A new Kelso record of £65,000, the highest ever overall average at £970.09 – up £272 on the 2019 event – and a record breaking turnover of more than £3.4m, made for an extremely successful Kelso Ram Sales.

Add in a good dry day for the sales which this year was open to the elements when there were no marquees and the event was buzzing from the onset, with most vendors heading home with more money in their pockets.

Again, Texels led the trade, attracting the four five-figure prices, with the dearest, from Donald MacGregor’s Campsie flock from Dyke, Milton of Campsie, being the second highest priced Texel shearling following the 120,000gns Loosebeare Imp, sold at Carlisle. The previous best at Kelso was £35,000 paid for Scrogtonhead U Stoater.

Star attraction at £65,000, was Campsie Drambuie, a son of the 5500gns Ettrick Cockney Rebel, out of a ewe by Garngour Yeltsin. Pen leader from the 22-ewe flock, Drambuie was from the last lot in Ring Nine and sold to John Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso and Ken Hodge buying for Greenarch flock based at Earlston.

Two Texel shearlings made 20,000gns with the first being Teiglum Dirty Harry, from Andrew Clark, Blackhills, Carluke, purchased by Paul Slater, Whiteley Hey, Cheshire. A son of Knock Yardsman, his dam is a full sister to the 18,000gns Garngour Bullet and a half sister to the £29,000 Garngour Awesome.

Minutes later, Biggar-based breeders, Angus Kennedy and son Angus, sold Mitchellhill Diamond Star for the same money to John Gibb, Toftcombs, Biggar; Iain Minto, Townhead, Lamington and Jimmy Orr, Wester Walston, Biggar. He is by Canllefaes Bright Spark.

Neil Harvey's Blackadder flock was also in the money with a top of £15,000 paid for a shearling by Walston Batman, bred from a ewe by Wolfclyde Wawrinka. He was bought by the McAllisters, buying for their Artnagullion flock from Northern Ireland.

Top price amongst the Bluefaced Leicesters was £9500 paid for a traditional-type shearling ram from Alan and Peter Forster, Lowes Fell, purchased by Frank Johnstone of the Ashes flock. His sire is a Lowes Fell M2.

Suffolks sold to £6000 for a shearling from Alex and Russel Gray, Langside, Kirkfieldbank, for a son of Rowandale Reality, purchased by Messrs Roberts, Wales.

Overall, 657 registered Texel shearlings averaged £1412.72; 190 registered Suffolk shearlings averaged £999.11 and 424 Bluefaced Leicesters cashed in at £1247.03.

Beltex rams met a flying trade with 211 balancing out at £1045.12.

For full report and pictures see next week's Scottish Farmer