A top call of 8000gns was achieved at the 'Classy Lassies' sale of crossing Bluefaced Leicester females staged at Borderway Mart.

First to hit that top note was the pre-sale reserve champion from the Wight family, Midlock. This ewe hogg is the first crop of lambs from the 30,000gns Hawes purchase, Marriforth N24, out of a home-bred dam that goes back to Kirkby Redgate H1. Fighting it out to the end was Alison Bastian, Dumfries, who forked out 8000gns.

Also on that price tag was another ewe hogg this time in the form of a Skeughdale M1 daughter from Richard Hutchinson, Kirkby Redgate. This girl is out of a Sealhouses J1 sired-dam and found a new home with Messrs Burrow and Armstrong, Penrith, Cumbria, were the final bidders.

The pre-sale champion was the next to make the big money at 7500gns for Alec Brown of the MacQueston flock, which sold across to Northern Ireland to Robert Loughridge, Ballymoney. This ewe hogg is sired by the 10,000gns Farden M1 and out of a home-bred gimmer that goes back to Hewgill K26.

The Hewgill pen was next in the trade stakes for the Lord family, when their ewe hogg realised 7000gns to Messrs Procter, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. A Riddings L7 daughter, out of a home-bred ewe by the home-bred sire, Hewgill E1.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

averages: 10 aged ewes, £1218.00; 54 gimmers, £1869.58; 26 ewe hoggs, £2572.50

FOR THE FULL REPORT GRAB THIS WEEK'S THE SCOTTISH FARMER.