A new breed record for Dutch spotted sheep was achieved at Carlisle, when a gimmer from Thomas Nash’s Merryboro flock from Pembrokeshire, sold for 6500gns.

His Merryboro Coco from Merryboro, Wiston, is a daughter of Gallowhill Balblair and out of an imported ewe. She headed home with Messrs Lofthouse, Harrogate.

Mr Nash also sold the two top priced ewe lambs at 4000gns and 3500gns. The dearest, Merryboro Demi, purchased by Messrs Middleton, Cowan Bridge, Carnforth, is by Merryboro Cracker and out of an imported ewe that sold here in December for 2400gns.

Merryboro Dottie, another by the same tup and bred from an imported ewe, then made 3500gns selling to Jack Simpson, buying for his Black Tor flock from Stoney Middleton, Hopevalley.

Second top price amongst the females was 6000gns paid for Cromwell Channel, from Cromwell Livestock, based at Alderidge, West Midlands. Another backed by imported bloodlines, she is by Bullseye and was knocked down to Northern Ireland breeder, William McAllister, Ballymena.

Aberdeenshire breeder, Penny Troup’s Gallowhill flock from Inverurie, received 3200gns for the gimmer Gallowhill Candice, from Messrs Brown and Mason, Clapham, Lancaster. She is by Gallowhill Balvenie and out of an imported dam.

Two other ewe lambs made 3000gns, with the first being Richard Barber-Fleming’s Threave View Dora, from Castle Douglas. A daughter of Damson Bailey, out of an imported ewe, she was purchased by Andrew and Laura Beattie, buying for the Carlaustan flock from Kippen, Stirling.

The second 3000gns ewe lamb was Liam Campbell’s Glencoy Delight, from his Ballymena-based flock, which sold to Messrs Roberts, Kenley, Shrewsbury. She is out of an imported dam and is by Challoch Bearskin, a tup that has bred daughters to £2800.

Top price amongst the males was 4400gns paid for the aged ram Eden Bentley, from Alan Smyth, Fourseasons, Appleby. A former show tup, he is by Spotted Dick, out of an imported ewe and headed home with Messrs Herraty, Campbeltown, Argyll.

Next at 4000gns was Alastair Jackson’s ram lamb, Tiptop Diablo, purchased by Messrs Beattie, Kippen, and A and J Guthrie, Myreside, Hartwoodmyres, Selkirk. An ET son of Tiptop Charlie, he is out of the show ewe, Tiptop Hannah that has bred progeny to £3300 and £2750.

At 3000gns the shearling ram, Ty-Gwyn Cheetah, by Gallowhill Balblair, from Brian Davies Pembs-based flock from South Hill, Wiston, sold to Derek Steen, Moffat, Dumfriesshire.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

averages:

three aged ewes, £1487.50; 13 gimmers, £2826.92; 51 ewe lambs, £1942.50; 23 shearling rams, £1161.84; 43 ram lambs, £864.66.