Scottish National Sale 2002

Scottish National Two Day Show and Sale of 662 Pedigree Texel Sheep

At LANARK AUCTION MARKET
WEDNESDAY 21st & THURSDAY 22nd AUGUST 2002

Lanark sets new UK record ram price of 88,000 gns

290 ram lambs average almost £2,600

The males day of the Scottish Premier Sale at Lanark resumed after the ravages of FMD with a vengeance, and a sale ring bursting with more potential purchasers than seen for many a year, as Texel breeders not only confirmed their faith in the breed, but also their determination to stamp out scrapie by snapping up the best category 1 rams available at prices never previously believed possible, and in so doing, setting a new UK record for a ram.

The National Scrapie Plan for Great Britain had forecast in the catalogue that certified resistant rams would be fetching a premium at sales, but could never have foreseen the enthusiasm of Texel breeders at the major Scottish sale of the year.

A steady but solid start met the ram lambs, but when the 19th lot entered the ring, there was an expectant hush, and the cacophony of Scottish tunes from the overworked mobile 'phones took the hint, and paused for a few seconds, as Robert Osborne's February born ARR/ARR single, Durisdeer Instructor, by Crawford Heeman out of a Douganhill Energizer dam, changed hands within seconds at 28,000 guineas to Margaret Lyon (Milnbank), Colin and Bruce Mair (Muiresk) and Sandy Lee (Fordafourie).

Two lots later and Gordon Gray, Ettrick, paid 9,000 guineas for K D and D E Millar's Crookholm Impresario, another February single also genotyped ARR/ARR.

The trend was set, but those who thought a top had been established were taken aback 10 minutes later, when 33,000 guineas was called by John McKerrow (Grougfoot), Gordon Gray (Ettrick), Alistair Beaton, W R Crosshill and Jim Goldie (Goldies) for Brian Buchan's category 1 February twin, Clinerty Impressive (ARR/ARR), by Milnbank Hitman out of a Garngour Emperor two shear ewe.

Scarcely a soul left the ring, other than those reporting back home, with speculation rife as to the likely outcome when judge John Forsyth's Champion came into the ring later on.

The English had entered into the hallowed Scottish halls with the Shrewsbury based family firm of James and Hannah Draper leading category 1 Claybury Invader into top spot, a February born embryo by Milnbank Yesterday out of a shearling sired by Glenside Drum Major, one of the judge's breeding.

Claybury Istabraq - 88,000gns (photo Douglas Low)	Claybury Invader - 27,000gns (photo Douglas Low)

But the lot before was Claybury Istabraq, also genotyped ARR/ARR, an embryo born in February by Green Golden Boy, sold at Lanark 2000 for 5,000 guineas, out of a daughter of Annan Born Free, the bidding for which brought a stunned silence to the ring. Despite some rugged Yorkshire opposition, John Forsyth made the final successful all-time UK record bid for a ram of 88,000 guineas for his Glenside flock!

The sale of Invader (ARR/ARR) was almost an anticlimax, going to Glenside in partnership with Willie Knox (Haddo) for a mere 27,000 guineas!

Haddo Inquirer - 32,000gns (photo Douglas Low)

The Reserve Champion came from Willie Knox's pen, his Haddo Inquirer also standing second to the Champion in the ram class. Genotyped ARR/ARH, this February born embryo was by Craighead Hercules out of a Baltier Winston dam, and went for 32,000 gns to Ballaglonney Ltd, P J Evans and E J Samuel.

Nita and Bruce Renwick's Castlecairn flock also benefited from the intense interest in category 1 rams, despite being less than 100 lots from the end, and also beat the previous record of 50,000 guineas, when their March born embryo Inquirer, out of a Glenside Drum Major dam by Muiresk Forever, changed hands for 52,000 guineas, to join the Cowal flock of Keith, Alan and Roy Campbell.

After the sale, Society Chief Executive, Steven McLean said: "The rams were of a very high quality, but the high prices are almost certainly down to the efforts to rid the country of scrapie. We support the National Scrapie Plan, but believe that DEFRA should reconsider the time scale for implementation."

Other principal prices

18,000 gns Cambwell Impressive (ARR/ARR) from Tom & Robert Laird to Alan Cullen (Craighead), Tom McTaggart (Rascarrel) and David Milne (Turin)

17,000 gns Tapanui Icon (ARR/ARR) from Archie & Fiona McGillvray to Jim Clark (Garngour) and Robert Laird (Cambwell)

17,000 gns Baltier Imp from Robert Forsyth to Alan Cullen (Craighead)

15,000 gns Haremoss Important (ARR/ARR) from Marina Gibb to Jim Warnock (Watchknowe), Robin Orr (Hallreath) and Alan Frame (North Quarter)

13,000 gns Haddo Ignitor (ARR/ARR) from Willie Knox to John Simmet, Stockton

12,000 gns Knock Impulse (ARR/ARR) from Albert & George Howie to David Houghton (Tophill)

11,000 gns Carran Ince (ARR/ARR) from Angus Sutherland to Margaret Perrings (Pergill)

11,000 gns Tophill Ice Prince (ARR/ARR) from David Houghton to Clive Ponting (Penstones)

Top pen averages