2006 RBS Scottish National Texel Show and Sale
Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th August

Scottish National sees 302 ram lambs average £2015.20
Report by Patsy Hunter, Scottish Farmer.

Prices peaked at a respectable 21,000gns on two occasions at the Scottish National Show & Sale at Lanark with a further nine, five-figure transactions.

But, it was the lack of true breeders’ sheep available that proved the real talking point. Breeders again had the added difficulty of seeking genetics away from Tophill Joe and Cornerstone Isaac — the two bloodlines that have dominated the breed in recent years.

"Breeders need to concentrate more on top lines and back-ends. There were a lot of bad handling lambs," explained the judge, Brian MacTaggart, farm manager at Douganhill, Castle Douglas, who also sold one of the top priced lambs at 20,000gns.

"We have to get back to breeding sheep with width, good shoulders and good gigots. Breeders have been chasing type one ARR/ARR scrapie genotype sheep for too long, which has not helped the breed in terms of shape of conformation."

However, on the other side of the equation, Steven McLean, chief executive of the Texel Society, believed the overall quality of sheep on show had improved and as a result trade throughout was better.

“It was a far more realistic sale and more achievable for the members,” said Mr McLean pointing out that society membership now stands at a record breaking 2700 — up 250 on the year — of which 2040 are active flock members.

Nevertheless, Mr McLean admitted breeders would benefit from a complete re-think of the entire pedigree sheep sales calandar and as a result hopes to make inroads into putting all breed sales back two or three weeks. This, he claimed would reduce overall costs by allowing sheep to lamb naturally at their correct time, whilst also cutting down feed costs. But the cream of the crop was still bid to big money, albeit at more realistic levels.

First to hit break through the magical 20,000gns mark was Craighead Masterpiece, an ARR/ARR scrapie genotyped lamb from Allan and Lynn Cullen’s 120-ewe flock at Craighead, Carluke. Selling at 21,000gns was this year’s second prize tup lamb at Lesmahagow, a son of the 5000gns Tophill Landmark, shared with Crookholm, out of a top show ewe by Craighead Hercules. Placed third at the pre-sale show, this cracker was knocked down to Jim Clark and sons Alan, Andrew and David, North Garngour, Lesmahagow and John McKerrow, buying for his Grougfoot flock from Linlithgow. Craighead also retained a share.

Keeping it in the family, the younger generation of the Cullen family — Mairi and Lyndsey — also came up with the goodies, selling their first ram lamb for 8000gns to Co Antrim breeders, Harper George, Crumlin, and society president, Victor Chestnutt, Bushmills. The breeding behind this lamb includes semen from Springwell Kermit onto a ewe by Baltier I Catcher, which goes back to a Turin-bred ewe.

Matching the 21,000gns top sale was the best from William Knox and sons Graeme and Andrew, Mid Haddo, Turriff. Their first lamb, Haddo Macbeth, a son of last year’s 22,000gns Glenside Loneranger bred from the same family as the flock’s reserve overall champion at this year’s Highland Show, is out of a gimmer by Tophill Joe. He was knocked down to Gary Swindlehurst, farm manager of Proctors Farm’s pedigree Texel and Limousin enterprise at Slaidburn, Clitheroe.

Also travelling south on the same lorryload to Proctors was Douganhill’s 20,000gns lamb. Producing a personal best in three years selling at Lanark for this 150 ewe flock managed by Brian Mactaggart, was Douganhill Masterpiece, a son of the 28,000gns Milnbank Jersey Dudec, which has already bred sons to 4000gns and gimmers to 6000gns. More notable is his mother, a home-bred ewe by Cambwell Durie which bred the 48,000gns Douganhill Jeronimo sold at Carlisle.

Young Bruce Renwick, who runs the Castlecairn flock at Legars, Kelso, was again in the money too selling three lambs to average a whopping £12,075. Tops here at 20,000gns was Castlecairn Mr President, a son of last year’s highest priced lot Watchknowe Lanark Cracker which sold for 44,000gns.

Bred from one of the best females in the flock, he is a maternal brother to the 13,000gns Castlecairn Kracker and the 10,000gns Castlecairn Kennedy. Forking out the cash for this lamb which made up part of the winning pen of three was Northern Ireland breeder, Malcolm Reid, who runs just five pedigree Texel ewes along with small flocks of Beltex, Lleyn and Charollais sheep at Meadowvale, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Bruce’s other two lambs sold at 8000gns and 6500gns with the dearer of the duo, a son of the Castlecairn Keltic Star, which produced many of the top priced lots last year for John Forsyth, selling to Archie and John MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth; Alasdair Beaton, Wester Crosshill, Slamannan, Falkirk; and David McKerrow, Nonchary, Freuchie, Cupar. The mother is by Craighead Hercules.

On the other side of the coin, Castlecairn then went to 12,000gns in partnership with Sandy Lee, Fordafourie, Fraserburgh, for one of the last lambs sold. Humeston Midas, the sixth prize ram lamb at the pre-sale show from John Gilmour and son John, Humeston, Maybole, is by this year’s inter-breed sheep champion at Ayr, Milnbank Lyon King while his mother, a ewe by Haddo Jordan is a half sister to the family’s 30,000gns Texel seller, Humeston Juniper.

