Lanark sees big demand for top Scottish Texels

14 December 2001




Lanark sees big demand for top Scottish Texels

By Jeremy Hunt

North-west correspondent

TEXEL sheep breeders once again moved into top bidding form at Lanark last weekend when given the chance to buy in-lamb gimmers from some of Scotlands most noted flocks.

Prices reached 8500gns with 100 head levelling at £1097.

But no one could better another show of determined bidding from Margaret Lyons, who wrote the days biggest check for a gimmer from G &#42 Grays Ettrick flock.

By Knock Firefly and out of a Tinwald Yorkie sired dam, this gimmer stood fifth in the ewe lamb class at last years Royal Highland Show.

The 8500gns gimmer heads for Mrs Lyons flock in Aberdeenshire where she will lamb to Claircot First Foot, a 3400gns ram by Haddo Concord.

Dumfriesshire breeder Jim Black was one of several south-west Scotland buyers buying sheep for restocking. His best bid was 4400gns given for an Annan Dazzle sired gimmer from the Ettrick flocks consignment.

This one is full sister to Ettrick Andy Pandy, which has been a successful sire in the Parkhouse flock. The gimmer is out of a Craighead Claymore ewe and was served in October to Fordafourie His Nibs, a Fordafourie Geraldo son.

The Cullen family added several to their Craighead flock at Carluke paying 4400gns for a gimmer from the Turin flock of D Milne. This entry stood second in the ewe lamb class at the 2000 Royal Highland Show. She is by Grougfoot Eastender and out of a ewe by Annan Braveheart.

Steven Harrison, Ecclefechan, was one of the days first big spenders and went to 4000gns to secure a gimmer by Ettrick E-Male that stood reserve male champion at the 1998 Royal Show. Consigned by J McKerrow from his Grougfoot flock at Linlithgow, this gimmer was served by Annan Freespirit.

Jim Black got things off to a lively start with a 3800gns call to snap up the first lot. The gimmer was from the Grougfoot pens and was by Annan Extra Special and out of a ewe by Glenside Admiral. Service sire was the 6000gns Haddo Highlight.

There were two 3600gns bids. First came from J Kingan, Dumfries, for a gimmer from the Laird partnerships Cambwell flock at Biggar that was sired by Garngour Field Marshall and out of a Lumbylaw Coco dam. She was in-lamb to Toftcombs Gladstone, which has a sire reference scheme index of 194.

Also at 3600gns was a flockmate by Ettrick Esquire that was in-lamb to the Toftcombs ram. Buyer was Steven Harrison.

Dumfriesshire-based Caroline Hastings, who owns the Courthill prefix paid 3200gns for a gimmer by Haddo Ever Ready from the McKerrow offering. She was in-lamb to Haddo Highlight and traces breeding back to Annan Triple Threat.

The Cullens put their name to another gimmer at 3000gns. This one helped notch up the £1630 average for Ettrick flock.

Averages Grougfoot – 17 gimmers £1508, Watchknowe – 22 gimmers 508, Cambwell – 24 gimmers £1103, Ettrick – 20 gimmers £1630, Turin – 15 gimmers £842. (Lawrie and Symington.) &#42


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