Thainstone Centre welcomed thousands of visitors and buyers through its doors for its autumn sale of rare and minority breeds on Saturday (September 5).
The annual sale, organised by Aberdeen & Northern Marts (part of the ANM Group), attracted over three thousand people to a showcase of rare breeds of cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, poultry and waterfowl – as well a large array of implements and hand tools from a bygone era - being sold at auction.
Selling well on the day was 518 horses and ponies, cattle, sheep and goats; 509 cages of poultry; 78 lots of hatching eggs; 342 lots of tack; and 216 lots from a bygone era and poultry equipment.
The event kicked off with a show and sale of Jacob and Ryeland sheep with the judges - Tom & Graeme Dunbar, Stepends Farm, Plains – announcing Champion Jacob, a ram lamb, to C Urquhart, Balmore, Bogallan which sold for 180gns. The Champion Ryeland title was awarded to a ram lamb from R Aitken, Beech Cottage, Newton of Fetternear - realising 220gns at auction.
Alan Hutcheon, Auction Operations Manager of Aberdeen & Northern Marts said: “We are delighted that the number of people attending our biannual rare breed events is on the rise – attracting new interest from all over Scotland. All categories met a fast trade on Saturday – making it one of the biggest and most successful rare breed sales we have ever seen at Thainstone.”
Leading prices:
Horses & Ponies: Black & White Gelding 300gns; Tri Colour Mare 220gns; Bay Welsh C Mare 210gns; Grey Connemara Mare Class 1 200 gns.
Cattle: Longhorn Female 1,000gns; Highland Female 700gns; Highland Cross Female 620gns; Highland Male 600gns
Cows with bull calf: Belted Galloway 1,200gns; Dexter 680gns.
Cow with Heifer Calf: Highland 800gns.
Sheep:
Ewe lambs: Zwartble, Kerryhill 160gns; Ryland 150gns; Zwartble 140gns; Hebridean 105gns;
Ewes: Kerryhill 140gns; Zwartble, Herdwick 110gns; Dorset 100gns; Zwartble 780gns Jacob 75gns
Gimmers: Zwartble 150gns; Oxford 120gns; Herdwick 100gns; Dorest 80gns; Jacob, Shetland 70gns
Ram lambs: Zwartble 450gns; Jacob 180gns; Ryeland 150gns; Oxford 110gns; Herdwick 90gns
Rams: Jacob 320gns; Zwartble 300gns; Teeswater 170gns; Kerryhill 170gns; Ryeland 140gns; Herdwick 140gns
Goats: Pygmy 55gns; Pygmy, Anglo Nubian 50gns.
Piglets: Gloucester 52gns.
Poultry:
Turkeys: Double Breasted Bronze (5 poults) £100.
Large Fowl: Welsummer (4 pullets) £105; Buff Orpington (3 Pullets) £100; Speckled Sussex (2 Pullets) £100; Buff Orpington (trio) £100; Light Sussex (3 pullets) £95; Lavender Araucana (One Cockerel) £90; Lakenvelder £70; Maran (single pullet) £55; White Wyandotte (one hen) £50.
Bantams: Silver Sebright (quartet) £90; Ayan Cemani £70; Silver Spangled Hamburgh (trio) £70; Silkie (trio) £65; Gold silkie (single pullet) £50.
Pheasants: Golden (trio) £200; Golden (Pair) £140.
Pea Fowl: Blue (pair) £170; Peacocks (pair) £160; Peafowl (2 chicks) £120; Indian Blue (pair) £110.
Geese: Brecon Buff (pair) £80.
Ducks: White Call (trio) £130; Golden Runner (3 ducks) £100; Saxony (trio) £100; White Crested (trio) £75; Magpie Calls (pair) £75; Pekin (pair) £70.
Eggs: Pea Fowl (5) £20; Speckled Sussex large fowl £18; Chocolate Orpington, Silver Sebright (12) £15; Silkies, Welsummer large fowl, Buff Orpington large fowl £12; Light Sussex large fowl, Cream legbar £10
Tack: Electric Fencing £120; Ideal Jessica 17” wide fit saddle £80; Driving Harness £75; Easytrek Treeless Saddle, GFS 16.5” Leather Saddle £70; 17” Saddle £60; Rambo Full Size Bridle £55; 17” Saddle, Fencing posts and tape fixings; Reed 17” wide saddle £50.
Bygone era and poultry equipment: Hen House £380; Drinsea 380 Egg Auto Incubator £230; Boxes of Horse Harness etc £180; Chicken Coop £110; Chicken Hutch & Run, 3 Wooden Egg Boxes £95; Bamfords Seat, Fire Grate with Brass Fittings £90; Set Deer Antlers £80; Herras Fencing & Pannels, 48 Egg Incubator Auto £70.