Bardnaclavan tops NCC sale at Caithness Livestock Centre
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Trade reached £4100 at the annual show and sale of North Country Cheviot rams and females held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Caithness Livestock Centre on Friday.
Run in conjunction with the North Country Cheviot Sheep Society and sponsored by Natural Stockcare, the sale attracted buyers from Wales, Northern Ireland and Shetland.
A total of 58 rams cashed in at £831.55, back £124.06 on the year for nine fewer sold.
Sale leader at £4100 was Bardnaclavan Xanadu, the first shearling through the ring from Johnnie Campbell’s 150-pure ewe flock at Bardnaclavan, Westfield.
Sired by the privately purchased Allanshaws Tank, he is out of a home-bred ewe by Smiddyquoy Freelander, and stood reserve male champion at the Royal Highland Show. He sold to the Barclay family, Harestone, Crathes, Banchory.
Next best at £2200 for Mr Campbell was Bardnaclavan X Boyfriend which sold to George Cormack, Wester Dunnet, Thurso. This shearling is by Sebay Vermount, out of a home-bred ewe by Allanshaws Silverstar – a dam which stood second in her class at the Caithness County Show.
The same flock also stood female champion with a gimmer by the £1400 Durran Thunder, which later realised £1400 to JS Armstrong, Leam House, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. She is out of a home-bred ewe by Allanshaws Silverstar and stood second in her class at the Highland.
James Mackay, Biggins, Killimster, sold his overall champion for £4000 to Messrs T Sinclair, Reaster, Lyth. This was Biggins Xyler, a shearling by the £1200 Smiddyquoy Ransom, out of a home-bred ewe by the £4500 Bardnaclavan Champion.
Mr Mackay’s reserve champion, a shearling named Biggins Xach, sold for £2600 to Welsh breeder M Thomas, Knowle Farm, New Radnor, Presteigne. Reserve champion at this year’s Black Isle Show, he is by Overton Wizard, out of a home-bred ewe by Biggins Samson.
Andrew Polson of the Smerlie flock at Roadside, Smerlie, Lybster, received £2400 and £2200.
Selling for £2400 to James Baillie and sons Hamish and Balfour, of Sebay, Tankerness, Orkney, was Smerlie Xtreme, a shearling by the £3000 Allanshaws Sensation, out of a home-bred ewe.
The other was a shearling named Smerlie Xavier by the £3800 Upper Cornquoy Trademark, out of a home-bred ewe, which was snapped up by Charlie Angus, Oldfield, Thurso.
James Allan, Durran Mains, sold Durran Xizang, by Bardnaclavan Terminator, for £2200 to W & S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn, and the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, Longoe.
The Baillie family from Sebay sold two shearlings for £2000 apiece.
First at this money when purchased by R Poleson, Swinister, Ollaberry, was Sebay Xtra Special, by Nistaben Wonderboy, while the other Sebay Xcitable, by Wester Trouble Maker, sold to J & M MacDonald, Tormore, Dunbeath.
Later in the day, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 67 rams at the Caithness Sheep Breeders’ Association multi-breed ram sale sponsored by HRN Tractors.
A top price of £1200 was paid for the reserve champion Suffolk from the Sutherland family – Kenneth and sons Stephen and Kenneth, of Stainland and Sibmister Farms – when sold to Ronald Innes, Stirkoke Mains, Wick.
North Country Cheviots
Leading flock averages:
Bardnaclavan – top price £4100 average £1485.71 for 7 (£1210 for 10 last year)
Sebay – top price £2000 twice average £1325 for 4 (£650 for 7)
Biggins – top price £4000 average £1300 for 7 (£1368.75 for 8)
Durran Mains – top price £2200 average £1175 for 4 (£633.33 for 3)
Roadside – top price £2400 average £875.14 for 7 (£1040 for 3)
Wester – top price £850 average £700 for 2 (£350 for 1)
Prize list
Overall champion: Lot 80 – J & W Mackay, Biggins. Reserve champion: Lot 82 – J & W Mackay Biggins
Shearling ram: 1 Lot 80, J & W Mackay, Biggins; 2 Lot 52, J & W Mackay, Biggins; 3 Lot 73, C & I Angus, Oldfield, Thurso
Aged ram: 1 Lot 71, The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust; 2 Lot 9, HH & A Swanson, Tister; 3 Lot 46, R & N Barclay, Harestone, Banchory.
Group of three shearlings: 1 D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan 19, 20, 26; 2 DJ & M Allan, Durran Mains, 62, 63, 64; 3 J & W Mackay, Biggins, 79, 81, 85
Ram lamb: 1 Lot 16, R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay; 2 Lot 17, R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay.
Female: 1 Lot 99, DN Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan; 2 R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay; 3 R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay.
