Full report from Texels at Carlisle

Three leading Texel breeders joined forces to pay the top price of 11,000gns at the first of two major weekend sales for flockmasters at Carlisle organised by the Solway and Tyne Texel Breeders Club at Borderway Mart, Carlisle.

And it was Willie and Carole Ingram – better known for their long established successes as Charollais breeders – who consigned the sale topper from their Logie Durno flock at Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.

 The ARR/ARR ram lamb, which took the supreme championship, is by the Castleknowe Matchmaker son Anglezarke Nimrod and out of a ewe by top producer Craighead Hercules. The Logie Durno lamb came with good performance figures showing an overall index of 181, fat depth of 0.39mm, muscle depth 0.85mm and gigot muscle of 1.92mm. Buyers were J B Renwick and Son, Kelso, Boden and Davies, Stockport and Ben Baggott, Stafford.

And more of the sale’s cash headed back to Aberdeenshire when two mid-Wales flocks joined forces to pay the day’s second highest price of 4900gns. Messrs Williams and Co, Newbridge on Wye and J Evans, Brecon bought a ram lamb from Albert Howie’s Knock flock. By Tophill Nockout and out of a Claybury Legacy ewe, this lamb had an overall index of 226 and an impressive gigot muscle score of 2.96mm.

Ben Baggott and Boden and Davies pooled resources again to share the ram lamb Fachell On Approval. By Fachell Nutter and out of a ewe by Watchknowe Lanark Cracker, he was consigned by Idris Morris Ltd, Caernarfon and made 4800gns.

Well known Cumbria stockbreeders Matt and Craig Ridley earned 4500gns when they topped the shearling rams at 4500gns with Haltcliffe Nectar. By the Hull House Hanky Panky son Douganhill Magnum he goes to J and E Logan at Galashiels.

Demand for the best rams was maintained throughout the sale with the last lamb in the ring making 4000gns for the Howie family. Knock Oyster is another Tophill Nockout son and joins the flock of Peter Woof at Kendal, Cumbria.

The most fancied lamb from Bruce Renwick’s Castlecairn pen realized 3800gns. Castlecairn Ostop – by Tamnamoney Lynbrook – was shared between The Firm of G Gray, Selkirk and Keith Jamieson, Annan.

Castle Douglas flock owner Thomas MacTaggart gave 3000gns for the ram lamb Mattadale On Top, a Terrington Nelson son from Matthew Stockdale while the shearling tup Douganhill Nutmeg earned 2700gns for Douganhill Farms, Castle Douglas. This Glenside King son went to D R Owen and Son, Tywyn, Gwynedd.

Bury, Lancashire breeder David Houghton led the females selling a gimmer by Ettrick Mighty Mouse at 1500gns to William and Carole Ingram. Thomas MacTaggart’s Rascarrel flock sold a gimmer by Templand Megane at 1150gns to R G Pierce, Conwy.

Averages: 166 shearling rams £580; 192 ram lambs £596; 61 shearling gimmers £414. (Harrison and Hetherington).