Scottish National Peaks at 42,000gns

By Patsy Hunter - The Scottish Farmer

Texel Sheep breeders were left somewhat bemused following their national sale at Lanark, when what was perceived by many as an bewildering up and down trade, led to tup lamb averages falling by more than £250 per head on the last main sale in 2006.

Despite a bumper lead call of 42,000gns, coupled with a further nine five-figure prices, a generally poorer show combined with a distinct lack of breeders’ sheep, resulted in the drop in average. This was £1755.61 for 336 sold, down £259.59 on the last ‘proper’ sale, in 2006, for 302 head, which had 11 five-figure prices. It was up just £1.24 on last year’s disastrous ‘lock-in’ event, following a foot-and-mouth scare, when 203 lambs cashed in at £1754.

The majority of flock averages, including some of the best names in the business, fell on the last main sale in 2006, while 34 more ram lambs were sold compared to 2006.

"Breeders’ sheep sold exceptionally well and it was pleasing to see that there was no difference between vaccinated sheep from bluetongue areas, and lambs from the clean areas," said Steven McLean, the chief executive of the breed who is stepping down to take up a new position as agricultural manager with the supermarket giant, Marks and Spencer.

"I know the sale is just early enough for commercial buyers, but it is extremely difficult to put it back when there are 48 official society ram sales to take in," commented Mr McLean, who added that the event followed an extremely successful Texel sale in Northern Ireland.

On a more positive note, there seemed to be a rake of relatively new names at the forefront, proving that anyone can be successful breeding Texel sheep provided they come up with the goods and the fashions in vogue.

Included in that line-up was the vendor of the top priced lot at 42,000gns, Malcolm Reid, who has spent a fortune in recent years buying in some of best bloodlines in the business to establish his Kelso flock, at Stichill. But he was only selling Texel ram lambs for the second year at Lanark.

It was some of those bumper purchases – which in the past have seen Mr Reid go to a top of 110,000gns in 2006 for Newhill Major, at Carlisle – that produced this year’s sale leader too.

Kelso Ozone, the top priced lot at 42,000gns

Setting the trade alight early on in the day was Kelso Ozone, a son of the 42,000gns Garngour Nirvana, sold at last year’s over-night lock-in sale at Lanark, out of a Glenside gimmer by Castlecairn Keltic Star, purchased in 2006 for 17,000gns. Buying back some of his own bloodlines, Ozone sold in a two-way split to John Forsyth, Glenside, Maybole, who described the lamb as the "truest and most correct lamb forward," and Bruce Renwick, who runs the Castlecairn flock, at Kelso.

Irish-bred sons of the 3500gns Mellor Vale Masterpiece sold at Lanark, in 2005, by Charlie Boden, again proved popular, following their success at the breed sale at Dungannon the previous week, where the majority of lead priced lambs, including the sale leader at 12,000gns, were by Masterpiece.

In fact, it was Masterpiece sons that produced the second top flock average for the father and son team of Cyril and Martin Millar whose pen of eight sold within the first half hour of the sale to a top of 29,000gns to cash in at a whopping £9318.75.

Millars Outstanding, Overall Champion selling later to 29,000gns

The duo, who have only been breeding Texels for 10 years, also picked up the overall championship honours with Millar’s Outstanding, the pen leader which later sold for 29,000gns to Mrs Margaret Lyon, Milnbank, Turriff; Graham Morrison, who owns the Deveronvale flock, at Inchbruich, Cornhill, Banff; and Allan Chisholm, Wester Moy, Urray, Muir of Ord.

This ET cracker, which stood male champion at Balmoral Show on his sole previous outing, while his flock mate, a ewe lamb by Masterpiece picked up the female title and inter-breed sheep honours, is out of one of the best breeding ewes in the flock, by the 5000gns Corrie Lancelot.

Millars Outsmart, sold to 22,000gns

Another surpassing the flock’s previous best of 6000gns – achieved last year when the Millar’s flock sold 20 Masterpiece sons to average £1300 – was Outstanding’s full brother, Millar’s Outsmart, which made 22,000gns selling to Turriff breeders Willie Knox and sons, Graeme and Andrew, Mid Haddo; Bruce and Colin Mair, Muiresk; Sandy Lee, Fordafourie, Fraserburgh; and John Mackie, Milton of Noth, Rhynie, Huntly, jointly. This was the second prize lamb in the Signet/MLC class.

