Saturday 29th August saw the 13th annual Poll Dorset & Dorset Horn sheep Society sale at Harrison & Hetherington, Carlisle.

Held with strict COVID restrictions, it was hard to predict trade; however, there was a big demand for quality sheep by both present and online bidders.

The power of the Lucky Stick!

Team Scotland had a terrific day making up over a third of the vendors. Achieving top price female of the day and also year was James Royan (and his lucky stick), of the Bennachie flock. Described in the catalogue as ‘Simply the best ewe lamb ever offered’, the classy lassie that is Bennachie C005 was an outstanding example of the breed and full of character and style. 

Clearly sought after by numerous parties, she reached the outstanding price of 1700gns, selling to Aled Shenton of the Caerdaniel flock, who also bought Bennachie’s second top price ewe lamb, C012 at 900gns. Bennachie averaged the fantastic price of 666gns for the six ewe lambs on offer.

Borrowing the lucky stick and sharing the good fortune was Alistair Morton, Stobilee flock who achieved 700gns for ewe lamb Stobilee Ceilidh C021, a Bennachie Schiehallion daughter, who was in lamb with twins to Pembroke Autumn Gold. This lot was snapped up by SRUC farms. The second of the Stobilee ewe lambs, Corra Linn who was carrying a single, sold for 550gns. Giving a female average of 625gns. 

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Lucky Stick works it’s magic with Tups!

Demand continued for the Stobilee quality with tup lamb Stobilee Cymru, a Ballytaggart Buster son out of a homebred ewe by Galgorm Wilbur which oozed strength and power. This young lad was a real head turner and achieved an impressive 1000gns, selling to Alan Watson, West Cumbria. Stobilee’s second male offering, Coupon Buster also had plenty of interest, selling at 900gns.

The Scottish Dorset Club would also like to congratulate Sam Driver, of the Sandy Lane Flock for topping the ram price with Sandy Lane Caesar Guerini fetching a fantastic price of 1100gns.

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Junior breeders are the ones to watch!

Scotland’s junior breeders and talent of the future sadly couldn’t attend in person to sell their stock due to the COVID restrictions. However, following in his fathers’ successful footsteps, Jack Royan of the Reivers flock, Duns, Berwickshire achieved good money for his ewe lamb, Reivers Catherine, which sold for 300gns. Jack also sold a pen of 2 horn ewe hoggets at 220gns. 

The real star of the Reivers lots came in the form of Reivers Chunk, a magnificent horn tup lamb by High Rakes Anchor Man. This was the first ram lamb to be offered from the newly established Reivers flock and won 4th prize in the National online Dorset Show 2020 and sold for an impressive 700gns. Young Jack was seemingly buzzing with this result, having watched online from home.

Fellow aspiring young stockman, Ben Welsh Jnr of the Airdsmoss flock, Auckinleck, had some stylish stock on offer. First up was Airdsmoss C642, a horn ewe lamb out of Tynyarroch Bazooka and a High Rakes dam. This ewe lamb showed plenty of character and made 250gns. The second of Ben Jnr’s lots was a polled ewe lamb sired by Downkillybegs Watson out of a Bramain ewe which sold for a respectable 200gns.

If this is the quality of stock that these two young breeders can produce now, we are all in for a real treat in the coming years.

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Success all round!

Other Scottish vendors were Joe Baker, Lanamuir flock, Windshiel Farm, Duns who sold 3 ewe lambs with a top price of 300gns and average of 233gns.

Maud Walker of the Dupin flock, Whauphill, Newton Stewart, had 3 individual ewe lambs, with a top price of 280gns and average 240gns and 2 pens of 3 ewe lambs which averaged 250gns.

B E & B Welsh, Roundshaw flock, Auchinleck sold 2 pens of 3 poll ewe lambs averaging 210gns and 2 tup lambs, with a top price of 450gns, average 375gns.

Marianne Sheed, Strathbogie flock, Aldivalloch, Huntly had 4 pens of poll ewe lambs which averaged 220gns and 2 shearling tups which averaged 350gns.

All in all, it was a very successful day for all breeders north of the border, with some fantastic prices achieved and also some excellent quality sheep being purchased by Scottish buyers to take home to enhance their existing flocks.