The Forsyth name is never too far away from the headlines in the Texel world and this year it was Robert, from Baltier, Whithorn, who was in the money selling the pre-sale champion at 18,000gns. Producing a third overall championship at this event for the flock managed by Robert and shepherdess Alison Johnstone, was a son of the 48,000gns Douganhill Jeronimo out of a Castlecairn ewe by Craighead Hercules which was bought for 5200gns at Carlisle, in 2004. The buyer was well hung and tender meat businessman, Donald MacPherson, who earlier in the day enjoyed a sound trade from his Hexel flock which sold at 6000gns and 4500gns.

There were smiles all round too when John and Isabel Dunlop and son John, Eastfield, Pettinain, sold their number one at 14,000gns early on in the day to Mrs Margaret Lyon, Milnbank, Turriff, and Jim Innes, Strathbogie. Superceding the flock’s previous best of 4000gns was Eastfield Merlin, a son of Ettrick Kraftsman out of a home-bred ewe by Cornerstone Isaac which goes back to the 2500gns Eastfield Pioneer.

Also matching the 14,000gns price tag and producing a personal best for the Campbell brothers of Keith, Allan and Roy, who own the Cowal flock at Lochgoilhead, was Cowal Maverick. Their topper, the first prize recorded lamb at the Highland, is by Watchknowe Jimmy’s Pride and out of a gimmer by Tophill Jedi. He goes out to work in Aberdeenshire, purchased by the Haddo and Muiresk flocks owned by the Knox and Mair families respectively.

Three lambs came under the hammer for 13,000gns including Ettrick Mighty Mouse, a member of the fourth prize group of three from Gordon and David Gray’s 120 Ettrick ewe flock from Selkirk. Home-bred bloodlines are behind this topper which stood reserve male at the Highland, being got by semen from the 36,000gns Ettrick Jackpot. A gimmer’s lamb, he is out of a Cornerstone Isaac daughter. Forking out the cash for this March-born lamb were David and Jane Houghton, Tophill, Lancs and Messrs Boden and Davis who runs the Sportsman’s flock at Mellor Hall, Stockport.

Duncan Gill, Easter Templand, Fortrose, almost doubled his previous Lanark best of 7000gns too, when his first lamb was knocked down at 13,000gns selling to Tommy MacTaggart, Rascarrel, Castle Douglas. This one, a son of Clinterty Las Vegas which is shared with Brian Buchan and Kenny Pratt, is out of a ewe by Glenside Gurka — one of only 40 in the Templand flock.

Mr Pratt who runs the Hilltop flock at Oldtown, Peterculter, was back in buying mode again this year too, going to 13,000gns for a son of the 5500gns Claybury Legacy lamb, Knock Macallan, from George and Albert Howie, West Knock, Stuartfield. Top breeding is behind this one’s mother, by Muiresk Heir Apparent, which goes back to a 3500gns Annan-bred ewe and has already produced gimmers to 3000gns.

The first five-figure transaction came within the first 15 minutes of the sale commencing when John Forsyth, Glenside, Maybole, sold his pen leader at 11,000gns. Glenside Mylord, purchased by the Knock, Muiresk and Haddo flocks is another son of Castlecairn Keltic Star this time out of a ewe by Glenside His Nibs.

Castlecairn genetics were also behind the last five-figure sale when Straidarran Maverick, the highest priced type two scrapie genotyped lamb, came under the hammer for 10,500gns selling to Tophill. This one, Straidarran Maverick, from the father and son team of Stanley and Martin Warnock, who run just 18 ewes in Limavady, Co Down, is by the 10,000gns Castlecairn Kennedy and out of a Castlecairn-bred ewe bought for 1200gns at Carlisle. He was inter-breed sheep champion at Coleraine Show, earlier in the year.

Caithness agricultural engineers, Charles and Isobel Angus, Oldfield, Thurso, also came up trumps, selling a type two ram lamb by Baltier Leader for 8000gns to Peter Woof, who runs the Stainton flock in Cumbria. His mother, by Muiresk Grand Slam, bred the 2005 Caithness Show champion.

Also matching the 8000gns price tag was Goldies Magnum, a son of the 6500gns Straidarran Legacy shared with Hexel, from Jim Goldie and sons Hamish and Bruce, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries. A triplet born lamb, he was knocked down to G Delvin, Crossmrglen, Newry, Co Down.

Just behind, on 7000gns, the Clark family who run 160 ewes at North Garngour, Lesmahagow, sold Garngour Maestro, to John Sinnett, Stockton, Worcestershire and Hannah and James Draper, Claybury, Shrewsbury. Bred from one of the best females in the flock, he is out of a ewe by Clynnog Joe Tex which stood fourth in her class at the Highland as a ewe lamb and as a gimmer and inter-breed sheep at East Kilbride this year. The sire is the 22,000gns Tamnamoney Lynbrook.

