Blue Texels led the way at Harrison & Hetherington’s September Pedigree Sheep Fair at Carlisle, where the breed produced the top price of the whole event: 4,500gns for the overall champion.
Ram lambs and gimmers both averaged well up on last year, and buyers came from Aberdeenshire to Cornwall.
The pre-sale show was judged by Llyr Davies of the Ty Gwyn flock.
Overall and male champion, and the day’s top price at 4,500gns, was Lot 581, Beili Blues Lord of the Ring ET (BBD/26/16827), from Dylan and Bethan Jones’s Beili Blues flock, Beili Bedw, Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire.
He is a single born on 8 February 2026, by Stephick Keith Urban (SPK/25/00018), a son of Knockmult Jackie Chan ET out of Stephick Hallelujah ET. His dam is a Beili Blues ewe (BBD/21/11062) by Caryl’s Blues Dazzler ET. After winning the ram lamb class and the male and overall championships, he sold in a half share to two Aberdeenshire breeders, Mark Wattie, Alford, and Stuart Wood, Skene.
The same ewe also bred the Jones family’s first-prize shearling ram. Lot 574, Beili Blues Knockout ET (BBD/25/15764), is by Ettrick Firefly ET and sold at 1,000gns to Claremont Properties (Newcastle) Ltd, Penrith.
Tonley gimmer is female champion and reserve overall
Mark Wattie was also selling on the day. His Tonley flock won the female championship and the reserve overall championship with Lot 619, Tonley Klassygirl ET (WAT/25/01296), a first-prize shearling gimmer. She is a single born in February 2025, by Derg Jackal ET out of Tonley Heather, a Saltire Blue Ferocious daughter. She made 2,500gns, the top price for a female, selling to L D and G S Davies, Fishguard.
All four Tonley gimmers sold. Lot 621, Tonley Kimmy, by Derg Jeepers Creepers ET out of Tonley Hallie ET, made 1,200gns to S Windle, Halifax. Lot 620 also made 1,200gns to S Windle. Lot 622, Tonley Kama, by Derg Jackal ET out of Tonley Holly ET, sold for 1,000gns to Layla King, Doncaster.
The Tonley flock also won both places in the ewe lamb class, with two Derg Jeepers Creepers ET daughters that both sold to S Windle. First-prize Tonley LucyLou ET (Lot 623), out of Tonley Jade ET, made 500gns, and second-placed Tonley Lucy ET (Lot 624), out of Tonley Holly ET, made 900gns.
Derg Jackal ET (JSA/24/01578), sire of the female champion, was in the sale himself as Lot 571. He is jointly owned by the Orkney, Stenaqouy and Tonley flocks, and was bred by S Allen and A Shortt. A February 2024 twin by Beili Blues Hulk ET out of an imported Derg ewe, he won the aged ram class and sold for 1,000gns to Seth Elliot / Primo Pots, Hawick.
G A and H M Francis’s Pistyll Legend ET (Lot 582, GFP/26/08460) was second in the ram lamb class and reserve male champion. A twin born on 7 February 2026, he is by Quarry View Knockout ET, a Drumard Ed son, out of Hodges Havana, and sold at 2,200gns to Layla King, Doncaster. His half-brother Pistyll Lance ET (Lot 583), out of the Caryl’s Blues Dazzler ET daughter Pistyll Frances, made 1,500gns to J A Aiken, Carlisle.
R A Francis’s Top-Bank flock, from the same farm, sold Top-Bank Lionheart ET (Lot 587, RAF/26/08491) at 1,800gns to Luke Billington, Preston. He is another Stephick Keith Urban son, out of Top-Bank Emerald, a Caryl’s Blues Dazzler ET daughter. The flock’s third-prize ram lamb, Top-Bank Lotus ET (Lot 586), is by Top-Bank Hamlet ET out of Matt’s Fruity Tooty ET and sold at 1,000gns to D Williams, Bala.
Ben and Tom Stayt’s fourth-prize ram lamb, Statesman Leader ET (Lot 593), made 800gns to G B Renfree, Liskeard. He is a March-born son of Sunnybank Wild Thing out of Windrush Heartbreaker ET. His full brother, Statesman Lion King, was male champion at the Royal Three Counties English National this year.
All 17 gimmers sold, averaging £855.44, up £294.28 on last year.
Messrs J and A Gargett’s Rookie Blues flock had the reserve female champion, Rookie Blues Kara (Lot 605). By Rookie Blues Hunter out of Rookie Blues Florida, she sold at 700gns to S Windle. The Gargetts’ best price was 900gns for Rookie Blues Kate (Lot 607), a Beili Blues Jackson ET daughter, bought by Layla King.
Iain Lammie’s third-prize gimmer, Cairnrock Karen ET (Lot 610), by Cairnrock He’s A Belter ET out of Cairnrock Fancy Lass, made 800gns to R L G and R M Davies, Bala. Ben and Tom Stayt’s fourth-placed Statesman Kathryn (Lot 614), a Windrush Humdinger ET daughter, also made 800gns, to P Jennings & Son, Doncaster.
Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington
Pre Sale Show Results : Judge: Llyr Davies, Ty Gwyn flock
Female champion: Tonley Klassygirl ET, Mark Wattie
Reserve female champion: Rookie Blues Kara, Messrs J & A Gargett
Male champion: Beili Blues Lord of the Ring ET, Mr & Mrs D L & B W H Jones
Reserve male champion: Pistyll Legend ET, Mr & Mrs G A & H M Francis
Overall champion: Beili Blues Lord of the Ring ET, Mr & Mrs D L & B W H Jones
Reserve overall champion: Tonley Klassygirl ET, Mark Wattie
