Sandy and Steven Smith, Scar Hill, Glenkindie.

Another lamb by the same sire from the Shearers at Hillhead of Morinsh, made £10,000 when selling to Pamela Nicol, who manages Doldy and Eastmill Farms, Glenisla, Blairgowrie. A new top price for the flock, having previously sold to £7000, he is bred from a ewe by a £1000 Conway tup.

 

The best from Hillhead of Morinish hit £10,000

The best from Hillhead of Morinish hit £10,000

 

Hillhead of Morinsh also secured the reserve champion at the pre-sale show with a shearling which later made £7000 selling to Cadogan Estate, Auchnacloich, Amulree; and Stephen Duncan and son, also Stephen, Achdregnie, Glenlivet. A son of a £7800 Achdregnie, he is out of a 2000gns McEvoy-sired dam.

Achieving £6000 was a ram lamb from Doldy, brought out by Pamela Nicol. He is by a £8000 Woolford tup and out of a home-bred ewe. Hillhead of Morinsh and Achdregnie shared the final cost.

Helping to finance that purchase, Achdregnie sold to £3500 for a shearling son of a £1600 Woolfords out of a ewe by a 2000gns Sam Adams. Buying back some of his own genetics, he sold to Matthew Hamilton, Woolfords, who teamed up with Bert Grant, Glendamph, Glenisla, to take this boy home.

Achdregnie also received £3000 from Doldy for a son of a 5500gns Conway tup whose dam also features Conway genetics.

The first shearling in the sale from Bert Grant, Glendamph, realised £3200 to Tom and Mairi Paterson and son, Robert, Craigneich, Comrie. He is by a £2000 Woolfords and out of a home-bred ewe by a £1000 Craigneich sire.

Just behind, on £3000, Glendamph sold another by a Sam Adams ram to Auchnacloich.

Auctioneers: United Auctions.

Flock averages

Flock (No) Top (£) Avg (£)

Glendamph (11) 3200 1495.45

Achdregnie (21) 3500 1264.59

Tombreakachie (5) 600 510.00

Chamberwells (10) 900 585.00

Dalbog (6) 1200 616.67

Craigneich (11) 2500 1040.91

Calla (6) 1500 700.00

Markethill (6) 2800 1150.00

Bomakelloch (3) 1800 1100.00

Hillhead of Morinsh (7) 7000 1971.43

Avonside (5) 1400 1000.00

Maryton (5) 1200 720.00

Newmill of Inshewan (6) 2000 833.33

Doldy Farms (10) 2200 870.00

Woolfords (12) 18,000 3083.33

Glenrinnes (3) 600 533.33

Auchnacloich (13) 2000 919.23

Scar Hill (12) 2200 758.33

Ram lambs

Doldy Farms (5) 6000 1540.00

Scar Hill (3) 1200 683.33

Woolfords (3) 6000 4266.67

Chamberwells (4) 450 337.50

Hillhead of Morinsh (4) 10,000 3250.00

Calla (9) 18,000 2738.89

averages: 172 shearlings, £1105.81 (-£16.82 for 35 more); 35 ram lambs, £1825.71 (+£985.01 for eight fewer).