At the opening of the annual Aberdeen Christmas Classic, the Stuart family grabbed the top honours at the Show & Sale of Pedigree Female Sheep sponsored by RPD.
The sale witnessed a total of 192 sheep sold to new homes at an average of £807.37.
Averages: 8 Suffolk Ewes £453.75; 33 Suffolk gimmers £1165.15; 25 Suffolk ewe lambs £894.80; 12 Texel Ewes £505.83; 61 Texel gimmers £894.20; 17 Texel ewe lambs £558.82; 4 Dutch Spotted Gimmers £875; 10 Dutch Spotted Ewe Lambs £523; 3 Beltex Ewe Lambs £466.66; 4 Blue Texel Ewes £407.50; 3 Blue Texel Gimmers £420; 4 Blue Texel Ewe Lambs £387.50; 3 Badgerface Gimmers £560.
The Stuart Family from Milltown of Birness dominated the Suffolks at the sale taking home the Champion Gimmer title and achieving the top price.
The top price of 5,200gns went to the 2nd prize Suffolk Ewe Lamb, sired by Dunfell Dynamite which went onto sell to S Cobbald, Acton Hall, Melford Road, Sudbury.
A Suffolk Gimmer sired by Bridgeview Belvenie, from Jimmy Douglas, Woodhead, Cairness, achieved the second top price of 5,000gns. She was purchased by David Moir, Home Farm, Cairness.
Judge, Angus Brims, Thuster Mains, Bilbster selected the Suffolk Gimmer from G L Stuart as his overall champion. Sired by Sportsman 5 Star, she went onto sell for the next top price of 4,500gns to the judge.
Next top price of 2,800gns was achieved for a Suffolk gimmer from J C Innes, Dunscroft, Huntly which sold to D W L Delday, Quoybelloch, Deerness, Orkney. Followed by the reserve champion, a gimmer from Craig Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder, selling to the judge for 2,200gns.
The first prize Suffolk Ewe Lamb also came from Craig Paterson, selling at 1,800gns to Messrs Goldie, Harpercroft, Dundonald. In the Texel section judged by Robert Cockburn, 2 Hill of Errol, Errol, Crieff, Kenny Pratt, Oldtown Farm, Peterculter took the overall championship and top price of 3,000gns for his Ewe, sired by Auldhouseburn Fancy Pants which sold to J Green, Drumburn, Mid Street, Keith. Second to the top price achieving 2,200gns was a Texel gimmer also from Kenny Pratt which sold to Michael Mennie, 6 Hillside Place, Peterculter.
Tapping out at 2,000gns was a gimmer from R H Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff, which was purchased by S Coghill, Muce, Birsay, Orkney. Another Texel gimmer this time from D J McKerrow, Uppermill Farm, Tarves achieved 1,900gns selling to G Gray, Sunnycroft, Lindean, Selkirk. Three Texel gimmers from J C Innes, D J McKerrow & Sons and K Pratt all sold for 1,600gns.
Anne McPherson, Blackford Farm, Croy judged this year’s Beltex classes, selecting a Beltex gimmer from Grant Dinnie, Bridgeton, Muir of Fowlis which went onto sell to Gary Morrison, 14 Balloch Road, Keith for the top price of 750gns.
In the Blue Texel section, the championship was awarded by judge Susan Smith, Drumnahive, Kildrummy to an ewe lamb, from J B Wilkie & Sons, Braigiewell, Echt, Westhill which went onto sell for the top price of 650gns to J Swanson, Framside, Calder, Thurso.
The Dutch Spotted top price was 1,400gns from A Beattie, Carlaustan, Kippen, Stirling for a gimmer selling to E Patterson, Mill of Delgaty, Turriff.
1,000gns was reached twice, firstly for a gimmer also from A Beattie, which sold to G M & W Skinner, Monellie Farm, Drumblade, Huntly and the second for the Champion, a ewe lamb from G & I French, Little Rowater, Cornhill, Banff, selling to K Mackay, Brough, South Nesting, Shetland.
