Having headed up the Thursday evening of shearling ewes at 12,000gns it was Andrew Wainwright’s Todhall pen that was very much in demand to top the shearling ram offering at 42,000gns with another at 28,000gns during the Beltex Sheep Society’s Premier Sale at Carlisle on Friday, 11 August.

With commercial producers seeing the value of using the Beltex ram as a terminal sire with pens of prinme and store lambs topping the auction rings the length and breadth of the country, the top pedigree prices were backed up by an exceptionally strong demand from commercial buyers, resulting in an average of £1722 for 532 sold. This compared to 575 at £1865 in 2022 and 669 at £1500 in 2021, thanks to seven five-figure prices and plenty more in the 5000gns plus bracket.

There was no doubting the leading pen though as the Todhall consignment from near Cupar, Fife, had already picked up the President’s Award for the best pen of shearlings as judged by Society President, Sue Wilkinson, and the crowd that followed them to the ring was testament to that.

 

 

Todhall Hercules ET is, in fact, a full brother to the 12,000gns Todhall Helen ET sold the previous evening, being by the 9000gns Wannop’s Godfather and bred from Todhall Estelle, herself a daughter of the 10,000gns Callacrag Bull’s Eye that bred well in the flock. Following a flurry of bids from the ringside, Hercules was knocked down to Alfie Taylor of the Heatheryhall Flock, with Richard Wood at Kingledores, Paul Tippets at Hackney, and Stuart Wood, Woodies, later taking a share each.

 

 

The Todhall trade didn’t stop there, however, as the very next lot, Todhall Hugo ET, sold to Neale and Janet McQuistin for their Airyolland Flock near Newton Stewart for 28,000gns. He is again by the Wannop’s Godfather but his dam, Todhall Cleopatra, offers some different breeding as she is by Rathbone Alien.

 

 

Early on in the sale, local lad Brian Hall saw his Ainstable Hammer ET start at an opening bid of 5000gns and swiftly rose to 30,000gns as the hammer fell at that price to the initial bidder, Paul Slater, of the Whiteley Hey cross-bred flock near Macclesfield, Chesire. Champion at both Skelton Show where he also claimed the Inter-breed title, and Penrith Show, Hammer is by the Kingledores Engleburt ram that bred well for Brian, while his dam is the Bailey Brook CR7-sired Black Jack Esmeralda that made 4500gns at the Beltex Beauties a few years back.

 

 

Three sold for 12,000gns apiece with the first of these being Andrew Baillie’s Callacrag Hustler ET which sold in a three-way split to Graham and Fiona Burke, Pentland; Neil Laing, Perryflats; and Brian Wylie, Balbrydie. He is by the Clary Dumfries tup bought as an aged ram which originally made 7000gns, while his dam is an Aviemore Black Spot daughter in the shape of Callacrag Candy.

 

 

It was a good day for Andrew together with son, Cameron, and daughter, Rachel, as they received a further 11,000gns for their first in from Karen and David Shuttleworth, Heber Park, and William Beckwith of the Sharphaw Flock, both from near Skipton. Callacrag Hell Fire, which stood second in a strong class at the Royal Highland then Male Champion at the Scottish National, is by the 8000gns Wannop’s Firecracker and out of Callacrag Emma, a Mortons Cheeky Boy daughter.

 

 

The next pen in also received 12,000gns when Richard Wood’s Kingledores Habib ET sold to Alasdair MacLean of the Tiree Flock on the Hebridean Island. This lad’s pedigree features the 30,000gns sale topper from 2021, Borderesk Finders Keepers, on to the Airyolland Castro-sired Hackney Extra Special from the flock near Biggar.

 

 

Not long after, Nick and Charlotte Brown welcomed their dearest trade to date when Bronic High Flyer ET sold to near neighbours, Messrs Joel and Messrs Cockett, all from Carnforth. Bred from the College Awesome daughter, Bronic Connie, High Flyer’s sire is the 10,000gns Faughhill Gladiator.

The first in from the Dinsdale family from near Penrith was in the money at 8500gns when Jane Campbell and son, Ross, together with William McMillan took Highfield Henry home to their Cree and Carse flocks near Newton Stewart. From a strong pen of similar breeding, Henry’s sire is Airyolland Falco while his dam is the Kingledores Wigglesworth-bred Highfield Easypeasy.

