Auctioneer Ted Ogden got the Northern Beltex Club’s sale at CCM Auctions’ Skipton centre off to a bang on Saturday, 3 September, when the very first ram through the ring attracted the top price of 5000gns.

A good trade continued throughout the sale as pedigree prices were backed up by a strong commercial demand to result in the shearling ram average increasing by more than £160 compared to 2021, with ram lambs up by £131 and shearling ewes by £58.

It was a very successful trip to Skipton for the team at Procters Farm – Jeff Aiken, wife Jen and their children, Katie and Robbie – when they secured the Reserve Supreme title at the pre-sale show but it was their shearling pen leader, Procters Guiness, that secured the lead price of 5000gns.

Sired by the Artnagullion Fitbit ram since sold to the Rathbone and Padkin flocks, Guiness is out of the Tiree Carter-sired Procters Estrella and sold to Frank Towers from near Wray, Lancaster.

The Procters shearling pen from Wray, Lancaster, continued to sell well with another by the Fitbit ram, Procters Galbraith, selling to Treborth Uchaf Farm, Bangor. He is bred from the Myna Actor daughter, Procters Daisy Duke.

The pen of nine which averaged £1948, also reached 2500gns when local breeders KG and JL Huck paid that to take Procters Geezer home to Bordley. He is of similar breeding to Galbraith, being by Fitbit and out of the Myna Actor-sired Procters Cacey.

John Green’s Greenall Flock from near Liliesleaf, Melrose, saw six level at £2398 and peak at 4500gns when Greenall Goldenballs sold to JR Joseph and Co, Llanstephan, Llyswen, Brecon. Goldenballs’ sire is the £10,000gns Heatheryhall Fireman Sam while is dam is Beautry Doodle, an Artnagullion CJ daughter.

The very next one in, this time a Mortons Cheeky Boy son in the shape of Greenall Gotta Go, realised 3500gns when chapped down to Jock McMillan for his Clary Flock near Newton Stewart. He is out of the Tercrosset Blaze-sired Artnagullion Damsel.

Henry Bailey paid 2200gns to take Greenall George Michael ET home to his Long Lee flock near Keighley. Bred from the Rathbone Tony daughter, Artnagullion Amber, this lad is another by Fireman Sam.

Early on in the sale, Elizabeth McAllister’s Artnagullion pen from Kells, Ballymena, reached 3000gns twice with another at 2500gns. The second prize shearling from the pre-sale show, Artnagullion Geronimo, is out of the Broxty Supreme daughter, Artnagullion Beauty, and sold to Nick and Charlotte Brown for their Bronic Flock near Claughton.

Nick Gill and Kayley Kennedy paid 3000gns to take Artnagullion General ET home to their Nikay Flock near Keswick. He is sired by Rathbone Tony while his dam is Artnagullion Chocpop, herself by the imported ram called The Bare Boy.

Hitting 2500gns was another by Rathbone Tony, Artnagullion Gray, this time out of the Ardstewart Armani-sired Artnagullion Daisyduke. The buyer was CD Timm of the Yorkie Flock near Pickering.

Mike Davis had a good trip to Skipton with his Rathbone shearlings, securing a pen best of 3000gns. Selling to RJ Towers, Ingleton, was a son of the aforementioned Artnagullion Fitbit bred from the Y Bedol A-Team daughter, Rathbone Eleanor.

Although he wasn’t there in person, Grant Maxwell’s pen from near Bowden, Melrose, did well too with the best here being Faughhill Guns N Roses at 2500gns. This Mortons Cheeky Boy son is out of the Callacrag Barbarian-bred Faughhill Daisy, and sold to T Crosdale, Clapham.

Recouping some of his earlier expenditure, Jock McMillan welcomed 2400gns from Winter Bros Farmers, Appleby, for Clary Granite. This son of Smart Ass Dark Horse is out of Clary Elizabeth, herself by Cromwell Carl.

Anne Story from near Longtown saw her Borderesk Ghost Buster sell to Andrew Mitchinson, Kirkcambeck, Brampton, for 2200gns. Bred from Borderesk Clueless, a daughter of a Belgian ram, Ghost Buster is by Ardstewart Cheeky Charlie.

Matching that 2200gns was Edmonstown Garet from Matthew Burleigh, but originally bred by Michael McGrath. This Sheephaven Eddie son is out of the Carrigans Lower Denzel-bred Ballinakill Easy, and sold to Rodney Brothers, Little Thorpe, Ripon.

Also selling to Rodney Brothers for 2200gns was the Swffryd Exclusive-sired Tercrosset Garry from James Whiteford. He is out of Tercrosset Emmerdale, an Ardstewart Coyote daughter.

Ram Lambs

Among the ram lambs, a top of 3400gns was paid for Richard Wood’s Kingledores Hayden ET from Tweedsmuir, Biggar, which was snapped up by Stephen Stott for his Knowle Brink Flock near Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge. Hayden’s pedigree features Woodhow Dakota on to the Clary Chancer daughter, Kingledores Dulcie.

Alex Martin paid 1900gns to take Kingledores Hassan ET home to Wales to work in his and Edward Cyril Lloyd Lewis’ Gyffin Flock near Conwy. Bred from the College Awesome-sited Kingledores Bessy that also produced this year’s Royal Highland Show-winning gimmer, Hassan is sired by the 30,000gns BorderEsk Finders Keepers.

The Procters team’s class winning ram lamb that went on to stand Reserve Supreme, Procters Hey Good Looking, sold for 2000gns in a two-way split to Northern Irish breeders, John Harbinson, Glenkeen Flock, and Mark Latimer for his grandfather, David Brown’s Brownville Flock. His sire is the 7000gns Faughhill Francisco that has had a good show season, while his dam is the Tiree Carter daughter, Procters Fizzy Wizzy.

James Farquharson paid 1500gns to take T Hunter’s Skelton Whin Harchilbald north to work in his Brockies Flock near Kiltarlity, Inverness. Bred from the Tywi Eager Beaver daughter, Skelton Whin Fiona, his sire is With Trees Garibaldi.

Females

Females met a select trade but nevertheless saw more change hands for an increased average compared to 2021 with a top of 1600gns paid for Greenall Galway Girl from John Green.

Selling to Anne Story for her Borderesk Flock, this is another by the good breeder Mortons Cheeky Boy, while her dam is Greenall Daisy, a Headlind Lackey daughter.

Stuart Wood saw his Woodies Go Pop hit 1200gns when snapped up by Colin Roots, Dumfries. Full of home breeding, she is by Woodies Frantic and out of the Bailey Brook CR7 daughter, Woodies Eye U Up.

Next best at 1100gns was the Female and Supreme Champion, Bessybell Gabby from Garry Scott. Sired by Heber Park Batman and out of the Callacrag Womaniser-bred Bessy Bell Daphne, she caught the eye of Thomas Harrison for his local Clifford House Flock.

Two sold for 1000gns apiece including the Artnagullion Fitbit-sired Panbeck Giovanni from Nick and Becky Dakin, which sold to F and JS Gargett, Westwick, Barnard Castle. Her dam is Panbeck Divine, a Todhall Baron daughter.

Matching that was Brian Hall’s Black Jack Casanova daughter, Ainstable Garter ET. Selling to W and M Oldfield, Demense, Gisburn, she is out of Ainstable Balderdash, herself by Woodies Wicked.

Averages: 175 shearling rams, £1093 (177 x £932 in 2021); 25 ram lambs, £990 (31 x £861); 65 shearling ewes, £513 (60 x £455); two ewe lambs, £352 (5 x £464).