Shearling is top ticket at in-lamb ewe fixture
Shearling is top ticket at in-lamb ewe fixture
By Jeremy Hunt
THE first of the seasons in-lamb ewes sales presented over 150 Texel females from the Whitemire, Haddo, Knock and Milnbank flocks at Borderway Mart, Carlisle last weekend.
And it was John Forsyth of Maybole, Ayrshire who paid the highest price for stock from three of the flock consignments including the overall top price of 2000gns.
Buying for his noted Glenside flock, Mr Forsyths leading call was for a shearling gimmer offered by Mrs Mary Lyon of the Milnbank Texels at Ardmiddle, Turriff, Aberdeenshire. Mrs Lyon was offering more than 60% of her current gimmer stock to restrict numbers to a flock of 40 breeding ewes.
The gimmer is by Muiresk Blondin, the breeds 33,000gns record holder, and out of a ewe by Annan Won O Won. It was in-lamb to Glenside Forsyth bought jointly for 9000gns this season with the Haddo and Muiresk flocks.
Mr Forsyth, who had a tremendous sale season this autumn, paid 1300gns for a shearling gimmer from George Howies Knock flock from Stuartfield, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. This gimmers breeding was not dissimilar to Mr Forsyths Milnbank purchase. She is by Haddo Bertie – a Won O Won son – and is in-lamb to Blondin.
Mr Forsyth completed his trio of purchases paying 900gns for a shearling gimmer by Glenside Drum Major from the Haddo flock of W Knox. She was out of a ewe by the 9000gns Baltier Winston, a ram that has been a major influence in the flock, and is in-lamb to Glenside Forsyth.
Best bid for Scottish borders breeder Barclay Forrest of Duns was 800gns given twice for stock from his Whitemire flock. This offering marked the first stage of a retirement dispersal and saw J S Dunn and Partners of Herriot, Midlothian account for the two top calls.
They took a 1996-bred ewe by Noresk Brigadier and a shearling gimmer by Teviot Bosun – both had been running with Tweed Commodore and then Urray Footprint.
Averages: Whitemire – 82 females £279; Haddo – 19 females £492; Knock – 28 females £419; Milnbank – 11 females £646. Overall average – 140 head £365. (Harrison and Hetherington).