North Country Cheviot rams found a ready market at Dingwall yesterday.
The trade was good from the point the sale started at 10am until its completion just after 5.30pm.
Dingwall and Highland Marts director and auctioneer Paul Spencer said he had been pleasantly surprised at prices and how steady they had been.
“It was, however, the same old story of quality, well-bred sheep making the best prices,” he added.
The average showed an increase of £4.27 to £392.06 for 535, eight more than 2012. Other averages showed 80 shearlings at £356.13, 347 two-shears at £418.65, 73 three-shears at £347.64, 20 four-shears at £277.50, six five-shears at £573.33. Scottish breeders were joined at the ringside by farmers from Wales and Ireland.
Sale topper at £2,500 was a veteran ram from Bill and Fanny Elliot, of Hethpool, near Wooler.
The five-shear, by Achentoul Norseman and out of a Cashlie ewe, was bought by Mr Elliot three years ago for £5,500.
He has since gone on to sire sons to £3,000 at Lairg and £1,050 at Lockerbie.
Mr Elliot said with several other good progeny coming through in his flock, which runs to 900 ewes, he had decided to cash the ram in while he was still in working order. Buyer was Donald Macdonald, of Taldale, Forss.
Next at £1,800 was a two-shear from Peter MacNicol, who runs the 125-ewe Knockan flock from 9 Quay Street, Ullapool. This son of a Strathcanaird sire and a Clebrig ewe was bought by the Duns, of Gilston, Heriot.
Robert Macdonald, of Castle Grant, Grantown, was bid to £1,400 by R. Macdougall, of Wood Cottage Croft, Mull, for a two-shear sired by a home-bred son of Strathcanaird Number Two. The Strathcanaird sire is the father of the breed record £17,000 ram sold by Mr Macdonald at Lairg two years ago.
Scott Renwick, of Clachan, Inverbroom, Ullapool, received £1,300 for a two-shear by an Inverbroom-bred son of Balnakeil Sir Campbell and out of a home-bred ewe. He was bought by Lairg’s Hope and Melness Farm.
Top-priced shearling was £1,300 for a son of a Langdale sire and Taldale ewe from Mr Macdonald to Selkirk’s Philiphaugh Estate.
Father and son John and Calum Matheson, of Clashinglash, Achue, Bonar Bridge, had a two-shear at £1,200. The two-shear, by an Ardchronie sire and out of a home-bred ewe, was bought by Jimmy and William Thomson for their Kelsocleugh flock at Kelso.
George MacLeod, of 185 Migdale, Bonar Bridge, sold at £1,200 a shearling son of a Strathcanaird sire and a home-bred ewe to the Mathesons.
Another from his 180-ewe Migdale flock – a shearling by a Brackside sire and out of a home-bred ewe – made £1,000 to D.A. Mackay, Trantlemore, Forsinard.
Ian and Katherine Hepburn, of Northhouse, Hawick, traded at £1,200 a two-shear son of Keppoch Hitman and a stock ewe that goes back to an Armadale sire. Buying him was Achentoul Farms at Kinbrace.
The same price was paid for a two-shear son of Millhouse Jakkit and out of a home-bred ewe from father and daughter, Willie and Ruth Allen, of the Stouphill flock at Humblehaugh, Alnwick. Mr MacLeod was the buyer.
Rhuaridh Mackenzie, of Heathmount, Tain, received £1,100 from Brian Ross, of Mid Gruinards, Ardgay, for a two-shear, by a Torrish sire.
The best from the Thomsons’ Hownam Grange flock was £1,000 for a two-shear, by the £2,000 Armadale Killer Bee and out of a home-bred ewe. Philiphaugh Estate bought him.
Torrish Estate at Saluscraggie, Helmsdale, had a three-shear at £1,000 to Bindloss and Son, of Penrith.