Adding to the jubilations – Cyril was also celebrating his 65th birthday the same day – was the fact that two other lambs sold for more than £5000, with all eight lambs selling at four-figures.

Forkins One and Only sold for 24,000gns

The party continued when fellow Irish Texel and Suffolk breeder, Alastair Gault, Carntall Road, Newtonabbey, Co Antrim, then received 24,000gns for Forkins One and Only. This was the third prize ram lamb in the Signet/MLC class, and another backed by some top bloodlines.

The sire, Teiglum Magnum, a 4500gns purchase from Lanark, is by Hexel Lexus, which bred most of the top priced lots last year for the Clark family’s Garngour flock, including the sale leader at 40,000gns, while the mother, a home-bred ewe by Castlecairn Kennedy, is a full sister to the second prize gimmer at Balmoral this year. Forkins One and Only also sells to Aberdeenshire being purchased by Kenny Pratt, who runs 50 ewes in his Oldtown flock at Peterculter.

Knock Oregano sold for 20,000gns

Another Hexel Lexus son from Garngour was at the back of a personal best from Albert and George Howie’s Knock flock, from Peterhead, Fraserburgh, when The Scottish Farmer’s centre fold star, Knock Oregano – featured in our Texel preview – sold for 20,000gns.

Male champion at New Deer on his sole previous outing, Oregano is by the 16,000gns Garngour Nobleman and out of a home-bred ewe by the 12,000gns Anglezarke Krug, which bred the 7000gns Knock Nugget. Buying back some of their bloodlines, he sold to the Clark family, at Garngour, Lesmahagow; David McKerrow, Nochnary, Freuchie, Fife; and Jimmy Warnock, who owns the Watchknowe flock at Sandilands, Lanark.

Minutes later, John Mellin, Hull House, Skipton, North Yorkshire, forked out 8000gns for Knock Orocco, a tup lamb by the 2100gns Tophill Nockout out of a gimmer by Claybury Legacy.

There were more sparks to come when the best from John Forsyth’s Glenside flock, from Lochlands, Maybole, entered the ring later on in the day. No stranger to the big bucks, Mr Forsyth, sold eight lambs to a top of 17,000gns to average a massive £5788.

It was his number three lamb that proved the real star attraction when it sold for the big price to Trident Investments, an overseas Brazilian company farming in Sussex, which is looking to build up a top quality, high index pedigree flock of 120 Texel ewes, based on some of the leading genetics available.

At present, the 200-acre farm, managed by Peter Sutton is home to a 200 Lleyn-ewe flock and up to 100 Texel females which come under the Colwood prefix, but there are plans to upsize numbers further and perhaps introduce a pedigree native cattle breed.

Glenside Operator sold for 17,000gns

Their purchase, Glenside Operator, is backed by Muiresk genetics on both sides with the sire, Muiresk Nearco, a lamb bought from the Mairs last year, being a Cowal Maverick son, while the dam, a Muiresk-bred ewe bought for 4000gns, is by the 120,000gns Loosebeare Imp.

The pen leader, Glenside Olympian, also by Nearco but out of a home-bred gimmer by Watchknowe Lanark Cracker, was another to make the grade selling for 8000gns to an undisclosed Irish breeder.

Just behind, on 7000gns, was Glenside Ouija, purchased by Karen Irving, buying for her Kingfisher flock from Rigg, Gretna. The breeding behind this transaction includes Glenside Minstrel, a Castlecairn Keltic Star son out of the 2006 Highland Show champion from Glenside, which has bred sons to 12,000gns, while the mother is by Claybury Invader.

Turriff breeder, Marina Gibb, who owns the Haremoss flock, bowed out in style for her last year selling tup lambs too when she received 14,000gns from the Campbell brothers – Keith, Allan and Roy – from Lochgoilhead, who bought three-quarters with the remaining quarter selling to Keith Jamieson, buying for his Annan flock from Annan.

