‘Stonker’ of a sheep turns heads as Dingwall Mart generates ‘tuptastic’ response
Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd last week sold 375 rams at the annual sale.
Beltex Aged Rams (3) sold to £420 gross from Upperton, Drumnadrochit.
Beltex Shearling (42) sold to £1,300 gross from Upper Auchenlay, Dunblane.
Beltex Ram Lamb (One) sold to £350 gross from Lenahowe, Orkney.
Blue Faced Leicester Two Shear (One) sold to £1,100 gross from 5 Tomich, Beauly.
Blue Faced Leicester Shearlings (63) sold to £2,000 gross (Thrice) from Nether Aucharnie, Huntly, Speymouth, Kennieshillock and Craighall Farm, Perth.
Cross Shearlings (75) sold to £1,600 gross (Twice) from Hilton of Culsh, New Deer and Dalchirla Farm, Muthill.
Charollais Shearlings (One) sold to £350 gross from Upper Auchenlay, Dunblane.
Suffolk Shearlings (72) sold to £1,500 gross (Twice) from North Essie, Adziel and Hilton of Culsh, New Deer.
Suffolk Ram Lambs (7) sold to £800 gross from 42 Mossmill Park, Mosstodloch.
Blue Texel Three Shear (One) sold to £800 gross from Invercharron, Ardgay.
Blue Texel Two Shear (One) sold to £700 gross from Shoreton Farms, Culbokie.
Blue Texel Shearlings (8) sold to £800 gross from Invercharron, Ardgay.
Texel Shearlings (91) sold to £4,000 gross from Veltigar, Orkney.
Texel Ram Lambs (5) sold to £650 gross from Wester Moy Texels, Urray.
Millennium Bleu Shearlings (One) sold to £900 gross from Lenahowe, Orkney.
Dutch Spotted Shearlings (One) sold to £600 gross from Glenurquhart Farm, Cromarty.
Teaser Rams (2) sold to £320 gross for a Zwartbles Ram Lamb from Mariain, Evanton.
OVERALL CHAMPION – Barnyards, Texel Shearling
RESERVE CHAMPION – Craighall, Blue Faced Leicester Shearling
The verdict afterwards: “Dingwall Marts’ ‘tuptastic’ event certainly put money in the bank for…vendors, despite a more selective enquiry from our busy ringside of buyers. The annual sale saw records smashed as new top gross price of £4000 being shelled out for the unshown Texel shearling from Mr D. Paterson, Veltgar, Orkney. After a ferocious frenzy of bidding the hammer fell to Messrs McNee, Overfinlarg, Dundee, purchasing him for a new stock ram for their pure flock at Tealing, Dundee.
“A fantastic trade greeted the Veltigar pen as he averaged a cool £1220 per head for 25 sold.The annual show was again sponsored by Norvite with North West representative Adam Christie on hand to present the prizes. Our judge this year was top stockman Mr Michael Robertson, Fodderletter, Tomintoul, who found his way out of the hills to take on the unenviable task of placing the breed classes. Each class oozed quality in abundance with the overall champion being found from the Texel section. Mr J. Peterkin, Barnyards, on his final swansong after dispersing his Texel flock last year took the overall champion accolade being purchased by Messrs Clark, Kinnahaird, for £1700.
“The reserve champion ticket went to a stonker of a traditional Blue Faced Leicester shearling from Messrs Fotheringham, Craighall Farm, Perth, which realised £2000 to head to the Cheviot Mule ewe lamb production line of Messrs Bradley, Tillyminate, Gartly.”
Other leading prices per head:
Ram lambs: Suffolk – Mossmill Park, £650, Haven View, Wick, £600; Texel – Wester Moy Texels, £600 & £500, Bailechaul Texels, £600 & £550.
