Ram lambs met the best of the trade at the Beltex Sheep Society’s final offering of the season at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway Mart on Saturday, 25 September, where the Supreme Champion from Johnny Aiken’s local Vogue flock topped the sale at 7500gns.

Despite a strong demand throughout, averages fell on the year for all sections but for many more sold compared to the 2020 sale.

Leading the way was Johnny’s February-born ram lamb, Vogue Galileo, which is in fact a full brother to last year’s sale leader, the 6500gns Vogue Fastrac, being by Tiree Carter and out of the Culsh Bourbon-bred Vogue Diamond. Much admired at the pre-sale show, Galileo sold over the phone to Gary Beacom for his Lakeview flock near Fivemiletown in Northern Ireland.

Another Tiree Carter-sired lamb from Johnny’s Hesket New Market, Wigton-based flock, Vogue General, made 1600gns when sold in a three-way split to Neil Laing, Perryflatts flock; Andrew Baillie, Callacrag flock; and Kenny O’Connor, Kenny’s flock, all in Lanarkshire. He shares the same maternal grandmother as the sale leader, being out of the Corstane Cabrach-sired Vogue Elizabeth.

The second highest price of the day of 2000gns was paid for another ram lamb in the shape of Matthew Burleigh’s Matt’s Ground Breaking ET from across the water near Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. Sired by the 14,000gns Murrays Expert bought at last year’s Premier Sale, Ground Breaking is out of the Hackney Corker daughter, Matt’s Double Deuce. He caught the eye of JG Richardson from near Bewaldeth, Cockermouth.

Two rams shared an 1800gns price tag with the first of these being Brian Hall’s shearling, Ainstable Forge, from his flock near Ainstable, Carlisle. Sired by the Kingledores Engleburt ram that has bred many of Brian’s pen leaders this year, Forge’s dam is Ainstable Delicate, herself by Withy Trees Automatic Monkey, and he sold to JS & JO Dodd, Temple Sowerby, Penrith.

Brian received a further 1400gns for another Kingledores Engleburt son as well as 1100gns for a son of Black Jack Casanova. At 1400gns when also knocked down to Messrs Dodd was Ainstable Foolhardy, whose dam is another by the Withy Trees ram in the shape of Ainstable Delicate.

Nathan Dakin of the Panbeck flock, Hellifield, Skipton, paid 1100gns for Ainstable Falcon ET which this time is out of Ainstable Charade, a Woodies Wicked daughter.

Back to the ram lambs and the other 1800gns sale was Ali Jackson’s Tiptop Gizmo, which heads to a new home near High Bridge, Dalston, with R McCrone. His pedigree features the 14,000gns Woodies Emperor also bought last year, on to Tiptop Cassy, a daughter of the imported Willy Nine Hundred ram.

Ali, from Cummertrees, Annan, received a further 1100gns from Shane Ostle, Stonegarth flock, Hesket New Market, for his sole shearling ram entry, Tiptop Final Fantasy ET, which is by Broughton Ale and out of the Hackney Bobby Dazzler-sired Tiptop Connie.

James Whiteford from near Brampton welcomed a strong shearling ram trade with entries to 1600gns, 1280gns and 1200gns. Dearest at 1600gns when snapped up by J & J Campbell, Gordon, Kelso, was Tercrosset Fight Fire with Fire, which is by Corstane Drumnadrochit and out of Tercrosset Babyspice, a daughter of Airyolland King of Clubs.

G & W Halliday, Tundergarth, Lockerbie, paid 1280gns for another of similar breeding, Tercrosset Fie Fih Fo Fum, which is again by Corstane Drumnadrochit and out of an Airyolland King of Clubs daughter, Tercrosset Alabama.

At 1200gns when chapped down to ME & DP Hall, Brampton, was the Ardstewart Coyote son, Tercrosset Freddo. His dam is Tercrosset Twitter, an Ardstewart Mustang daughter.

From near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Alan Miller welcomed 1600gns for Lurg Good Old Days ET which was brought out by daughter, Ellie. Selling to Rachael Bainbridge of the Goree Moss flock, Barnard Castle, he is by last year’s 6500gns Vogue Fastrac while his dam is the 3200gns Callacrag Anastasia, a Quarrymount William Wallace daughter.

George Wilkinson’s second prize ram lamb that went on to stand Reserve Supreme Champion, Arkle General, followed on at 1400gns for the flock at Arkleby, Aspatria. His pedigree features Woodies Einstein on to Arkle Diva, herself by Skiddaw View Busby Babe. General sold to JB & SM Mounsey, Laversdale, Irthington, Carlisle.

