Growing demand for the superior growth rates of Suffolk cross lambs, ensured a bumper trade at the breed society's Scottish Area show and sale at Lanark, where prices peaked at 75,000gns and a further 10 sold for 10,000gns or more.
Add in an improved commercial trade and increased numbers were sold too.
"The sheep were definitely easier to sell than last year with a strong demand throughout. Anything with a good breedie head, good legs, skin and carcase was wanted," said Archie Hamilton, head sheep auctioneer at Lawrie and Symington, who pointed out that an additional 25 lambs were sold compared to the 2021 event which saw a new record price of 200,000gns.
It was a point echoed by the pre-sale judge, Paul Delves of the Bridgeview flock, who later bought his choice of champion for 60,000gns in partnership with two others.
"I was very impressed by the amount of good sheep that were forward. They are bigger and better than they used to be with better carcases too," he said.
Topping the trade at 75,000gns was the third prize ram lamb in the open section from John Gibb's Cairnton flock from Fraserburgh, brought out with assistance from his daughter Sophia (16). Producing a personal best for this 30-ewe flock was a January-born ET that has the same grand-dam of the family's previous best – Cairnton Strik which made 30,000gns last year. The dam, by Baileys Rock Solid, is out of a ewe bought from David Duncan's Endova flock, while the sire Bridgeview Belvenie was bought here last year for 4500gns. Final bidder was Stephen Sufferin, buying for his Crewelands flock from Northern Ireland, which is to be dispersed at Ballymena, on December 3, to provide finance to expand his SJS pallet business.
Team Boden – Charlie and Stephanie and family of Josh, Rosie and Tom – had a cracking day for their second year selling Suffolks from their 15-strong Sportsmans ewe flock which runs alongside a better known 200 Texel ewe enterprise from Stockport. Their five lambs sold to average a phenomenal £27,000plus.
All of these lambs, brought out with assistance of shepherd Harley Turner, were sons of the 200,000gns record priced Salopian Solid Gold bought last year in partnership with Whinfellpark. Dearest at 60,000gns, was the pre-sale champion, a mid January-born lamb and the result of a flush from a Ballynacannon ewe by Birness Muzza, bought privately from Dennis Taylor. Pen leader, he was knocked down to the judge, Paul Delves, with Phillip and Russell Poole of the Salopian flock from Shrewsbury and Iain and Judith Barbour, Solwaybank, Annan.
Three Sportsmans lambs from the same flush – a Stockton ewe by Stockton Last Chance – made 30,000gns, 15,000gns and 13,000gns. Dearest was the pen's No 4, purchased by Jeremy Sharp, Frith Farm, Tenbury Wells.
The second lamb was bought by Derbyshire breeder, Steven Buckley of the Sittinglow flock from Buxton, with his full ET brother making 13,000gns to George and Melvin Stuart and family, Milton of Birness, Ellon.
A Royal Welsh show winning Stockton ewe lamb was also behind an 11,000gns Sportsmans lamb, when the pen's No 3, bred from a home-bred Sportsmans ewe by Strathbogie A Kind of Magic and again sired by Solid Gold, sold in a two-way split to Alex and Russell Gray, Langside, Kirkfieldbank and Peter Gray, Cowgrove, Galston.
On the other side of the equation, Sportsmans bought the No 2 lamb from the Stuart family's Birness flock from Ellon. A late December-born lamb by the 2019 show winning Shrewsbury purchase, Forkins Firecracker, he is out of a ewe by Ballynacannon Noah.
Jim Innes' Strathbogie flock from Huntly, managed by shepherd Michael Leggat, was another in the money, taking 40,000gns for his pen leader. Producing a personal best for this small flock, was a January-born ET lamb bred from the best ewe on the farm that has bred sons to 22,000gns and 15,000gns and gimmers to 10,000gns. His dam, a home-bred ewe by Castleisle Knockout is bred from a foundation Deveronside female, while the sire is Stockton's Sniper's Son. The lamb sold to Stewart Craft, buying for his Lakeview flock from Glenrothes, Fife.
There was plenty of eye candy in Stewart Lathangie's Pyeston pen from Glenrothes too, when two full ET brothers sold for 38,000gns and 32,000gns. The lambs which were the result of a flush from a Birness ewe lamb by Castleisle Capaldi, bought at the Thainstone Christmas Classic a few years ago for 3800gns, which went on to stand reserve female champion at the Highland Show, last month. Both were sired by the 48,000gns Limestone Marksman, with the pen leader, which stood reserve champion at Fife Show, making 38,000gns to Iain and Judith Barbour, Solwaybank.
Minutes later, Robin and Emma Irwin of the Kings flock, Devon; Lilia Hutchinson, Howgillfoot, Kaber, Kirkby Stephen; Graeme and Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie and Stuart Lorimer, Cadgerford, Kingswells, Aberdeen, went in partnership to buy his full ET brother at 32,000gns.
