Texel Female In-Lamb Invitational Sales 2009

By Bruce Mair

At the 6 Invitational Female Sales featured in this report, there was a tremendous demand with the 52 Flocks involved selling 609 females to average £1,025.

A common feature at all the sales was a buoyant demand, which resulted in virtually 100% clearance rates. This obviously augers well for the immediate future of the Texel Breed. Virtually all the flocks had a very high overall quality of presentation, with many including 1 or 2 leading stock Gimmers In-lamb to top quality sires. No fewer than 20 Gimmers broke through the 4,000gns barrier, with a new breed female record being achieved at 20,000gns with an outstanding Cairness Gimmer from Jimmy Douglas, carrying twins to the record-priced Deveronvale Perfection. Buyer was Malcolm Reid, Kelso flock, who also acquired a 13,000gn Cowal Gimmer from the Campbell brothers, In-lamb to the 45,000gn ram Kelso Pavarotti. Mr Reid also bought the 2 top Gimmers forwarded from the Baltier flock of Robert Forsyth, 5,000gns and 4,000gns respectively. However, Mr. Reid also featured as a seller, with his top Kelso Gimmer, by the 40,00gn Garngour Nirvana, being purchased by Trinidad Investments, Sussex, for 12,000gns.

Proctors Farms, whose Lancashire based flock is now managed by Jeff Aitken, were very prominent buyers at several of the sales, acquiring no fewer than 6 Gimmers from the top 20, with prices ranging from 5.500gn to 12,000gn. Their selection included a 12,000gn Knock Gimmer, whose full or maternal brothers included a 20,000gn ram, while they were also the principal buyers at the Northern Stars Sale at Ballymena where their purchases included the 3 top Gimmers, all sired by Douganhill McFly from Alastair Gault and his family’s well known Forkins/Cherryvale flocks. Other prominent buyers for Gimmers at the top end of the spectrum included Aberdeenshire breeders Graham Morrison and Kenny Pratt, who jointly purchased the top 2 Gimmers at Lanark’s Select Seven Sale at 6,000gn and 5,000gn respectively from Messrs Clark’s Garngour and Teiglum flocks. Mr Morrison had also purchased a 4200gn Penparc Gimmer and a 2.400gn Allanfauld Gimmer at the earlier Carlisle Twilight Sale for his Deveronvale flock.

While the majority of flocks concentrated on producing a pen of Gimmers ranging from 8-15 Gimmers depending on their flock size, several larger flocks successfully presented 19 or more Gimmers including 8 flocks which made the “top 20”. Five of those larger lots which all achieved outstanding averages in excess of £1,700 with tremendous overall quality very much in evidence were the Knock, Annan, Garngour, Forkins and Cambwell consignments. Messrs Albert and George Howie’s Knock Gimmers sired mainly by Garngour Nobleman and Tophill Nockout, both top breeding rams, achieved the outstanding average of £2,274 for 19. Veteran breeder Keith Jamieson presented a very stylish, tight coated pen of 20 Gimmers from his Annan flock, to average £1,826 a piece. Keith was justifiably very proud of achieving this figure, as after the sale he stated that Proctors Farms had the ‘first pick at home’ of 15 females.

At the Select Seven Sale at Lanark, Messrs Clark’s Garngour /Teiglum flocks produced their usual top quality pen of Gimmers and 2 recipients to average £1,810, while they were closely followed by Robert Laird’s Cambwell pen which averaged £1,740 with no fewer than 16 Gimmers selling in excess of 1,000gn. Further well-known long established flocks which broke the £1,000 barrier in relation to their averaged included the Milnbank flock (Margaret Lyon); Strathbogie flock (Messrs Innes); Tophill flock (David Houghton); and Ettrick flock (Gordon Gray).

In conclusion, in my honest opinion, all the consignors at the above sales should feel well satisfied with their efforts in presenting good quality animals to their best advantage. Hopefully, provided the quality aspect is maintained, Texel breeders in general should feel fairly optimistic for the immediate future sales prospects of the breed.

Top 20 Flock Averages at Texel Female Invitational Sales 2009

Top 20 Individual Gimmers 2009

Overall Results Summary

Totals: 52 Flocks  Sold: 609 Females   Average: £1,025

(Note all averages to nearest £)