Shearlings: Texel – Kennachy, £2,200 (Twice), £1900, £1800 (Twice) & £1,000, Keeper’s Cottage, Corrybrough, £2,200 & £1,000, Burnside, Huna, £2,200 & £1,000, Veltigar, £2,000, £1,800 (Twice), £1600, £1500, £1100 (Twice) & £1,000 (Four Times), Woodend, Killearnan, £1800, £1400, £1300, £1100 & £1000, Barnyards, Beauly, £1700, Tillyminate Farm, Huntly, £1400 & £1,000, Dalchirla Farm, Muthill, £1,300 & £1,000 (Twice), Invercharron, £1,100 & £1,000, Wester Craiglands, Fortrose, £1000; BFL – The Arr, Nairn, £1,900, £1800, £1700, £1600, £1200 & £850, Nether Aucharnie, £1900, £1200 & £1100, Tarawera, Dingwall, £1500 & £1,100, Craighall Farm,£1500, £800 & £700, Wester Raddery, Fortrose, £900, £850 & £700, Kennieshillock, £900, £800 & £750, Clinterty Farm, New Aberdour, £700, Tombreck, Dallas, £700; Cross – Upper Auchenlay, £1,500, £1,300 (Thrice), £1200, £1100 (Thrice), £1000 (Twice), £900, £800, £750 & £700 (Thrice), Dalchirla Farm, £1200, £1000 & £750 (Twice), Invercharron, £1000, £900 & £850, Clinterty, £1,000, £750 & £700, Hilton of Culsh, £900 (Twice) & £700 (thrice), 5 Tomich, £800, Torrax Farm, £800 & £700, Craigiebank Farms, Keith, £750, Hillhead of Cannahars, Whitecairns, £750 (thrice), 25 Camaultmuir, Kiltarlity, £700; Suffolk – North Essie £1400 (twice), £1300 (six times), £1200 (7 times ), £1100 (4 times), £1000 (nine times), £900, £800 (thrice), £700, £600 (thrice), £550 & £500, Hilton of Culsh £1400, £1300 (thrice), £1200, £1000 (thrice) & £800,Bareflathills, Elgin £1000, £800 (twice) & £700 (twice), Havenview, £900, East Murkle, Thurso, £900 & £800, Tillyboy, Westhill, £800, £700 (twice) & £600, Glendonan, Knockfarrel, £750 & £550, Invercharron, £550 & £500, Burnbank, Invershin, £500, Mariain, £500 (four times); Beltex – Invercharron £1200, £1100, £850 & £700, Upper Auchenlay, £1100 (thrice), £1000, £900, £850, £700 (twice) & £600 (thrice), Lenahowe, £900 (twice), £750 & £600, 14 Balloch Road, Keith, £800, £500 (twice), Craigiebank Farms, £550, Upperton, £550 & £500, 25 Fasach, Glendale £500; Blue Texel – Shoreton £700 & £400, Smithy House, Mey, £500, Croftdhu, Ballindalloch, £400 (twice).
Aged Rams – Beltex – 25 Fasach, £400, Upperton, £320.
Dingwal & Highland Marts Ltd also sold 17 Cheviot rams at the annual sale.
Cheviot shearlings (17) sold to £1,300 gross from Longoe Farm, Mey.
The verdict: “Dingwall Mart’s annual show and sale of Park Cheviot Rams once again kindly sponsored by W. M. Armstrong’s Haulage and judged by well-known Park Cheviot Ram breeder Mr. Stephen Dodsworth who made the trip up from Darlington. A smaller entry was present this year with the Overall Champion being awarded to The Castle of Mey, Longoe for a Durran Xizang son, Longoe Enterprise, he heads to Shetland to join Ms. E. Read, Girlsta.”
Other leading prices per head:
Shearlings – Sebay, £600, Hilton of Culsh, £450, Belmaduthy, £450, £400, £300 (twice), Longoe Farm, £400 (thrice), 1 Obbe Road, £400, Hallcroft The Doll, £300, Achnachloich, £300, Wester Dunnet, £250.
Two Shear – Achnamoine Watten, £350.
Three Shear – Hallcroft The Doll, £300.
