Scottish breeders were top of the flocks at the Texel Christmas Stars sale in Carlisle last weekend.
Auctioneers Harrison and Hetherington put the hammer down on the top price of 14,000gn for a gimmer from the Strathbogie flock of James Innes & Sons, Dunscroft, Huntly.
This late entry to the sale was a February 2013-born daughter or Scholars Twenty Twelve, by Mullan Supremacy, and out of a Glenside Razzle Dazzle daughter.
She was bought in-lamb to Mullan Vivaldi – a son of Oberstown Usain Bolt – by Graham A S Morrison for his Deveronvale flock at Inchbruich Farm, Cornhill.
The Strathbogie flock lot saw 12 gimmers sell to an average of £3,482.50.
The next leading price of 9,000gn was achieved by Keith, Allan and Roy Campbell’s Cowal flock from Drimsynie, Argyll.
Their February-2013 born Cairnam Talisman daughter out of a Kelso Pavarotti daughter headed south to the Sportsmans flock of Boden & Davies, Stockport, Cheshire.
She was sold in-lamb with twins to Knap Vicious Sid, which is by Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold Sry.
The Campbells sold 8 gimmers to an average of £3,635.63.
Turriff breeder Robbie Wilson, who runs the Milnbank flock at North Dorlaithers Farm, achieved a top of 6,000gn and sold 13 gimmers to an average of £1,767.23.
His sale topper – a Teiglum Tornado daughter out of a Glenside Razzle Dazzle daughter – was bought by C G Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Huntly. She was AI’d in September to Strathbogie Upping the Ante son Glenside Valhalla.
Graham Morrison’s Deveronvale flock sold to a top of 3,300gn for a Strathbogie Terminator daughter out of a Kiltrariff Osprey daughter.
This one, which was AI’d in September to Mullan Vivaldi, sold to P B Collins, Low Ground Fold, Howsham, York.
Nine Deveronvale gimmers sold to an average of £1,697.50.
Other north-east breeders present at the sale included New Aberdour farmer Brian Buchan, with a lot from his Clinterty flock, and Memsie farmer Sandy Lee with a lot from his Fordafourie flock.
The Clinterty flock sold seven gimmers to a top of 1,000gn and an average of £550.50, while the Fordafourie lot saw five sell to a top of 600gn and an average of £525.
The day before, north-east breeder William Knowx, of Mid Haddo, Turriff, achieved a top price of 4,000gn at the Twilight Texel Sale.
This Knock Trojan daughter, out of a Anglezarke Nimrod daughter, was sold in-lamb to Garngour Vintage, which is by Springwell Ulsterboy.
The buyer was D Rankin, Kilmaluag House, Solitote, Portree, Isle of Skye.
In all, eight gimmers from the Haddo flock sold to an average of £1,109.06.