A record entry of hill type North Country Cheviot rams will go under the hammer at Dingwall Mart next week.
Dingwall and Highland Marts has 833 hill Cheviots forward for the sale on Friday, October 27.
Auctioneer Paul Spencer said the mart was hosting the biggest sale of hill Cheviot rams in Britain.
“We have consignors coming from just over the Border and the length and breadth of Scotland,” said Mr Spencer.
“It’s an ideal time for a sale because it’s near tupping time.”
Next week’s fixture kicks off with a pre-sale show at 8am judged by Craig Bradbury, of Satchells Farm, Melrose. The sale follows at 10am. The mart will also hold a sale of continental, Suffolk and other breeds of rams in its other ring.
At last year’s fixture, 703 hill Cheviots sold to an average of £504.69.
The top price on the day was £5,500 for a home-bred three-shear from Leslie and Tina Robertson, of Inkstack Farm, Barrock, Thurso.
Inkstack Splitter, by Inkstack Bingo 2, sold to the pre-sale show judge, Martin Cook, who contract farms around 2,500 ewes at Eriboll and Rhigholter, Sutherland.
He also bought the reserve overall champion, also consigned by the Robertsons, for £1,000. The three-shear tup is a son of the sale-topping Inkstack Splitter.