Kelso rams top at £36,000 with a new record average

Last year’s record average was broken once again at this year’s Kelso ram sales, where the 3,444 rams sold averaged £1,056.35; up £57 on the year with an 81 per cent clearance and a turnover of £3,638,070

14 September 2023 • 3 min read

The sale leader, at £36,000, was Teiglum Firefly, a shearling from Andrew Clark, Carluke, which was bought at Ballymena in 2021 in partnership with the Harestone and Allanfauld flock. By 26,000gns Seaforde Egyptian Warrior and out of a Craighead Crusader daughter, it was knocked down to Paul Slater, Macclesfield, who also paid £5,000 for another by the same sire from the same pen.

Taking the second top price of £25,000, and leading the Suffolk and overall ram lamb trade, was Jimmy Douglas' Cairness flock with a son of Jalex Powerhouse, which sold to Jed Sharp, Worcestershire.

null — Suffolk lamb from Jimmy Douglas, Cairness, which sold for £25,000

Second top Texel price of £22,000 went to J. Wight and Son, Biggar, with a shearling by Bradleys Executioner. The 2021 Lanark champion, out of a Mullan Amigo sired dam, sold to Alan Clark, Garngour, Lesmahagow, and Malcolm Coubrough, Hartside, Biggar.

Following this, at £16,000, was Tatham Hall Fastrack, a Texel shearling by Conistone Elmos from Procters Farm, Wennington, which went to Robin and Caroline Orr, Dumfermline, for the Halbeath flock.

Making £15,000 was a Texel shearling by Harestone Emperor out of a gimmer by Pant Wolf, from J. Watson and Co, Bowsden Moor, which went to Jim Gibb, West Calder, and A. Minto and Son, West Linton.

Crossing type Bluefaced Leicesters sold to £13,000 for a son of P21 Dawyck from M.W. and C.M. Ridley's Shitlington flock, Wark, giving them their best shearling price to date. The buyer was Neil Marston, Cockermouth, for the Highberries flock.

Also making their best price of £11,000 and leading the traditional Bluefaced Leicesters was G. Smith and Sons, Alnwick, with a shearling by M45 Whinneyhall from their West Bolton flock, which sold to Martin Quinn, Kinglassie, for the Whinneyhall flock.

Beltex topped at £10,000 for a shearling from Andrew Wainwright's Todhall flock, Cupar. The son of Wannop's Gaucho out of a Callacrag Bull's Eye daughter sold to the Buckles family, Kirkby Stephen.

Heading the Suffolk shearling prices at £10,000 and giving James Alexander, Jalex Livestock, Co Antrim, a personal best sheep price was a son of Jalex ET, which was knocked down to Messrs Jones, Powys.

Jimmy Douglas also led the Border Leicester prices at £4,000 with a Muirmouth ram which he had bought as a lamb. The buyer was D. and P. Reid, Mouswald.

Cross-bred rams sold to £4,000 for Gregor and Bruce Ingram, Logie Durno, Aberdeenshire, to Paul Tippetts, Shifnal, and they also headed the Charollais prices at £2,200.

Averages - Shearlings - 224 Beltex, £818.79; 12 Berrichon, £702.50; 29 Blue Texel, £526.21; 367 Bluefaced Leicester, £1,248.28; 36 Border Leicester, £707.50; 108 Charollais, £750.28; 3 Dutch Texel, £800; 17 Hampshire Down, £527.06; 30 Lleyn, £370.67; 35 North Country Cheviots, £512.86; 2 Oxford Down, £265; 224 Suffolk, £1,110.71; 591 Texel, £1,653.54; 10 Vendeen, £506; 6 unregistered Berrichon, £541.67; 1 unregistered Bluefaced Leicester, £750; unregistered crosses, £821.83; 6 unregistered Dorper, £583.33; 444 unregistered Suffolk, £894.62; 531 unregistered Texel, £959.40. Lambs - 1 Berrichon, £1,100; 2 Blue Texel, £250; 14 Bluefaced Leicester, £1,014.29; 20 Charollais, £471.50; 2 Hampshire Down, £250; 170 Suffolk, £808.47; 58 Texel, £737.07; unregistered Berrichon, £250; 2 unregistered Blue Texel, £390; 4 unregistered crosses, £205.

Auctioneers: Border Livestock Exchange, C. and D. Auction Marts, Harrison and Hetherington, Hexham and Northern Marts, Lawrie and Symington, North East Livestock Sales, United Auctions.