Another selling at 20,000gns was the No 2 from the Solwaybank, purchased by Stephen Sufferin, Crewelands. Buying back some of his own genetics, this late December-born natural lamb is by the 2800gns Crewelands Apollo and out of a ewe that goes back to the inter-breed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show and reserve supreme sheep at the Royal. Bred from the same family as Solwaybank Good As Gold, he is out of a ewe by the 12,000gns Rhaeadr Rastafari.
The last of the five-figure sales came for a Muirton lamb from Jim Young's Aberdeenshire-based flock based near Alford. His pen leader, a natural-born January lamb is a son of last year's 8000gns Salopian Zoolander, and out of a ewe by Blackbrae Barbarian. He was knocked down to Strathbogie.
Two lambs sold for 9000gns with the first of those being Stephanie and William Tait's lead Burnview entry from Eskadrooey, Lislap, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland. This January-born ET lamb is bred from a ewe by Strathbogie Im Invincible that also produced the flock's 14,000gns sale leader last year at Ballymena. The sire, Birness Warrior, has bred sons to 13,000gns and 9000gns. The lamb sold back across the Irish Sea with J Screene, Menlough, Ballinalare, Co Galway.
Welsh breeder, Dafydd Jones who runs 40 ewes in the Frongoy flock, received the same money for his pen leader, from Rory and Pat Machray, Middlemuir, Inverurie and Strathbogie. A full brother to the 25,000gns Frongoy Rocket sold here last year, he is bred from the 2019 Royal Welsh Show champion, a ewe by Ballynacannon Black Diamond. The sire, Strathbogie Rock On Tommy, was purchased in 2020 for 2400gns.
Females also met a ready trade with gimmers to 6200gns and ewe lambs to 1000gns. The former, from Paul Delves' Bridgeview flock, is a maternal sister to the flock's best ewe lamb this year and to another sold to Burnview in 2020. She is by the 32,000gns Benedyglen Boomerang and out of a ewe by Lakeview Harbinger. She sold to Northern Ireland breeders, P and C McNally, Dungiven, Co Derry.
The final lot of females sold from Bryden Nicolson's Knockem flock from Duns, also sold well with a top of 5500gns and an average just shy of £2000 for nine. Their pen leader, an ET bred from a home-bred ewe that goes back to the 6000gns Roundacre Roxy ewe lamb, sold to Sportsmans. The sire is Howgillfoot Sniper.
Buying back some of his own genetics, the pen's No 4 and one of seven ET sisters to the leader, made 2000gns to Ross Lawrence of the Roundacre flock from Devon.
The lead priced ewe lamb at 1000gns from Strathbogie, was knocked down to Richard Bowdler, Park Hall, Ellesmere. She is bred from a ewe by Castleisle Knockout that has bred sons to 15,000gns and 13,000gns and sired by Salopian Scuderia.
Averages: 168 ram lambs £3939 (-£824 for 25 more sold); 16 gimmers, £1822.30; five ewe lambs, £693.00.
OTHER LEADING prices
Ram lambs – 7000gns – D Taylor, Ballynacannon, by Ballinatone Show Stopper, to Birness and C Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder, Huntly
6800gns – J Alexander, Jalex, by Frongoy Rocket, to Lilburn Estates, Wooperton, Wooler, Northumberland.
5000gns – Jalex, by Frongoy Rocket, to AC Austin, Woodcroft, New Abbey, Dumfries.
4800gns – JT Cannon, Redbrae, by Forkins Samson, to JT and E Midgley, Uncleby Wold, Kirkby, Underdale, York.
Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington.
FLOCK averages
Flock (No) Top (gns) Average (£)
Lundazi (3) 450 437.50
Burnview (4) 9000 3255.00
Bridgeview (7) 7500 2242.50
Pyeston (6) 38,000 13,352.50
Frongoy (4) 9000 3871.88
Mogford (3) 550 525.00
Crewelands (3) 3200 1697.50
Orcades (3) 600 542.50
Jalex (3) 6800 4830.00
Ballynacannon (4) 7000 2756.25
Harpercroft (3) 2200 1802.50
Bessiebell (3) 3000 1890.00
Conchar (3) 2000 1925.00
Sitlow (3) 2000 1960.00
Mullaghboy (4) 2200 1155.00
Solwaybank (6) 20,000 4952.50
Castleisle (3) 4000 2590.00
Middlemuir (4) 1600 1299.38
Cairnton (5) 75,000 16,432.50
Limestone (3) 4000 1995.00
Sportsmans (5) 60,000 27,090.00
Redbrae (5) 4800 2215.50
Cranorskie (3) 3400 1435.00
Tolgus (3) 1100 770.00
Cadgerford (3) 550 542.50
Claycrop (5) 1100 1134.00
Salopian (4) 3800 2546.25
Lakeview (3) 2800 1627.50
Muirton (5) 10,000 2793.00
Cairness (4) 1500 866.25
Myddle (3) 750 612.50
Strathview (4) 2200 1614.38
Strathbogie (3) 40,000 15,120.00
Carnforth (3) 500 455.00
Birness (10) 20,000 3475.50
Forkins (3) 3800 2502.50
Irongray (3) 2000 1067.50
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