Carlisle – Blue Belles – Monday 9th January 2023

Blue Belles – Carlisle Monday 9th January 2023.

The first sale of the New Year drew a crowd from all over the UK gathered to check out some exciting Traditional bloodlines and with a bigger entry there were more sheep to pick from and the average for the gimmer shearlings was up by a healthy £40 a head with a new breed record for a Traditional gimmer for the champion.

The champion, picked out by Henry Bennet, was no stranger to the show ring, having enjoyed a great season last year for the Kirkstead flock, taking a first at Biggar, 2^nd at the Scottish Progeny show and 5^th at the Highland. She has filled out since the shows and was looking every bit a champion as she strode around the sale ring, with the bids coming in fast. The hammer fell at 6,500gns selling to Campbell’s, Glenrath determined to take home this smashing gimmer. She is by the Leadburnlea tup, which is doing well for Kirkstead, and its mother is by the H16 Mendick out of F22 Kirkstead, which was a tremendous show ewe from the flock, carrying triplets to Bonvilston N11, which spent the summer scooping all in front of it at the shows. Alan and Sam McClymont had a great day, with their second prize gimmer also raking in the pennies when the hammer dropped for her at 2800gns, selling to Lisa Fleming, Teviot Head, this one by the Whinnyhall and going back to the same bloodlines on the mother’s side. Again, the same bloodlines were behind their fourth gimmer into the ring, by the Leadburnlea and out of the twin to the Champion. This one, carrying twins to N11 Bonvilston, sold for 2500gns to Adam Carr, Bentham. The Kirkstead flock levelled out at a very healthy £2211 for 8 gimmers.

Derek Henderson has been a mainstay of the Traditional sheep over many years, and his Burndale bloodlines are often mixed in with the best sheep somewhere along the way. This sale offered a good chance to buy into this respected breeding as Derek reduced his flock, with 14 forward at the sale, and several more outings at the sales over the next year will see him cut back to only a handful of ewes. His pen leader took the first prize in the ewe class and went on to take the Reserve Champion ticket too. This rising 5 year old ewe is by the 3900gns Lower Down tup bought out of Builth a few years back and its mother goes back to the flocks old show ewe B32 Burndale, which was one of the best sheep ever to have graced the flock. It was in lamb to the homebred N49 and sold to Michael Gray, Espley for 2200gns. He had a decent trade for his sheep, which are bred to thrive at 1000ft, selling others to 1300, 1200, & 1100gns, all selling to Campbell’s, Glenrath who enjoyed a good days shopping at the sale, landing some cracking sheep!

Adam Carr, Bentham, had a good day at the sales too, following on from his Kirkstead purchase he also landed a smart sheep from the Espley flock too, for 1700gns. This ewe, carrying a double cross of the successful K1 Kirkstead, was in lamb to the Logie Durno N7, the sire behind the flocks record breaking tup lamb last year. The Espley flock had a further 2 lots hit four figures, with one hitting 1300gns selling to C Grisdale, Llanon and another at 1100gns selling to J Walton, Alnwick. Both these were also in lamb to the Logie Durno.

Other notable prices saw Alec Bisset from the Middle Dukesfield, selling his first females from the flock for many years, flock reach 1000gns selling to C Grisedale as well. Also hitting 1000gns was Stuart Nelson from the Medwyn flock with his 2^nd prize ewe, which sold to Messrs Jerman, Church Farm, Powys.

22 Ewes                £825.68

29 Gimmers        £1129.66

4 Ewe Hoggs       £525.00