Haremoss Ohio sold for 14,000gns

Selling at this bracket was Haremoss Ohio, the seventh placed lamb at the pre-sale show, an AI son of 9000gns Clinterty Las Vegas, out of a home-bred ewe by Craighead Hercules, one of 30 ewes in the flock which is to be dispersed at Lanark in January, next year.

Logie Durno Odds-On sold for 12,000gns

Aberdeenshire was again in the money with two sales at 12,000gns. First up was Logie Durno Odds-On, from well-known Charollais sheep breeders, William and Carole Ingram and sons, Bruce and Gregor, who were achieving their best ever price in eight years breeding Texels.

Their cracker is by the 9000gns Anglezarke Nimrod and out of one of the 50 ewes bought from Ian Barclay’s Sunnyside flock by Craighead Hercules. Odds-On sold in a two-way split to David and Jane Houghton, Tophill, Bury, Lancs and Charlie Boden buying for his Sportsman’s and Mellor Vale flocks from Mellor Hall, Stockport, Cheshire.

Deveronvale Oddie sold for 12,000gns

Later, Graham Morrison, a pallet dealer to trade, received the same, his best ever, for Deveronvale Oddie, a lamb from his 35-ewe flock, from Inchbruich, Cornhill, Banff, purchased by Andrew Barr, Parkhouse, Biggar. His lamb is out of a Knock-bred ewe bought privately and shared with George Howie, with the sire, Tophill Nockout, being the stock ram at Knock purchased here last year.

Cambwell OBE sold for 10,000gns

Home-bred bloodlines were behind the best of a cracking pen from Tom and Robert Laird, Cambwell, Skirling, Biggar, which sold to a top of 10,000gns for the first prize winner in the Signet/MLC class, to Cyril and Martin Millar, Northern Ireland. Cambwell OBE is by Cambwell Laird, which bred last year’s 16,000gns Cambwell gimmer sold at Lanark to the Kelso flock, and out of a ewe by Cambwell Jedi which is a full brother to a previous 4400gns Cambwell tup lamb.

Tops for William Knox and sons Graeme and Andrew, Mid Haddo, Turriff, was a 7000gns sale for Haddo Odds On, a Cowal Maverick son out of a ewe by Craighead Hercules, purchased by Allan Cullen, who is having a major reduction of gimmers from his Craighead flock, from Carluke, later in the year.

Claybury Outlaw sold for 6,500gns

In at 6500gns was HJ and JR Draper’s Claybury Outlaw, by Castlecairn Keltic Star, which sold to J Mellin, Hull House, Skipton, North Yorkshire.

6000gns – M and C Millar’s Millar’s Olympian, by Mellor Vale Masterpiece, to H and J Draper, Claybury, Shrewsbury; F and IF Murray’s Glenway 007, by Garngour Neptune, to JHC Campbell and Sons, Thrunton, Alnwick with a third retained; J and H Clark’s Garngour Oscar, by Hexel Lexus, to Trinidad Investments, Sussex.

5000gns – M and C Millar’s Millar’s Obsession, by Mellor Vale Masterpiece, to N Douglas, Catslackburn, Selkirk; A and G Howie’s Knock Oakley, by Tophill Nockout, to N Layton, Lyonshall, Hereford; T and A Laird’s Cambwell Oscar, by Llangwm Nut Cracker, to M Coubrough, Hartside Farms, Biggar, with a third retained by Cambwell; T and A Laird’s Cambwell Orland 2, by Cambwell Laird, to DG Richards, Tegfryn, Wales; BT Goldie’s Goldies Oliver by Turin Hardy, to J and J Campbell, Wedderlie, Gordon.

4500gns – S and M Warnock’s Straidarran Obama, by Douganhill McFly, to A Cullen, Craighead, Carluke, J McKerrow, Grougfoot, Bo’ness, D Arkley, Dalmeny Home Farm, South Queensferry, T and R Laird, Cambwell, and A Beaton, Slamannan, Falkirk; W Knox’ Haddo Outside, by Combs Valley Nistleroy, to OJ Watkins, Caenantmielyn Bungalow, Hay on Wye, Wales and M Hughes, Trewalansis, Sighgstone, Cowbridge.