A total of six rams achieved an 8000gns price tag with the first of these being among the final males to sell from Jock McMillan in the shape of Brilley Huntsman ET, which was bought at the September sale last year. A full brother to the 25,000gns Brilley Hulk sold as a lamb, Huntsman is by Ardstewart Fred Flintstone and out of Hackney Dior, a Topflite Al Pacino daughter. He caught the eye of the Wannop’s team and heads to work near Morecambe.

Next at that price was the second prize winner from the pre-sale show that also stood first in his class at the Royal Highland, Faughhill Herbie ET from Grant Maxwell. He is among the first shearlings to sell by the 11,000gns Kingledores Godzilla while his dam, the Callacrag Barbarian-sired Eildon Cameo, is a full sister to the 10,000gns Gladiator. Forking out the cash was young Rafe Cartman for his Atherton Flock near Skipton.

Dunrod Hullabaloo, a son of the 30,000gns Buckles Dark Dawn, from Cameron Cormack, was another to realise 8000gns. Bred from the Ardstewart Daredevil daughter, Buckles Florentine, he sold in a two-way split to Messrs Donaldson and Messrs Gregory, both from Lockerbie.

Shortly after the Buckles boys – Kevin and sons, Jack and Tom – saw their first two sell for 8000gns apiece. Selling to James Little, Skiddaw View Flock, with a half share retained was Buckles Hello Darling ET, the first prize winner and Reserve Male from the pre-sale show. Sired by Ardstewart Armani and out of the noted Buckles Annie Power, an Ardstewart Super Mario daughter, he is a full brother to the 30,000gns Buckles Dark Dawn.

Selling to Michael and Heulwen Owens for their Glantre Flock near Llandysul, Dyfed, for 8000gns was Buckles Harpoon which was this time by the 10,000gns Gyffin Dexter and out of Withy Trees Camping Cosmos, a Kingledores Wigglesworth daughter.

The final ram at 8000gns which sold to James Whiteford of the Tercrosset Flock near Brampton, was Lurg Hang Man ET from Alan Miller. A full brother to the 50,000gns Goliath and 45,000gns Grand Slam sold last year, this Woodies Explosive son is out of Sinclair’s Daisy, a Kingledores Battleaxe daughter.

 

Ram Lambs

Two five-figure prices coupled with an averaged of 107 for £1999 ram lambs sold meant the majority of breeders ended day one of the Beltex Sheep Society’s Premier Sale at Carlisle with a pep in their step.

This average compared with £2044 for 131 in 2022 when four lambs sold at five-figure prices but more favourably with the 2021 average of £1666 for 145.

 

 

Leading the way at 20,000gns was the Male and Supreme Champion, Logie Durno Jack Daniels ET from Willie and Carole Ingram together with sons, Gregor and Bruce, from Pitcaple, Inverurie. This end of March-born embryo lamb is by the 11,000gns Buckles Fury bought as a lamb a couple years back that has since sired show-winning ewe lambs and had a good season in the show ring himself this year. Jack Daniels’ dam is the 4200gns Belvoir View Fertility, a Belvoir View Diamond Flame daughter that bred the family’s ewe lamb that stood Reserve Supreme at the Royal Welsh Show last year.

In the sale ring, Jack Daniels caught the eye of Gary Beacom and heads to work in the Lakeview Flock near Fivemiletown, County Fermanagh.

 

 

Just a few lots earlier Paul Tippetts and Gerwyn Jones sold another by the Buckles Fury ram in the shape of Pager Jackpot ET for the second highest price of 14,000gns to Alan Miller for his Lurg Flock near Midmar, Inverurie. Unshown in the pre-sale show, Jackpot’s dam is the Belvoir View Firefox daughter, Corra Go Lightly, making him a full brother to the Pager Jasmine ewe lamb that stood Female and Reserve Supreme at the Royal Highland.

Mr Miller was in spending mode when he and near neighbour, Stuart Wood, paid a combined 8000gns for Thacka Just In Time ET from Giles and Gillian Pyman, together with son, Tom, from just down the road near Penrith. This sixth prize winner is sired by Woodies Hotspot, himself a son of the 30,000gns Borderesk Finders Keepers, while his dam is Thacka Chestnut which is in turn by a V/D Harlembois ram.

The second prize lamb, Buckles Jaegarbomb ET, from Kevin Buckle and sons, Jack and Tom, from near Kirkby Stephen, matched that 8000gns when knocked down to Louie Van Geffen for his Geffens Flock near Carlton in Cleveland, North Yorkshire. Bred from the Ardstewart Armani-sired Buckles Flash In The Sky, this lad is the first to sell from the 50,000gns Lurg Goliath bought in a consortium of four breeders when he stood Supreme Champion here last year.

