'Phenomenal trade' for blackface and Cheviot at Dingwall and Highland Marts sheep sale with 'ferocious frenzy of bidding'
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DINGWALL and Highland Marts Ltd on Friday sold 3310 sheep of all classes with "a ferocious frenzy of bidding" witnessed during the day.
Lambs (2089) averaged £53.81 and sold to £113 for a Dorset from The Crossings, Caithness.
Store ewes & gimmers (844) averaged £48.73 and sold to £270 for a pair of Blackfaces from Balgowan, Laggan.
Breeding ewes (56) averaged £164.25 and sold to £380 for a pen of Cheviots from 185 Migdale, Bonar Bridge.
In Lamb Ewes (154) sold to £150 for a pen of Cheviots from Nottingham Mains, Latheron and a pen of Herdwicks from Lower Farley Farm, Kilmorack.
Rams & Feeding Sheep (116) averaged £52.98 and sold to £140 for a Texel Ram from 69 North Shawbost, Isle of Lewis.
Leading prices per head:
Lambs: Tex – The Crossings, £110 & £94; TexX – Kinnahaird, Contin, £96, Glentruim Farm, Inverness, £94, Drynie Farm, Dingwall, £94, Fearn Farm, Tain, £92 & £78, East Croft Roy, Inverness, £89, Skinnet, Halkirk, £87, £85 (Thrice), £80 & £77, Achnagairn, Kirkhill, £80, The Crossings, £79, Culligran, £77, East Kirk, Wick, £76, Lochbuie, Newtonmore, £76; Chev – Strathvaich Farms, £96, Ivy Cottage, Achentoul, £92, 177 Trantlemore, Halladale, £90, £82 & £78, Badanloch Estate, Sutherland, £86, 30 Big Sand, Gairloch, £77; SuffX – Culligran, £96 & £73 (Twice), The Crossings, £90 & £79, East Kirk, £90, Broombank, Tain, £71, Foxhole, Kiltarlity, £70, Bogburn Farm, Duncanston, £70; ZwbX – Inverhavon Croft, Newtonmore, £94, Drumancroy, Portmahomack, £78 & £65; BeltX – Drummond Farm, Evanton, £83 & £68; CharX – Skinnet, £80; Suff – 12 Loanickiem, Kiltarlity, £75; Mule – Gaich Farm, Dulnain Bridge, £74 & £70, Cawdor Estate, £72, The Crossings, £70; BF – Gaich Farms, £70, Bogburn Farm, £69, 8 Drynie Park, Muir of Ord, £66, Drynie Farm, £64.
Ewes: Tex – Kinnahaird, £132; Suff – Clachan Farm, £125; Zwb – Invernahavon, Newtonmore, £110 & £85; TexX – Kinnahaird, £110, 5C Balnabeen, Conon Bridge, £105 & £88, Dell Farm, Farr £102 &£86; Dst – The Crossings, £104; Chev – 5C Balnabeen, £93, 177 Trantlemore, £86, 13 Cross Skigersta Road, Isle of Lewis, £84, Wester Fearn, Ardgay, £84, Inverbroom, £80; Mule – Tulloch Farm, Dingwall, £90, Dell Farm, £81;BF – Greenwood, Laggan, £90; Lly – Cadbollmount, Fearn, £89.
Breeding Ewes: Chev – 185 Midgale, £360 & £300, 84 Tomich, £170 & £150, The Square, Inverinate, £125.
In Lamb Ewes: Chev –1 Eyre, Isle of Skye, £140, Nottingham Mains, £120; Hdw – Lower Farley Farm, £150, £140, £120 (Thrice), £115 (Twice), £110 & £100.
Rams & Feeding Sheep: Chev Ram – Badanloch Estate, £115 & £94, 4 Park, Barvas, £96, 177 Trantlemore, £88 & £81, 12 Bualnaluib, £86, 30 Big Sand, £80; SuffX Ram – Drynie Farm, £110, Caberfeidh House, Leverburgh, £110; Char Ram – Dunlichity Farm, Farr, £106; ABF Ram – Fearn Farm, £95; KH Ram – The Crossings, £90; Zwb Ram – 7
Ferrindonald, Sleat, £90; BF Ram – 30 Big Sand, £84, Drynie Farm, £82; BeltX Wdr – 177 Trantlemore, £92; TexX
Wdr – East Croft Roy, £80; Chev Rig – 177 Trantlemore, £98.
Also sold were 29 Blackface & Cheviot females.
In Lamb Blackface Gimmers (4) sold to £1000 from Mr T. Muirhead, Orchilmore, Blair Atholl.
In Lamb Blackface Ewes (6) sold to £1800 from Mr W. A. MacFarlane, Drumgrange, Patna.
In Lamb Cheviot Ewes (7) sold to £1300 from Welbeck Farms.
In Lamb Blue Faced Leicesters (2) sold to £480 from Mr R. Flett, Crackaig Blackies, Inverness.
The verdict: “Dingwall & Highland Marts held its annual Hill Day Sale of in-lamb Blackface and Cheviot Females. Judging proceedings of the Blackface sheep show lay in the hands of Mr B. Mackenzie, Glebe of Deisher. A small yet tremendous show for quality was presented to our judge.
"The champion of the day was awarded to local shepherd Mr B. Reive with a gimmer from his Glenbow Flock. A daughter of the £3000 Midlock scanned in lamb carrying a single to £1500 Dyke. The judge later backed his decision by purchasing her for £500. The Reserve Champion ticket was then tapped out to first time consigner, Perthshire raider, Mr T. Muirhead from Blair Atholl. This team of beauties from the Orchilmore Flock saw the 1-crop ewe by £85k Elmscleugh who was scanned carrying a single to a home-bred son of Blaze, cashed in at £1000 selling to Mr D. Morrison, Dalwhytne. This stable topped at £1200 and levelled at £1000 per head for 4 sold and making its mark on the castle in the process."
Topping the Blackface section was a 2-crop ewe from regular Ayrshire Consigners Messrs MacFarlane, Drumgrange.
This daughter of an £18k Dalchirla was scanned carrying twins to a £52k Dalblair, cashed in at a new centre record of £1800 to Mr Morrison, Dalwhytne "after a ferocious frenzy of bidding" from all corners of the ring.
Overall a phenomenal trade was witnessed for both the Blackface and Cheviot sheep breeds, with averages rocketing up on the year. An in-lamb Badger-Faced Cheviot from Welbeck Farms, Ousdale Flock which was scanned carrying a single to an Inkstack Ram cashed in at £1,300 to Mr Murdo Macdonald, Achentoul Farm Cottage.
Other prices:
BF Gimmers – Glenbow, Fortrose, £500, Crackaig Blackies, £350 & £320.
BF Ewes – Orchilmore, £1,200, £1000 & £800, Glenbow, £380, Drumgrange, £350.
Chev Ewes – Welbeck Farms, £1,300, £400 & £350, Clachan Farm, Inverbroom, £350.
BFL Ewes – Crackaig Blackies, £350.
