Suffolk breeder hits the jackpot at Edinburgh sale
1 August 1997
Suffolk breeder hits the jackpot at Edinburgh sale
By Jeremy Hunt
A BID of 54,000gns followed minutes later by one at 48,000gns brought jackpot earnings for Suffolk sheep breeder John Sinnett at the societys show and sale in Edinburgh.
The nine ram lambs from his Stockton flock made a breed record average of £14,432, to gross £129,888.
The top-priced twin-born lamb excelled in overall power, length and shape. He is a son of Cairness The Best, which was sired by the 68,000gns Muiresk King of Diamonds, and is out of a ewe by the 26,000gns Cairness Court, the flocks senior sire.
He was one of the reserve champion winning pen of three and was bought jointly by Aberdeenshire breeders Jimmy Douglas (Cairness) and Stuart Mair and Sons (Muiresk).
Mr Sinnett, Stockton-on-Teme, Worcs, said: "To achieve this level of success at Edinburgh is a Suffolk breeders dream but the superior traits that fires demand at this level for stock rams will eventually filter through to commercial producers via improved conformation and growth rate."
His decision to shear all his January-born lambs in late spring was praised by sale-goers who were presented with a "no frills" pen of undressed lambs from which to make a more accurate assessment of conformation.
The 48,000gns lamb, by Cairness Court, was bought by Tom Bailey for his Glenho flock, Co Meath. A 5500gns ram that was full brother to the dam of this lamb has been a successful stock sire at Glenho.
Shropshire breeders Robyn and Stan Hulme won the ram lamb class of 61 entries and stood reserve champion with a son of Stockton Stardust. Judge Robert Fleming (Boreland) said he had never seen a class of Suffolks with quality in such depth.
The Hulmes Crosemanor lamb made 26,000gns to Gordon Wilson for his Glenisla flock, Banffshire. Their seven lambs averaged £5475.
One of the biggest lambs on show came from Glenisla. Sired by Kirkton Finale it stood fourth in the class and was bought for 20,000gns by J * C Campbell and Sons (Alnwick), J M Hayward (Cornhill-on-Tweed) and W Aynsley (Newcastle). Glenisla averaged £5437 for nine lambs.
John Sinnett paid 24,000gns for a Stockton Stardust ram lamb out of a Prelude ewe from Jimmy Douglass pen, whose Cairness flock averaged £4873 for 12 lambs.
The Mairs Muiresk consignment produced the champion with a Pankymoor Prelude sired ram lamb that is full brother to the 68,000gns King of Diamonds. He was one of the flocks champion pen of three and made 11,000gns to Sandy Lee, Fordafourie. Muiresk averaged £6598 for 12.
AVERAGES: 246 ram lambs £2575, up £445. (Lawrie and Symington)