Record priced Lleyn shearling ram at Working Genes ram sale

A Lleyn shearling ram took the record price of 3,200gns for the McGowan family at the seventh annual ‘Working Genes’ ram sale at the foot of Glenisla, Perthshire.

The family, from Incheoch, offered their entire output of 35 Texel and 44 Lleyn grass-fed shearling rams in the auction last Thursday (4 September).

The record breaking Lleyn, Incheoch Condor, sired by their homebred Balintore, went home with Major Walters, Balthayock.

Record breaking Lleyn shearling ram Incheoch Condor sold for 3,200gns

Another Balintore son was second highest. This Lleyn sold for 2,400gns to the Hays, Meikle Tullo, Edzell.

A further two Lleyns from that pen met 1,600gns and 1,500gns, both went to Rosebury Estates, Dalmeny.

Nine sons of the homebred sire, Legend, found new homes in the Borders, the highest of these at 1,500gns went to Jim Logan, Pirntaton.

Texels

Texels met a strong trade, topping at 1,550gns for one of 19 entries in the top 1% of the breed in their performance index.

Among the strongest Texel buyers were local men Jamie Gammell, Forter, Glenisla; Peter Drysdale,  Middle Drimmie, Blairgowrie; Blair Castle Estate; Richard Evans, Raemore, Auchermuchty; and Mark Thomson, Tillyrie, Kinross, who all went beyond 1,200gns to secure their pick. Greenmount College of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, also bought three rams to go to Blackface ewes on their hill farm.

Auctioneer David Brown of United Auctions, said: “Figures played a part in the sale, but a lot of these rams are going to work in some quite high places so hardy, active sheep with good skins and a bit of character were in demand.”

Averages: 44 Lleyn shearlings, £974; 35 Texels, £1,065; overall average (79 head), £1,014.65

(United Auctions)