Fife breeder Andrew Wainwright from Todhall, Cupar, topped the shearling ram offering at 42,000gns with another at 28,000gns during the Beltex Sheep Society’s Premier Sale at Carlisle.
The top pedigree prices were backed up by an exceptionally strong demand from commercial buyers, resulting in an average of £1,722 for 532 sold, against £1,865 in 2022 for 575.
Mr Wainwright’s consignment had already picked up the award for the best pen of shearlings, and topped at 42,000gns for Todhall Hercules ET, which is a full brother to the 12,000gns Todhall Helen ET, sold the previous evening.
By the 9,000gns Wannop’s Godfather, and bred from the 10,000gns Callacrag Bull’s Eye dam, Todhall Estelle, he sold to Alfie Taylor, Heatheryhall, with Richard Wood from Kingledores, Paul Tippets of Hackney, and Stuart Wood from Aberdeenshire, later taking a share each.
Todhall Hugo ET, by the same sire, sold to Neale and Janet McQuistin, Airyolland, Newton Stewart, for 28,000gns.
He is out of Todhall Cleopatra, by Rathbone Alien.
Local breeder Brian Hall, sold Ainstable Hammer ET, for the second top price of 30,000gns to Paul Slater, of the Whiteley Hey cross-bred flock, Cheshire.
Hammer is by Kingledores Engleburt, out of the Bailey Brook CR7-sired Black Jack Esmeralda.
Three sold for 12,000gns apiece with the first of these being Andrew Baillie’s Callacrag Hustler ET, from Lanarkshire, which sold to Graham and Fiona Burke, Pentland; Neil Laing, Perryflats; and Brian Wylie, Balbrydie.
He is by Clary Dumfries, while his dam is an Aviemore Black Spot daughter, Callacrag Candy.
The Baillie family also received 11,000gns for Callacrag Hell Fire, which sold to Skipton with the Shuttleworths of Heber Park, and William Beckwith, Sharphaw.
This one stood second at the Royal Highland and male champion at the Scottish National, and is by the 8,000gns Wannop’s Firecracker.
Alasdair MacLean, Tiree, paid 12,000gns for Richard Wood’s Kingledores Habib ET from Biggar.
This lad is by the 30,000gns sale topper from 2021, Borderesk Finders Keepers.
The Dinsdale family from Penrith, sold Highfield Henry, by Airyolland Falco, for 8,500gns to Jane Campbell and son, Ross, together with William McMillan, for their Cree and Carse flocks, Newton Stewart.
A total of six rams sold at 8,000gns, including one of the final males to be sold by Jock McMillan, Clary, Newton Stewart.
This was Brilley Huntsman ET, bought at the September sale last year, selling to the Wannop’s team from Morecambe.
Next at that price was the second prize winner from the show that also stood first at the Highland, Faughhill Herbie ET, from Grant Maxwell, Melrose.
He is by the 11,000gns Kingledores Godzilla, and sold to Rafe Cartman, Skipton.
Dunrod Hullabaloo, a son of the 30,000gns Buckles Dark Dawn, from Cameron Cormack, Jedburgh, also made 8,000gns to Messrs Donaldson and Messrs Gregory, Lockerbie.
Alan Miller’s of the Lurg flock, Midmar, sold Lurg Hang Man ET, for the same money to James Whiteford, Tercrosset, Brampton.
He is a full brother to the 50,000gns Goliath and 45,000gns Grand Slam sold last year.