Suffolks sell to 20,000gns three times at Stirling

Suffolk ram lambs met strong demand at the Northern Area Sale, Stirling, on Friday (25 July), with prices hitting 20,000gns three times and the average rising by £366.09 on the previous year’s sale.

The first lamb to hit 20,000gns was FHT:14:00822 from Iain and Judith Barbour’s Solwaybank flock. Sired by Solwaybank Thunderball he is bred from a dam by Rhaeadr Rastafari and his grand dam is a full sister to the Royal and Great Yorkshire Show winner JOD:F16. The successful bidder was Paul Delves, Powys, who is returning to the breed.

Next to reach this mark was the first prize ram lamb 33H:14:01873 from the Cairness flock of Jimmy Douglas. This Baileys Rock Solid son is out of a dam by Cairness Cyclone that is maternal sister to the 17,000gns Cairness Diamond Geezer, National Sale champion 2012. He sold in a two-way split to Patrick Donnelly for his Donrho flock and Alfred and Norman Robinson for their Benrafton flock, both from Northern Ireland.

Jim Innes’ pre-sale champion SUT:14:00848 from the Strathbogie flock also made 20,000gns. This Ballynacanon Commander son is out of a Deveronside bred dam by Strathbeg Stan The Man that was purchased for 3,600gns. He also headed to Northern Ireland  with Gary Beacom’s Lakeview flock, with a share sold to Bryden Nicholson, Knock Farm, Duns.

At 19,000gns was Jimmy Young’s lamb K14:14:00892 from the Muirton flock. Sired by Solwaybank Pound Stretcher he is out of a dam by Deveronside Mountroyal. He sold in a four way split to Jim Innes, Strathbogie, Mark Priestley, Limestone, Mary Julia Cornish, Mardle and Robbie Wilson.

Three lambs sold at 10,000gns.

AAZ:14:00260 from Pat Machray was first to make this price. This Cairness MI5 son is out of a Roundacre Rockstar sired dam. He was purchased in a two way split by George Stuart, Birness and Jimmy Douglas, Cairness.

Mark Priestley’s KPC:14:00457 from the Limestone flock was next at this money, he is by Strathisla Spielberg and out of a dam by Limestone To-Tal, a maternal sister to the 2013 Stirling champion that sold for 4,800gns. He headed to County Down with Joe Stewart.

Oliver Deane made 10,000gns when he sold PBO:14:00570 from his Mountford flock. This son of the 21,000gns Cairness Great Expectations is out of a dam by Ardlea Arkle that was purchased for 4,000gns from the Cairness Sale last year. Alistair Gault and Dennis Taylor purchased him for their Forkins and Ballynacanon flocks, with this one again heading to Northern Ireland.

Gary Beacom then recouped some of his outlay when selling two lambs from the Lakeview flock at 7,000gns each. The first in was JFF:14:01215, a Malinhead Ice Cold Gold son out of a Cairness Cyclone sired ewe that was purchased from Cairness for 8,000gns. He stood second in the open class in the pre-sale show and was male champion at Balmoral Show. He sold to Sean O’Connor, Southern Ireland.

Making the same money was JFF:14:01205, a Solwaybank Major son that was part of the second prize pen of three. He is bred from a Shannagh Shergar dam that is an ET sister to the 15,000gns Lakeview Leeroy. His grand dam was reserve champion at Balmoral, champion at the Northern Ireland championship and won Female of the Year. He heads to Orkney with Keith Hourston, Didcot.

Alistair Gault was next in the money with AOR:14:01210 making 6,000gns to Gavin and Scott Brown, Capielaw, Ross Lawrence, Roundacre, and Mike Waycott, Longridge. This son of the 12,000gns Birness Bacardi is out of a dam by Cairness Kanine that was shown as a ewe lamb and gimmer.

Next best at 5,500gns was 1W:14:01173 the first lamb in from George Stuart’s Birness pen. By the 7,500gns Ballynacanon Commander he is out of a dam by Strathisla Obama. He sold to Andrew Wilson and Willie Tait for their Castleisle and Burnview flocks.

Two lambs from Myfyr Evans’ Rhaeadr pen then made 5,200gns, with his fourth prize open lamb the first to sell. By Rhaeadr The Real McCoy he is out of a dam by Baileys BMW that is maternal sister to the female and reserve overall champion at the Royal Welsh Show 2009. He joined the Rookery flock of Chris and Sally Holmes, Worcestershire.

Then at the same money A12:14:01014 sold to Gordon Troup for the Whitestone flock. He is also by The Real McCoy out of a dam by Baileys BMW with his grand dam being a twin sister to the 11,000gns Rhaeadr Obsession.

Selling at 5,000gns was 1W:14:01118 from George Stuart’s Birness pen. This Ballynacanon Commander son is out of a Meikleson Square Up sired dam. He sold to James Wallace for his Claycrop flock.

Averages: 145 ram lambs, £2,237.97 (United Auctions).