4200gns – R Cockburn’s Connachan 02, by Blackstown Linesman, to R Mulligan, Brague, Northern Ireland with quarter share retained; JB Gilmour’s Culzean Opec, by Baltier Nailer, to H Jackson, Wolfclyde, Biggar and N Harvey, Blackadder Mains, Kelso.

4000gns – M and C Millar’s Millar’s On Top, by Mellor Vale Masterpiece, to Messrs Roberts, Cwrt, Gwynedd, Wales; G Gray’s Ettrick Ok Doki, by Knock Firefly, to J Kelly, Monieymeer Road, Draperstown, Co Derry, and N Niland, Chessy Farm, Canvarra, Co Galway, Ireland.

3800gns – T and A Laird’s Cambwell Osprey, by Cambwell Laird, to MS Hardy Bishop, Grey Peel, Jedburgh.

3500gns – B Gilchrist’s Dundas Orion, by Claybury Midlanders, to E Samuel, Dean Farm, Madzor, Droitwich and Miss N Hartwright, Springfield, Stanford Bishop, Worcs; PK Woof’s Stainton lamb, by Cambwell Mountain, to J MacGregor, Dyke, Milton of Campsie; B Renwick’s Castlecairn Obama, by Castlecairn Nile God, to J and R Carruthers, Silloans, Rochester, Northumberland; J and H Clark’s Garngour Odyssey, by Hexel Lexux, to D McCall, Blinkbonny, Arncroach, Fife, and C Stewart, Kininmonth, Cupar.

Gyrhos Octavian sold for 3,200gns

3200gns – J and C Hastings’ Courthill Olympian, by Milnbank Jersey Dudeck, to M Wilkin, 3 Jersusalem Drive, Wardhill, Cambs; RM Sym’s Callerton Outlaw, by Teilo Nerthol, to T Nesbitt, Alwent, Winston, Darlington; J Ruggeri’s Gyrhos Octavian, by Penparc Lexus, to McKinney Bros, Heathmount, Maghera, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland; HJ and JR Draper’s Claybury Ocean, by Garngour Maestro, to J Adamson, Swaites, Pettinain, Lanark; J Forsyth’s Glenside Opal II, by Forkins Nijinsky, to WB MacTaggart, Whitehaugh Isle, Hawick; J Forsyth’s Glenside Oscar, by Muiresk Nearco, to I Morris, Y Fachell, Gwynedd, Wales; J and H Clark’s Garngour Olympian, by Wardhall Nemesis, to J Buchan, Torrax, Lintrathen, Kirriemuir

3000gns – J Innes and Sons’ Strathbogie Ozzie, by Strathbogie Nixon II to B Buchan, Clinterty, New Aberdour, Fraserburgh; Mrs M Lyon’s Milnbank Oman, by Baltier Nijinski, to G Allan, Alton of Bandeath, Throsk, Stirling; J MacGregor’s Tamtain Oh Boy, by Baltier Nailer, to Castle Ashby Farms, Castle Ashby, Northampton; I Morris’ Fachell Ozzie, by Fachell Nutter, to A Brown, Brookfield, Tockholes Raod, Darwen, Lancs; C and I Angus’ Oldfield Original, by Baltier Leader, to J Robertson, Becks, Langholm; R and E Forsyth’s Baltier Olympic, by Baltier Nimrod, to P Gray, Scrogton, Galston and J Wight and Sons, Midlock, Crawford.

CHAMPION LEADS GIMMERS

Averages:
29 gimmers, £636.88.

Stainton (WPS07531) was the Female on the day for Mr Peter Woof

The Female champion topped the gimmer trade at Lanark, selling for 3000gns.

That came from Peter Woof's Stainton flock, from Kendal. Champion at the Royal Lancs earlier in the year, she is by Broomknowes Inspiration and out of a Stainton Inherit-sired ewe. Buyer was Graham Morrison, Inchbruich, Banff, for his Deveronvale flock.

Another from the same flock, by Crookholm Moscow Flyer, sold for 1200gns, to D Rankin, Kilmaluag House, Isle of Skye.
Second top was 2500gns, also paid by Mr Morrison, for a Llyfni gimmer from H and I Williams, Arddol, Pontlyfni, Gwynedd. She is by Glenside Likeable.

SHOW RESULTS
Judge: Victor Chestnutt, Clougher Road, Bushmills, Co Antrim.