Texel females top 7000gns at Christmas Stars Sale

It’s been an unprecedented year for Texel breeders but despite being deprived of their big-money headline tups as tempting service sires, buyers of in-lamb females still had plenty of top genetics to encourage them into generous bidding at Carlisle where prices twice reached 7000gns.

The Christmas Stars sale comprised entries from seven leading flocks – Annan, Castlecairn, Cowal, Fordafourie, Goldies, Milnbank and Clinterty – but the two leading calls came for gimmers from Keith Jamieson’s Annan consignment and the Campbell family’s Cowal flock.

One of the first gimmers in the ring from Annan set the trend and was claimed at 7000gns by Malcolm Reid, Kelso. By Garngour Lightening and out of a Knock Impulse ewe, the ARR/ARR gimmer was by the Knock Firefly son Lindstair Nick Nack.

Sharing the 7000gns tag was an ARR/ARH gimmer from the Cowal flock of the Campbell family at Lochgoilhead, Argyll. By Tamnamoney Lynbrook and out of a Watchknowe Jimmy’s Pride dam, this gimmer did not need a fancy priced tup lamb as service sire to draw the bids.

She’s in lamb to top producer Baltier Kracker – a son of the 122,000gns Tophill Joe. Buyers were leading breeders Boden and Davies, Stockport, Cheshire.

Aberdeenshire’s Sandy Lee earned 4500gns for a gimmer from his Fordafourie pen. By Tima Look at Me, the gimmer is out of the same ewe that bred the 32,000gns Fordafourie Kracker.

She’s in-lamb to one of this year’s top priced lambs – the 16,000gns Garngour Noblemen. Buyer was P Cartman, Skipton, North Yorkshire.

Kelso breeder Bruce Renwick’s best was 3500gns for one of his Castlecairn gimmers. By Claybury Lambert, she is in-lamb to the 12,000gns Humeston Midas. She goes to D and S Lewis, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire.

The day before saw the Twilight Texel Sale draw gimmers from 11 flocks. The long drive from Devon paid off for the Quick family who topped the day at 5100gns when Jim and Carolyn Hastings of the Courthill flock, Dumfries took a gimmer by Claybury Lion King. She is in-lamb to Haltcliffe Luke – a son of the 48,000gns Douganhill Jeronimo.

Another from the Quick’s Loosebeare flock made 4800gns when a Haddo Jogger gimmer – also in-lamb to Luke – went to Messrs Owen and Thomas, Llanon, Ceredigion.