TOP price at C and D Auction Marts’ Border Ewe sale at Longtown, was £205 per head paid for a pen of North Country Cheviots from S Turnbull, Poppets Cottage, Larkhall, Jedburgh.

The sale, which attracted an entry of 4898 Blackface and Swaledale ewes and gimmers and 7570 Cheviot breeding females also included three dispersals: from G McGimpsey, D’Mainholm, D Watson, Ardnacross, Campbeltown and Messrs Main, Byers Farm, Bewcastle.

Trade was cautious and hesitant with only character lots meeting a strong demand.

Blackface ewes and gimmers proved easy to sell peaking at £122 on two occasions for Hexham-type from W Walton, Toft House and Wanwood Partners.

The firm’s annual show and sale of North Country Cheviot rams together with their inaugural sale of traditional Bluefaced Leicester rams, saw 111 NCC shearling rams peak at £720 to average £335 with the 40 Blues selling to £900 to level at £408.

Dearest NCC was the first prize park-type shearling from G Davies and Partners, North Synton, purchased by J Stephenson and Sons, West Millhills, Haydon Bridge. North Synton averaged £460 for nine.

Allanshaws sold the next four dearest at £700, £650 (x2) and £600, to average £443 for 11 and D Matthewson, Soutra sold at £600 and £580.

Top Blue at £900 was a shearling from D Sandilands, Threepwood, Blainslie, purchased by Hindmarsh Partners, Blakehopeburnhaugh.

Next at £600 and £580 were rams from CR Purvis, Shepherds Cottage, Halterburn, while PW Hedley, Swinside sold at £550 twice.

LEADINGprices

Breeding sheep – NCC – Gimmers – £173, £165, Poppets Cottage; £158 Westhills, Rothbury; £155, £150 Preston Mains. Ewe lambs – £120, £95 from North Synton, Ashkirk. Draft ewes – £110, £100 Gospel Hall; £105 Hill Top (Bell); £100 Byers Farm and Capelfoot.

Hill Cheviot – Draft ewes – £138, £95, Castle Crawford; £95 Stirkfield Farms. Gimmers – £135, £120, Stirkfield Farms; £128, The Side; £118, Mount Benger; £116, Skelfhill. Ewe lambs –

£78 Drycleughlea, Roberton; £72 Hindhope (Elliott), Jedburgh.

Dispersals – Ardnacross – NCC gimmers - £110. One-crop - £95. Two-crop - £92. Three-crop - £90.

Byers Farm – Correct ewes - £100, £95, £90.

Blackface – Gimmers – Hexham-type – £122 Toft House; £122, £120 Wanwood Hill; £118 High Staward; £116 Sewing Shields; £115, £110 The Side; £110 Nilston Rigg and High Staward; £105 Nilston Rigg; £100 High Staward. Lanark-type – £115 Westhills; £110 Hillbrough; £102 Westhills; £100 Hillbrough. Ewes – £80 Craigdarroch; £78 Holylee House; £75 Craigieburn; £70 Kirkland and Burnfoot; £68, £64 Holylee House; £64 Sorbie; £62 Earlshaugh; £60 Skelfhill and Halliburton. Ewe lambs - £85, £82 Wanwood Partners; £73 Prospect House; £70 Peela Hill; £66 Prospect House; £60 Roughet Hill and Penpeugh; £57 Kirkland; £52 Skelfhill; £50 Holm of Daltallochan and Craigdarroch.