Obie's Blues pack a punch at Kelso Ram Sales

For Obie and her late husband Jim Sharp, who was better known for breeding top Blackface rams at their neighbouring 2700-acre hill farm at Longcroft, introducing a small Bluefaced Leicester flock was the obvious choice when they had 450 acres of arable/in-bye ground at Newbigging and Shielfield.

Now, almost 40 years later, Obie is selling some of the best Bluefaced Leicester shearling rams at the Kelso Ram sales. Used as lambs at Longcroft – contract farmed by Burncastle Farming Co – Burncastle and Tollishill they are also breeding some of the top selling Scotch Mule ewe lambs at the local auction mart at St Boswells.

At the last ‘live’ sales at Kelso, in 2019, her pen of 10 rams not only produced the lead price of £15,000 but also the highest flock average of £3710, to follow on from her previous best of £8000 in 2018.

Newbigging Walls team with the £15,000 sale topper and its pen mate which sold for £6000 Ref:RH130919108 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer..

Similarly, at last year’s Scotch Mule ewe lamb sale at St Boswells, the three farms which are managed by Alan Rogerson with the assistance of shepherds James Brady Peter Lothian and Ben Carter sold ewe lambs, many of which were sired by Newbigging Walls rams, to a top of £160 for a pen of 50, to cash in at a colossal £130 for 500 sold in one day.

Another 100 sold at the second ewe lamb sale to average in excess of £100 per head, with a further 400 Scotch Mule rough hoggs and gimmers sold at UA Stirling earlier in the year, hitting a top of £195.

Strong bunch of Burncastle Mule ewe lambs sired by Newbiggings Walls Blue Faced Leicester tups Ref:RH190821058 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Contrary to popular belief, Mule wedder lambs also sell well, with the first batch from this years crop having sold through the prime ring at St Boswells for more than £100 per head and all off grass.

“I've always liked the Scotch Mule as a commercial breeding female as she is fit for the purpose she’s designed for” said Obie

“She’s a great hardy ewe being bred from a Blackface female and one that will easily rear two lambs. Scotch mule wedder lambs easily finish of grass too,” Obie added in pointing out her reasons for introducing pedigree Bluefaced Leicester flock all those years ago.

In all, some 1000 Scotch Mule females are produced from 1700 crossing Blackface ewes at Longcroft, Burncastle and Tollishill – with the majority sold as ewe lambs to repeat customers. The remainder are are cashed either as rough hoggs or gimmers or retained as recipients for Obie’s 60-ewe Bluefaced Leicester flock.

But in contrast to many new breeders in recent times, who either went down the ‘crossing’ or ‘traditional route, Obie’s flock has been built up gradually and is based on good, correct sheep and sound genetics.

Her Newbigging Walls was established in 1983 from three females purchased at the Greenfield dispersal at Lanark, by her late husband Jim and son Liam, now a vet to trade with his own practice in Ireland. Another from the Bogardo flock and a ewe from Old Parks – christened Gladys - were acquired at the same time. What are now known as crossing bloodlines were introduced solely via bought in stock rams over the past 25 years.

Obie added :“We bought the Blues to breed Scotch Mule ewe lambs to add value to the bottom end of our Blackface ewes and they certainly have, but we never set out to concentrate on any one type, but rather to breed correct tups with good mouths, skins, feet and legs. In doing so, we feel we have been able to keep the original quality and the class in our Blues, while introducing the genetics now favoured to breed the most popular type of mules."

While home-bred tup lambs are used on the Blackies at Longcroft, stock tups for the pedigree flock over the years have been bought at Hexham, Carlisle, Kelso and Hawes.

“I like good ‘proper’ sheep so when we are looking for a new stock ram, it’s got to have a good mouth, skin, body and a leg in each corner. It’s also got to have character and that extra bit of glint in the eye,” said Obie, adding that since Jim died she relies on assistance from Alan Rogerson and the team from Northumberland Estates.

Newbigging Walls consignment of shearling Blue Faced Leicester tups bound for Kelso Ref:RH190821043 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

In more recent years however, the flock has been particularly successful in buying new stock rams at Hawes, with one of the best breeding rams being a £19,000 Midlock lamb C002 bought in 2010, in partnership with James Herdman, Bill Hedley and John Snaith.

A partnership of James Herdman, Bill Hedley and son-in law Colin Campbell and daughter Jacqui bought £15000 Carryhouse H002 and in 2017 £20,000 Duhonw K001 which bred the £15,000 Kelso Ram sale leader in 2019 for Newbigging Walls.

Last year, Obie went further buying a share of 23,000gns record priced Blue out of Northern Ireland from Declan McKillop’s Giant Causeway flock, in partnership with Colin, and grand daughters Campbell, Easter Happrew,

This years Blue Faced Leicester tup lambs that will be used on the flock and sold next year as shearlings Ref:RH190821050 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Jim and Colin Dick, Hamildean, and Malcolm Thornborrow and sons , Craig and Gary, Easter Dawyck. A fifth share sold to Melvi and Kevin Ridley of the Shitlington flock , Wark.

While Obie is fortunate she doesn’t have to worry about bringing out the Scotch Mules in the run up to their breeding sales, the Bluefaced Leicester ram sales are a bit more hectic as her ‘boys’ are her special interest.

Most years 30 shearling rams are sold, with 10 for Kelso and the remaining 20 split between the two multi breed sales at United Auctions, Stirling.

Sourcing a new stock ram at the various breed sales, is always a bit more problematic, but it is also a time she particularly enjoys especially with a good team of guys to help her out with a breed described as being decidedly ‘fickle’ by both Obie and Alan, in comparison to Blackies and Scotch Mules.

This years Blue Faced Leicester tup lambs that will be used on the flock and sold next year as shearlings Ref:RH190821048 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

In saying that ,they also believe they have mastered their management by allowing the Blues to run in and out of the shed as they see fit for most of the year.

The one good thing for all this year, is the return of next weeks Kelso Ram Sales, which Obie and the team are particularly looking forward to if only to catch up with friends old and new. Its been a long two years without Kelso.

Farm facts

Farming enterprise: lowground mostly arable unit at Newbigging Walls and Shielfield, comprising 450 acres, and 2700 acres at Longcroft under a contract farm agreement with Northumberland Estates

Ewe flock: 60 pedigree Bluefaced Leicesters at Newbigging Walls: 1500 Blackfaces at Longcroft.

Sales: Bluefaced Leicester shearlings at Kelso and two multi-breed sales at United Auctions, Stirling.

Breeding females: all retained

On the spot

Best investment: £19,000 Midlock ram lamb

Biggest achievement: Topping Kelso Ram Sales with the Ghost

Best advice: Don't buy second best

Favourite restaurant: Firebrick in Lauder