The very next lot, a full brother named Buckles JFK ET, sold to Sean Forshaw of the Meadowside Flock near Preston for 5000gns.

From Mr Tippetts own pen he sold Hackney Jackaroo for 5500gns to Brian Joseph for his Brynsa Flock near Church Stretton, Shropshire. By the Ardstewart Fred Flintstone ram that sired last year’s 25,000gns and 20,000gns lambs, Jackaroo is bred from the Airyolland Castro daughter, Hackney Gabriella.

Stuart Wood’s young son, Murray, was in the money when Jackie Riby paid 4500gns to take Woodies Jackass ET home to her Stonehills Flock near Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Bred from the Woodhow Dakota daughter, Kingledores Felicity, while his sire is the 16,000gns Woodies Explosive that bred the 50,000gns and 45,000gns shearlings for Lurg last year.

Jeff, Sue and Steve Wilkinson forked out 4500gns to take Dafydd Owen’s Smart Ass Just Class ET home to their Langlands Flock near Richmond. His pedigree features Ainstable Factotum on to the Airyolland Wee Jimmy-sired Aviemore Creamola.

Not far behind on 4200gns was Grant Maxwell’s Faughhill Jitterbug ET, a Kingledores Godzilla son bred from the Faughhill Elephant In The Room-sired Faughhill Full Swing from the flock near Melrose, Roxburghshire. Forking out the cash was James Wannop of the Wannop’s Flock near Morecambe.

Two sold for 4000gns with the first of these being Pointhouse Jack In The Box ET from Northern Irish breeders, Michael and Kile Diamond. Selling to Ian Reid for his Osprey Flock near Methven, Perth, he is the result of a flush between Murrays Expert and Artnagullion Enghantress, a Belvoir View Cadillac Jack daughter.

The other at 4000gns when knocked down in a two-way split to Stuart Wood and Aled Groucott, of the Swffryd Flock, was Alfie Taylor’s Heatheryhall Jumanji ET, a Woodies Hulk son. His dam from the flock near Lanark is the Buckles Dark Dawn-sired Heatheryhall Fiona.

 

Females

Also selling on Thursday and well into the evening was the female offering where 194 shearling ewes changed hands to level at £706, up from £675 for 188 last year.

 

 

This was aided by a stand-out leader in the shape of Andrew Wainwright’s Todhall Helen ET from near Cupar, Fife. She has an impressive pedigree being sired by the 9000gns Wannop’s Godfather and out of Todhall Estelle which is in turn by the 10,000gns Callacrag Bull’s Eye. After a flurry of bids she sold in a two-way split to Paul Tippetts and Gerwyn Jones who run the Pager Flock and welcomed 14,000gns earlier in the day for their Pager Jackpot lamb.

Andrew welcomed a further 2000gns from Patrick Brolly of the Munreary Flock in Northern Ireland for Todhall Highlight which was again by the Wannop’s Godfather ram but this time out of the Woodies Pride of North-bred Todhall Elegant.

 

 

Next best at 6000gns was the second prize gimmer and Reserve Female from the pre-sale show, Callacrag Halo, from Andrew Baillie, together with children Rachel and Cameron, from near Carstairs, Lanark. Sired by the 8000gns Wannop’s Firecracker, her dam is the Callacrag Desperado daughter, Callacrag Esme. She caught the eye of Northern Irish breeder, Jack O’Brien.

Michael and Kile Diamond’s Female Champion, Pointhouse Hotstuff ET, realised 2400gns when knocked down to Messrs Norman from Little Orton, Carlisle. Her pedigree features the 14,000gns Murrays Expert on to Matt’s Eagle Eyed, a Matt’s Defender daughter.

With a trio of gimmers selling for 2000gns apiece, the first of these was Dafydd Owen’s Smart Ass Hallmark ET, a Wannop’s Finger Licken’ daughter bred from the Kingledores Braveheart-sired Hackney Easy on the Eye. She joins the Mutch Family’s Heath Holm Flock near Witney Oxon.

Also hitting 2000gns when knocked down to the Alderson Family from Lancashire was Simon Stephen’s Glencoe Hilda ET. Bought as an embryo, this Ardstewart Fred Flintstone daughter is out of another Kingledores Braveheart daughter in the shape of Hackney Cancan.

 

Averages: Six aged rams, £1304; 532 shearling rams, £1722; 107 ram lambs, £1999; 194 shearling ewes, £706.

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