Females

Among the females it was Jeff and Sue Wilkinson’s Female Champion, Langlands Fashion, that topped the entry at 1800gns when sold to E Dixon, Corrie, Lockerbie. Her dam from the flock near Barningham, Richmond, is Matt’s Bumble Bee, a Kingledores Apollo daughter, while her sire is the 10,000gns Edendiack Darius.

Three females from the main sale realised 1400gns with the first of these being Ainstable Fiasco from Brian Hall. Selling to Ian McConnell of the Ian’s flock near Kirkmahoe, Dumfries, she is again by the Black Jack Casanova ram while her dam is another by the Withy Trees Automatic Monkey ram, Ainstable Décor.

Brian also received 1100gns from an undisclosed buyer for Ainstable Fengshui, another by Black Jack Casanova but this time out of the Woodies Wicked-sired Ainstable Dell.

The second female to hit 1400gns was Paul Tippetts’ Hackney Foxy ET from Shifnal, Shropshire, which sold to Messrs Wales for their Thackwood flock near Carlisle. Bred from the 2018 Great Yorkshire Show inter-breed Champion, the Kingledores Braveheart-sired Hackney Cancan, Foxy is by the Belgian import, Jef V/D Drie Mushen.

Richard and Jamie Jerman, from Whitney-on-Wye, welcomed a 1400gns bid for their Brilley Firecracker ET, which is by Swffryd Exclusive and out of the 5000gns Hackney Dior, a daughter of Topflite Al Pacino. She caught the eye of Archie and Zander Robertson for their Kilbucho flock near Biggar.

Cromwell Dispersal

Adam Neachell’s Cromwell dispersal from Aldridge saw five females hit four-figure prices with the dearest of these being Cromwell Candy which sold in a two-way split to Andrew Dunlop, Corstane flock, Biggar, and James Little, Skiddaw View flock, Ireby, Wigton. She is out of the former female record holder, the 10,000gns Kingledores Arienne, an Airyolland Storm Trooper daughter, while her sire is the 9500gns Broughton Willie Wonder.

Two made 1200gns apiece – Woodies Becky ET and Cromwell Flora ET. Selling to Gordon Gray for his grandchildren’s Etrrick flock near Lindean, Selkirk, Becky is by Airyolland Weapon while her dam is an imported Van’t Rozenaken ewe.

AT Lawson & Son, Hallington, Newcastle upon Tyne, paid 1200gns for Cromwell Flora ET, which is this time by Aisntable Renwick and out of Beautry Bonnie, a Matt’s Ambassador daughter.

Similarly, two realised 1000gns with the first of these being Cromwell Fatima ET, whose pedigree features Hackney Warrior on to the Broughton Willie Wonder-sired Cromwell Coral. She sold to Matthew Burleigh, Matt’s flock.

Cromwell Golden Girl ET was the other at 1000gns when chapped down to Rory and Pat Machray, Bilboa flock, Inverurie. She is out of the Airyolland Baltic-sired Cromwell Demi, and her sire is the Belgian ram, Dean V/H Vrijbos.

Arconda & Tosh Dispersals

The dispersal of John and Elaine Hedley’s Arconda and Tosh flocks from Thorne, Doncaster, peaked at 500gns for Arconda Forget Me Not, a daughter of Beachy Donatello bred from the Ravara Avicii-sired Arconda Darcey. She sold to D Shedden & Sons, Kilmarnock.

At 450gns when sold to Mark and Ellie Jennings, Hallcrake flock, Selside, Kendal, was Arconda Fortune, out of another Ravara Avicii daughter in the shape of Arconda Duchess and sired by Bodoney Excellency.

William Gribbon & Co, Cargen Bridge, Dumfries, paid 400gns for Arconda Eleanor, this time by Tiree Crab and out of the Avicii-sired Arconda Chelsea.

Matching that 400gns when knocked down to John White, Humshaugh, Hexham, was Arconda Fuchsia, again by Beachy Donatello but this time out of the Clary WWW. Daughter, Arconda Dolly.

Averages: Main Sale – Two aged rams, £336; 51 shearling rams, £628 (30 x £713 in 2020); 35 ram lambs, £909 (32 x £1098); 46 shearling ewes, £674 (29 x £864); seven ewe lambs, £224 (6 x £431). Cromwell Dispersal – 12 ewes, £681; 24 shearling ewes, £385; six ewe lambs, £378. Arconda & Tosh Dispersals – 18 aged ewes, £249; 18 shearling ewes, £284; five ewe lambs, £164.