There are 740 entries forward for a pedigree ram show and sale at Thainstone Centre, near Inverurie, next Tuesday.
The total includes 245 Suffolks, 180 Texels, 10 Bluefaced Leicesters, 10 Border Leicesters, 50 Charollais, 50 Beltexes, 40 Blue Texels, 95 Dutch Spotted rams and females, and 60 pure and cross sheep of any other breeds.
Ashow of Suffolks will be judged by Bobby Poleson, of Findlins Farm, Hillswick, Shetland.
Ewan Gordon of Wellheads, Huntly, will judge the Texels.
Other breeds
The Bluefaced Leicester, Border Leicester and Charollais section will be judged by John Blackhall, of East Brachmont, Durris, near Banchory.
Other judges include Andrew Anderson, of Smallburn Farms, Plewlands, Duffus, who will be picking the winners among the Beltexes and Blue Texel.
And in the Dutch Spotted section entries will be judged by Edward Adamson, of the Kilroot flock in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
The event will be hosted by Aberdeen and Northern Marts.
Colin Slessor, the farming co-operative’s deputy head of livestock, said: “We have a fantastic entry of top-quality rams on offer from many of the best breeders
across the north and north-east.
“We would like to thank Harbro for their continued sponsorship of the event.”
Texels led the way last year, with the champion shearling from Matthew Seed, of Auchry, Cuminestown, topping the sale at 2,400gns.
The John Mackie Perpetual Trophy-winning ram was sold to Cairness Ltd, of Home Farm, Cairness, near Fraserburgh.
What’s happening when?
Online bidding will be available for the sales next Tuesday.
Proceedings will start with the judging of Suffolk rams in Thainstone Exchange from 8am.
Ring 3 will likely be busy for a sale of Suffolks from 9.30am and then a presentation of trophies for the breed prize-winners at 11am.
Texel ram judging starts at 10am in Thainstone Exchange, with their sale taking place from about 12.30pm in Ring 3.
Texel trophies will be presented from about 1.30pm in Ring 3.
Meanwhile, activities in Ring 2 and the show area behind it include the judging of Bluefaced Leicesters from 8.30am, Border Leicesters from 8.45am and Charollais from 9am.
Judging of Beltex rams will take place from 9.30am.
The show spotlight will then fall on the Blue Texel rams, Dutch Spotted sheep and any other breed (AOB) pure-bred rams.
A sale of Bluefaced Leicester rams is due to get under way at 11am in Ring 2.
This will be followed by a sale of Border Leicester and Charollais rams, as well as the Beltexes, Blue Texels, Dutch Spotted rams and females, and AOB pure and cross-breds.
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