Shearling averages improved on the year for both rams and gimmers at the Beltex Sheep Society’s sale at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway centre on Friday, 22 September, where trade peaked at 2400gns for a shearling ewe from a local consignor.

Leading the way was Brian Hall’s second prize gimmer and Reserve Female, Ainstable Honour ET from his Ainstable-based flock. Sired by the same Kingledores Engleburt that bred the 30,000gns Kingledores Hammer sold at the Premier sale last month, Honour’s dam is Ainstable Barge, a Woodies Wicked daughter. She sold to the judge, Alan Miller, of the Lurg Flock near Midmar, Inverurie.

Alan paid a further 1600gns to secure his pick of Supreme Champion, a shearling ewe named Ainstable Happy ET also from Mr Hall. Again by the Kingledores ram, she is out of the Black Jack Casanova-sired Ainstable Effective.

Matching that 1600gns was yet another Engleburt daughter in the shape of Ainstable Humorous ET, which is this time out of the Withy Trees Automatic Monkey-bred Ainstable Danube. She sold to Brian Ryder for his Ryder Flock near Annan Water, Moffat.

The male offering reached 2000gns for the Male Champion that also stood Reserve Supreme, Pointhouse Hard To Beat ET from father and son team, Michael and Kile Diamond, from Carhill Road, Garvagh, County Londonderry. A result of the prolific flush between Murrays Expert and the Belvoir View Cadillac Jack-sired Artnagullion Enghantress, he sold to Malcolm Reid, Alloa.

The duo also led the ram lamb trade with entries at 900gns and 800gns, both of which were results of the Dooley Bulldozer x Pointhouse Grace flush. Dearest when sold to John Cowan for his Brickrow Flock near Auchincruive, Ayr, was Pointhouse Jackson ET while Pointhouse Jameson ET, which stood Reserve Male, sold to Andrew and Jamie McCutcheon for their Bodoney Flock near Trillick, County Tyrone.

The Diamonds also sold their first prize ewe lamb, Pointhouse Jennifer ET, to Alan Miller for 550gns. She is another from the Dooley Bulldozer x Pointhouse Grace flush.

Giles and Gillian Pyman and son, Tom, from Stainton, Penrith, got the sale off to a good start with their first in the ring making 1200gns when knocked down to Gail Hodgson, Bishop Auckland. Also by Kingledores Engleburt, he is out of Thacka Chestnut which is in turn by a V/D Harlembois ram.

The similarly-bred Thacka Horace ET, again by Engleburt and out of the V/D Harlembois-sired Thacka Crystal, sold to Brian Fell, Bassenthwaite, Keswick, for 1050gns.

Another local breeder, Jimmy Mulholland, from Great Orton, Carlisle, sold two for 1100gns apiece. First and selling to R and M Scott, Greenhead, Brampton, was Liscon Hazzard which is by Airyolland Del Amitri and out of the Woodies Audi-sired Liscon Casca.

Matching that when sold to Jason and Sarah Wareham, Broad Oak, Heathfield, was Liscon Henry. His pedigree features Airyolland Ettrick on to Liscon Tessa, a Liscon Rooney daughter.

Females also sold to 950gns when John and Vicky Ferguson paid that to take Stuart Wood’s Woodies Havoc ET home to their Vicky’s Flock on Ballyrainey Road, Comber, Newtownards. Bred from the 7500gns Buckles Babybel, a Plumtree Wonderful daughter from the Skene, Westhill-based flock, she is by the 30,000gns Borderesk Finders Keepers.

The Findlay family paid 800gns to take Stuart Wood’s Woodies Jumping Jack ET to join their Westerdale Flock near Whitby. Bred from Woodies Cally, he is by Vicky’s Gladiator.

Averages: 39 shearling rams, £723 (38 x £637 in 2022); 19 ram lambs, £550 (25 x £890); 29 shearling ewes, £721 (28 x £554); one ewe lamb, £578 (6 x £495).