Farming Eye

North Country Cheviot trade at Lairg on Tuesday saw rams peak at £17,000 for one from Robert MacDonald, Castle Grant Home Farm, and gimmers sell to a high of £200/head from Ted Fox, Elsdonburn.

Trade in the gimmers was up by more than £8 on the year, with the ewe average falling by just shy of £2.

The day’s ram sale topper set a new centre record in the process of taking the sale’s top call and sold in a two-way split to Ted Fox, Elsdonburn, and Charlie Symons, Attonburn.

Other leading prices in the rams included one from Stoophill at £12,000, one from Charlie Symons, Attonburn at £8000 and a £7000 call for the best from Ted Fox Elsdonburn. Another from Attonburn then traded at £6500, while on from Brackside made £5500, as did another from Elsdonburn, with another from the same home at £4500.

In the females the gimmers were led at £200/head by Elsdonburn with pens from South Balkeith at £195 and £180, a pen from Heathmount at £180 and another pen from Elsdonburn at the same money.

Warranted ewes the topped at £170/head for a pen from J Moffat, Forrest Farm, Criok, with other pens at £155 for Achentoul and £150/head for Armadale.

Averages; 5275 ewes £77.34, 1066 gimmers £131.40, 277 rams £952 (United Auctions).

by Jonathan Long

The Ingram family have made it a clean sweep in the sheep lines at the Royal Welsh this year, taking today’s interbreed group of three title to add to the pairs and individual interbreed championships won yesterday with Charollais from their Logie Durno flock.

Standing reserve to the Charollais were the North Country Cheviot trio from J Earle.

In the show’s ram lamb interbreed, a competition staged for the first time this year in memory of former chief sheep steward George Hughes, the winner was the Brecknock Hill Cheviot from G J Meredith, while reserve spot went to the Charollais tup lamb from Tim Prichard.

by Jonathan Long

Taking the interbreed sheep championship here at the Highland this afternoon was the Texel champion from John Forsyth, Glenside. This one crop ewe is by 33,000gns sire Muiresk Blondin and out of a dam  by Castlecairn Keltic Star.

This was John’s third Highland Show sheep interbreed championship win and his eighth Texel championship. Judge Robin Thomson said the ewe was the best sheep he’d seen in a long time. “She was sweet and correct in every way and has flesh throughout herself. She moves well and is just a great example of the breed.”

Standing reserve overall was the Suffolk champion, Robbie Wilson two crop ewe. She is a Strathisla Speed daughter out of a dam by Strathisla Kingsway. She is ET sister to 15,000gns Strathisla Leader and 8000gns Strathisla Thunderstruck.

Mr Thomson said the Suffolk had pushed the Texel close for the top title and was a good example of the modern Suffolk. “She’s a more fleshy, solid type of Suffolk than we’ve seen for a few years.”

And in second reserve was Robert Runciman’s North Country Cheviot tup, a four shear. This is Sinton Bullseye, a four shear tup by Allanshaws Double Top and is the sire of last year’s champion Allanshaws Pam.

Here’s a quick video snippet of the interbreed judging here today, enjoy…..

by Jonathan Long

The first of the sheep championships have now been decided here at the Royal Highland, with the Suffolk title and reserve titles going Robbie Wilson. Taking the championship was Robbie’s two crop ewe, a Strathisla Speed daughter out of a dam by Strathisla Kingsway. She is ET sister to 15,000gns Strathisla Leader and 8000gns Strathisla Thunderstruck.

Suffolk champion was Robbie Wilson ewe

Reserve here was a tup lamb by 23,000gns Rookery Rooney out of a dam by Lakeview Leroy which is full sister to 7000gns Strathisla Rockafella.

In the North Country Cheviot ring the champion was an aged tup from the Runciman family. This is Sinton Bullseye, a four shear tup by Allanshaws Double Top and is the sire of last year’s champion Allanshaws Pam.

North Country Cheviot champion was the aged tup

Then in reserve was an aged ewe from the Campbell family. This three crop ewe is by an Allanshaws sire and out of homebred dam.

Taking the top spot in the Lleyns was a shearling ewe from John Geldard and family, this homebred gimmer was shown as a ewe lamb at the Royal Welsh last year where she was reserve female champion.

Taking the Lleyn championship was the Geldard's gimmer

The Geldards also took the reserve spot with an aged tup by a Sackville tup. this one is homebred and a paternal brother to the 7000gns tup sold at Carlisle last year.

Blackface championship honours fell to the Wight family, Midlock, with a two crop ewe by £36,000 Dachirla Xfactor and out of a dam by a £22,000 Dachirla. She was on her first outing of the year. Then in reserve was a gimmer from the Ramsay family. She is by a £26,000 Crossflatt tup and out of a dam by homebred sire Emperor.

And taking the Ryeland championship was a shearling tup from S P and J Maddock, with a shearling ewe from Alison Robinson standing reserve to him.

More results and pictures to come in due course…..

by Jonathan Long

As well as the excitement of the Limousin bull sale yesterday Harrison and Hetherington were also busy at their Lockerbie Mart, selling North Counnty Cheviot females to a high of £1800.

Taking this top call was an in-lamb one lamb ewe from K O Stones, Marrick, Richmond. This daughter of Philiphaugh Jumbuck is out of a dam by Ericstane X Factor and sold carrying twins to Hownham Grange Muscle Man. Buying her was Jamie Burton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

Read more

by Jonathan Long