Other Leading Prices:

Ram lambs —

6500gns — M Gibb’s Clola Marksman, by Tima Look at Me, to A Brown, Stonefieldhill, Midlothian; B Renwick’s Castlecairn Mohen Mint, by Watchknowe Jimmy’s Pride, to Messrs Boden and Davies, Mellor Hall, Stockport.
6200gns — B Buchan’s Clinterty Macallan, by Clinterty Las Vegas, to P and L Gray, Cowgrove, Galston and A Wight, Midlock, Crawford; HJ and JR Draper’s Claybury Matchmaker, by Glenside Lord of the Ring, to G Allan, Alton of Bandeath, Throsk, Stirling.
6000gns — T Nesbitt and Son’s Alwent Matt, by Mattadale Lionheart, to Mrs L Daff, Greenside, Uplawmoor; D and S Macpherson’s Hexel Mount Ewe, by Straidarran Legacy, to M Evans, Tan-yr-Accar, Llanrhaeadr, Denbigh, Wales.
5500gns — SP and CP Williams’ Wollascott Maestro II, by Glenside Logic, to C Lewis, Windmill Farm, Norwich; G Gray’s Ettrick McFly, by Ettrick Jackpot, to J Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries
5000gns — JT Mackie’s Milton of Noth Mr John, by Fordafourie Lee, to R Mulligan, Brague Road, Banbridge, Co Down; B Buchan’s Clinterty Mercedes, by Clinterty Las Vegas, to N Harvey, Blackadder Mains, Duns and H Jackson, Wolfclyde, Biggar; K Gill and Co’s Templand Mercedes, by Clintery Las Vegas, to NT Hallam, Blackstown Road, Crumlin, Co Antrim and GC Fleck, Tully Road, Ballymena; JE and L Davies’ Teilo Matholwch, by Aman Llengfilwr, to J Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries
4800gns — G Gray’s Ettrick Mr Jinks, by Denty Lodestar, to A Fyffe, Dunwish Road, Omagh.
4500gsn — D and S Macpherson’s Hexel Mofo, by Straidarran Legacy, to R Mulligan, Brague Road, Banbridge.
4200gns — J Mellin’s Hull House Ma Man, by Springwell Jaguar, to R and J Osborne, Durisdeer, Thornhill, J and C Hastings, Courthill, Holywood, Dumfries and Douganhill Farms, Douganhill, Castle Douglas.
4000gns — Douganhill Farms’ Douganhill McFly, by Glenside King II to M Warnock, Limavady, R Henderson, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry; A Gault, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim and R Strawbridge, Coleraine, Co Londonderry; HJ and JR Draper’s Claybury Midlander, by Glenside Lord of the Ring, to A Gray, Langside, Kirkfieldbank, Lanark; P and L Gray, Cowgrove, Galston and A Wight, Midlock, Crawford.

TEXEL RAM LAMB AVERAGES

Glenside female hits 17,000gns

Averages: 85 gimmers, £695.47 (+£272.93 for 72 less).

Before the ram lamb sale had even started, John Forsyth had plenty to celebrate, after receiving 17,000gns for a gimmer sold the previous day.

This was an ARR/ARR-rated gimmer by the 13,000gns Castlecairn Keltic Star, the ram which sired Mr Forsyth’s Highland and Royal Show champions this year, along with the majority of his top priced lambs last year. Out of a dam by the 88,000gns ram, Claybury Istabraq, this gimmer — which had taken the female and reserve overall championship at the pre-sale show — sold to Malcolm Reid, buying for his Meadowvale flock, from Whitebridge Road, Co Tyrone, Northrn Ireland.

Three other Glenside gimmers reached four-figures. Dearest of the trio, at 3000gns, was one by the 120,000gns Loosebeare Imp, out of a ewe by Glenside His Nibs, which sold to Cartman Hall, Moorend Cottage, Skipton.

The same buyer took home another Glenside gimmer, this time by Claybury Istabraq and out of a Muiresk Glenfiddich-sired dam, for 1600gns.

Last of the Glenside pen to reach four-figures was an Imp daughter, out of another Muiresk Glenfiddich-sired ewe, which sold at 1100gns to Gareth Jones, Foxhall Farm, Henllan, Derbyshire.

Taking the third-top female price was a gimmer from the 50-ewe Crookholm flock, from Lockerbie, managed by Andrew and Kay Watson. A daughter of the 11,000gns Forkins Jacko, out of a dam by Crookholm Impresario, this one sold at 2200gns to Pip Kermode, for his Orrisdale flock, at Ballasalla, on the Isle of Man.

Keith Jamieson collected 1900gns for the best from his Annan gimmer selection, from Woodhead, Annan. A Baltier King daughter, out of a Castlecairn Irn Bru-sired dam, she stood third at the Highland this year. Buyer was Vaughans Farms, for the Kingsland flock, at Leominster, Herefordshire.

Meanwhile, tops for Gordon Gray’s Ettrick female consignment was a 1700gns bid from John Young, Skerrington Mains, for a gimmer by Baltier King, out of a dam by Thinacres Grenade.

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