Scottish breeders were out in force at the dispersal sale of the Withy Trees pedigree flock of Beltex sheep.
The flock, run by Andrew and Claire Wood at Withy Trees Farm, Preston, Lancashire, was dispersed at Harrison and Hetherington‘s Borderway Mart in Carlisle.
The sale of the flock, which was being dispersed following Andrew Wood’s decision to retire, topped at 6,000gn twice.
First at this price was four-year-old ewe Withy Trees Calamity Jane –Â an embryo transfer (ET) daughter of the 25,000gn Broxty Boxer and out of one of the flock’s foundation ewes Woodies Remember Me. Sold to Miller Farms Ltd, Midmar Inverurie.
The other at 6,000gn, selling to Messrs Prince, Stonedge, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was a gimmer named Withy Trees Fie, Fih, Fo, Fum. She is by Buckles Dark Dawn and out of Heatheryhall Dorothy.
Other leading prices included 4,500gn for seven-year-old ewe Buckles Watercress, which was originally bought by Mr Wood for 5,000gn when she stood pre-sale show champion at the breed’s society premier sale in 2015.
An ET daughter of Broxty Supreme, and out of Joconde Du Chene, her progeny includes the 5,000gn Withy Trees Be Lucky and the 3,600gn Withy Trees Denise. She sold to the Moir family at Home Farm, Cairness, Fraserburgh.
The Ingram family, which runs the Logie Durno flock at Pitcaple, near Inverurie, paid 4,200gn for a gimmer named Belvoir View Fertility. She is an ET daughter of Belvoir Diamond Flame and out of Belvoir View Desire.
Stuart Wood, who runs the Woodies flock at Skene, Westhill, paid 2,800gn for five-year-old ewe Withy Trees Be Lucky. She is an ET daughter of the 8,000gn Kingledores Wigglesworth.
The averages were: aged ewes, 33 £1,388.22; shearling gimmers, 46, £1,363.85; ewe lambs, 57, £755.26; stock rams, two, £1,942.50; shearling rams, 33, £952.95; and ram lambs, 38, £794.96.
Belvoir View sale
Meanwhile, Harrison and Hetherington also hosted an entire flock sale from Lincolnshire breeders Richard and Rachel Sharp’s Belvoir View flock of Beltex.
The sale topped at 6,500gn for home-bred stock ram Belvoir View Diamond Flame. A January 2018-born son of Airyolland Banzai, and out of Belvoir View Alexis, stood male champion at the Three Counties Virtual Show 2021. He sold to Messrs Roots, Dumfries.
Miller Farms Ltd at Midmar paid the next best price of 6,000gn for three-year-old ewe Belvoir View Double Delight – an ET daughter of Belvoir View Apple Jack.
The Ingrams at Logie Durno paid 5,000gn for six-year-old ewe Corra Agnes, by Wern Sycharth. She is the dam of the 6,800gn Belvoir View Cadillac Jack.
The Belvoir View averages were: aged ewes, seven, £2,707.50; shearling gimmers, three, £4,725; ewe lambs, three, £2,520; stock ram, one, £6,825; shearling rams, four, £2,625; and ram lambs, eight, £1,273.13.