A ewe lamb from Stuart Wood headed up the Beltex Sheep Society’s sale of in-lamb females and empty ewe lambs at Harrison and Hetherington’s Carlisle centre on Friday, 10 December, when the Reserve Champion from the pre-sale show realised 4000gns.

Females met a mixed demand throughout and it was youngsters that led the way with the Woodies ewe lamb at 4000gns and an Ardstewart ewe lamb at 3800gns.

Woodies Gardenia ET, S Wood, 4000gns

Stuart’s January-born Woodies Gardenia ET is by Ryder Eddie while her dam is the imported V/D Harlembois 1443 ewe that stood first in her class at the 2019 Royal Highland Show and has since bred well in the flock. Buying online was Stephen Stott of the Knowle Brink flock near Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge.

Also in the money for the Aberdeenshire-based Woodies flock was a recipient carrying twin embryos to the 1443 ewe and the 12,000gns Swffryd Eye Catcher which sold back to Eye Catcher’s breeder, Aled Groucott, Crumlin, Gwent.

Ardstewart Gracelyn, W & A McCrabbe, 3800gns

Setting the second highest price of 3800gns was Ardstewart Gracelyn from Wade and Alison McCrabbe, Raphoe, Lifford, County Donegal. This March-born ewe lamb’s pedigree features Swffryd Express on to the Dooley Napal daughter, Ardstewart Clipso, and she heads north to join Simon Stephen’s Glencoe flock near Nairn.

A large entry of females from Mathew Burleigh, Shanra, Enniskillen, peaked at 3000gns for his Matt’s Fancy Free ET which sold to Vicky and Gillian Bowring’s Windmill flock, Nether Langwith, Mansfield. This third prize gimmer from the pre-sale show is by Ardstewart Angus, out of the Hackney Warrior-sired Matt’s Adelle, and sold scanned with a pair to Buckles Fizzy Pop.

Also selling well for the Matt’s flock were two ewe lambs which made 2200gns and 1800gns apiece. Dearest of these when knocked down to Finn Christie for his Balquhain flock near Pitcaple, Inverurie, was the third prize Matt’s Gleaming ET. Sired by the 14,000gns Murrays Expert, her dam is the Hackney Corker daughter, Matt’s Desert Rose.

Her full sister, Matt’s Glanced ET, was the other at 1800gns, selling to Donnie Allan for his Ballochneck flock near Stirling.

Matt, who sold 22 gimmers between two runs to average £1100, sold other entries to 1700gns, 1500gns and 1300gns three times, all of which were in lamb to the Buckles Fizzy Pop ram.

Selling to Jimmy Bell of the Cottage flock, Carnwath, for 1700gns was Matt’s Fame and Fortune ET, a Hackney Corker daughter bred from Pentland Dixie, herself by Airyolland Wurzel. She scanned a single.

Jock McMillan paid 1500gns for the twin-carrying Matt’s FCUK ET to join his Clary flock near Newton Stewart. Her pedigree features Ardstewart Angus on to the Muirton A Penny’s Worth daughter, Hackney Birdie.

The trio at 1300gns were all sired by Ardstewart Angus with the first, Matt’s Foreseeable ET, selling to David Padkin, Muirhouse flock, Lanark. Scanned with a pair, she is out of Matt’s Atomic, another by Hackney Warrior.

Bred from another Warrior daughter in the shape of Matt’s Angel was Matt’s Flashy ET, which sold to Michael McGrath of the Edmondstown flock, Monilea, Mullingar. She again scanned a pair.

The last Matt’s gimmer at 1300gns was Matt’s Famous ET, again out of a Warrior daughter, this time Matt’s Adelle, and carrying a single. She sold to R & E Norman, Great Orton, Carlisle.

John Cowan’s Brickrow flock from Auchincruive, Ayr, peaked at 2500gns for Brickrow Flameproof, a substitute entry by Matt’s Dollar and bred from Brickrow Cherry Brandy, a Jewitt Admiral daughter. Selling to FD and D McVicar of the Fyne flock near Cairndow, she was carrying a pair to Ainstable Ferocious.

Not far behind on 2000gns was Ali Jackson’s sole entry from Maulcastle, Annan, in the shape of Tiptop Flashdance ET, which was knocked down to young Scott Sinclair of the Unigarth flock up on Orkney. Scanned with twins to Ardstewart Fire Balls, this Kingledores Braveheart daughter is out of the Clary Ablaze-sired Kingledores Barbie.

Enjoying a good sale was Andrew Morton from Denny, Stirling, whose pen peaked at 1700gns for Mortons Felicity, which was carrying twins to Ardstewart Fancy Pants. Sired by the 10,000gns Gyffin Dexter and out of the Hackney Braveheart-sired Mortons Donna, she was also snapped up by Jock McMillan, Clary flock.

The Champion from the pre-sale show, as judged by Adrian Evans of the Bancycrwys flock near Pumpsaint, Carmarthenshire, sold to Ian Reid for his Osprey flock near Methven, Perth. That was Alan Miller’s Lurg Fairy ET, a daughter of the 10,000gns Ryder DIY bred from the Double O Seven-sired Woodies Currency in the flock near Midmar, Inverurie. She changed hands scanned with a pair to the 16,000gns Woodies Explosive.

Another northern Irish breeder, Elizabeth McAllister, saw her Artnagullion Farah top her entry at 1400gns when sold to Neil Harvey of the Blackadder flock, Duns. Carrying a pair to Rathbone Eagle Has Landed, this Greenall Dennis the Menace daughter from the flock near Kells, Ballymena, is out of Artnagullion Black Magic, herself by Ardstewart Armani.

Averages: Seven aged ewes, £387 (13 x £767 in 2020); 128 shearling ewes, £784 (94 x £924); 38 ewe lambs, £691 (30 x £1048); one pregnancy, £1470 (4 x £1155).