The Northern Supreme sale saw a top call of 8000gns twice, first up was an early February ram lamb, Derg Jackal by Beili Blues Hulk out of an imported Dutch registered dam from S Allen and A Shortt, Castlederg, Northern Ireland. The three joint purchasers of this second prize winner were the Bimbister Partnership, Sandwick, Orkney; Messrs Sylvester, Eday, Orkney, and Messrs Wattie, Alford, Aberdeenshire.
Next up at that price was another February lamb, Jems Jackpot, this one from Jennifer Duncan, Aberdeen. By Caryl’s Blues Hulk and out of Nantyderri Going For Gold, it sold to Messrs Williams, Llanwnnen, Lampeter.
Rachel Almond, Enniskillen, also made 6000gns for her March born ram lamb Mullygarrow Jackpot which is by Sams Houdini out of Matt’s Elegence and sold to G Hoggard, Nottingham.
Close behind on 5800gns was the February ram lamb Top-Bank Jack the Lad form R A Francis, Abergorlech, Carmarthen. By Ettrick Firefly, that also sired the 2023 Royal Welsh champion Beili Blues Hulk, the lamb is out of Top-Bank Grace and sold to Westwood Park Farm, Leominster.
At the 4000gns price tag was a March lamb from Rhys Williams, Lampeter. Dragon Jupiter is by a home-bred ram and out of a home-bred ewe, and was the choice of Jennifer Duncan, Banff.
Another Top-Bank lamb made 3800gns. Top-Bank Jackpot, a February single, is by Cairnrock Fully Loaded out of a Caryl’s Blues Dazzler sired Top-Bank dam. The buyer was David Isaac, Ystrad Meurig, Ceredigion.
Shearling rams
A shearling ram, Hodges Highlander from J and D Hodge, Auchinleck made 6500gns. This son of Joe’s Alvin and out of a Shawtonhill ewe sold in half shares to Messrs Howell, Llanddeusant, Llangadog and Messrs Jones, Llanllwni, Pencader.
David and Clare Gray, Selkirk, took a 6000gns bid on their shearling ram, Ettrick Handyman, a son of Saltire Blue Ferocious, also in this sale, and out of a Jonsland Velcro sired Arnold ewe. He went to the Page Farm Partnership, Ripon.
4500gns was met for Abergavenny vendor Rhys Cooke’s shearling Nantyderri Hazelnut which had been his 2024 show ram. By Yarburgh Fire Starter out of a Derg Churchill sired home-bred ewe, it was bought jointly by Messrs Grahams and Messrs Dick, both from Stirling.
At 3800gns, another shearling from Messrs Gray, Ettrick Hulk , sold to C A and S Jessop, Coalville. Also by Saltire Blue Ferocious it is out of a Corra ew which bred several other high priced rams and females for Ettrick.
Aged ram
An aged ram made 4000gns. David and Clare Gray’s 2021 born Saltire Blue Ferocious, bred by Stasa Moyse, is by a Corra ram out of one of their Saltire ewes, and had originally been purchased for 9000gns. At the Carlisle sale he was bought by R Cooke, Abergavenny.
Females
Best of the females also hit the 4000gns mark that topped the shearling ewe trade when Matt Burleigh, Enniskillen sold his Matt’s Halo by Mullygarrow Grey Goose, to R E and R F Scott, Orkney.
Beilli Blues High Hopes, a shearling by Ettrick Firefly from D L and B W H Jones, Pencader, sold at 3000gns to Messrs Baird, Tetbury, and is a full sister to the 20,000gns Beilli Blues Hulk.
At the same price, was the sale’s female and reserve supreme champion from Messrs Gray, a February ewe lamb by Show Winners Grand Slam out of a Corra ewe. It is an ET sister to the 10,000gns Jackpot and first place ewe lamb at the Great Yorkshire. The buyers were Messrs Jessop and Sons, Coalville.
Averages: 2 aged rams, £2388.75; 76 shearling rams, £1247.29; 76 ram lambs, £1474.14; 6 ewes, £630; 146 gimmers, £811.74; 22 ewe lambs, £858.14. (Harrison and Hetherington)