The Blue Faced Leicester's reached 1,050gns for a gimmer from Matthew Seed, Home Farm of Auchry, Cuminestown, Turriff which was purchased by J Moir, Regina Croft, Kintore, Inverurie.
Finally, the Badgerface section saw a gimmer from M Hanson, Upper Drakemyres Farm, Forgie, Keith sell for the top price of 650gns, going to J Fraser, Bella Croft, 8 Arabella, Nigg Station.
“Today’s sale of Pedigree Females saw a good steady trade from start to finish with demand strong for all breeds. Online bidding added power to the high clearance rate, resulting in good averages across all sections, said Colin Slessor, Deputy Head of Livestock at ANM.
"Thanks to RPD and our class sponsors for their continued support of the event.”
Prize List
Texel - Judge – Robert Cockburn, 2 Hill of Errol, Crieff
Classes sponsored by Grampian Steel Services Ltd
Single Gimmer
1st – Lot 43 Kenny Pratt Oldtown Farm Peterculter
2nd – Lot 15 Robert Wilson North Dorlaithers Turriff
3rd – Lot 17 Robert Wilson North Dorlaithers Turriff
Single Ewe Lamb
1st – Lot 74 Robert Wilson North Dorlaithers Turriff
2nd – Lot 70 Gordon Gray Sunnycroft Lindean
3rd – Lot 72 Robert Wilson North Dorlaithers Turriff
Champion & Reserve Sponsored by RPD
Champion (I & E Stott Perpetual Trophy)
Lot 43 Kenny Pratt Oldtown Farm Peterculter
Reserve Champion
Lot 74 Robert Wilson North Dorlaithers Turriff
Suffolk - Judge – Angus Brims, Thuster Mains Bilbster
Classes Sponsored by Murray Duguid Seed Merchants Ltd
Single Ewe
1st – Lot 128 Arran Donald Doonbye Auchry Cuminestown
2nd – Lot 127 Arran Donald Doonbye Auchry Cuminestown
Single Gimmer
1st – Lot 134 G Stuart Milltown of Birness Ellon
2nd – Lot 129 Craig G Paterson, Cranna Bridge Aberchirder
3rd – Lot 154 Stewart Lathangie Pyestow Farm Starr
Single Ewe Lamb
1st – Lot 182 Craig G Paterson, Cranna Bridge Aberchirder
2nd – Lot 183 G Stuart Milltown of Birness Ellon
3rd – Lot 185 G Stuart Milltown of Birness Ellon
Champion & Reserve Sponsored by RPD
Champion (North East of Scotland Suffolk Club Trophy)
Lot 134 G Stuart Milltown of Birness Ellon
Reserve Champion (North East of Scotland Suffolk Sheep Club Salver)
Lot 129 Craig G Paterson, Cranna Bridge Aberchirder
Beltex - Judge – Anne MacPherson Blackford Farm Croy
Single Gimmer
1st Lot 210 Grant Dinnie Bridgeton Muir of Fowlis
2nd Lot 213 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
3RD Lot 211 Grant Dinnie Bridgeton Muir of Fowlis
Single Ewe Lamb
1st – Lot 218 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
2nd – Lot 215 Grant Dinnie Bridgeton Muir of Fowlis
3rd – Lot 214 Grant Dinnie Bridgeton Muir of Fowlis
Champion & Reserve Sponsored by RPD
Champion
Lot 210 Grant Dinnie Bridgeton Muir of Fowlis
Reserve Champion
Lot 218 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
Blue Texel - Judge – Susan Smith Drumnahive Kildrummy
Single Ewe
1st – Lot 219 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
2nd – Lot 221 B & S Scott, Odmoston, Laurencekirk
3rd – Lot 43 B & S Scott, Odmoston, Laurencekirk
Single Gimmer
1st – Lot 228 B & S Scott, Odmoston, Laurencekirk
2nd – Lot 230 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
3rd – Lot 229 B & S Scott, Odmoston, Laurencekirk
Single Ewe Lamb
1st – Lot 235 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
2nd – Lot 234 G Troup Shaggart Sauchen
3rd - Lot 234 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
Champion Sponsored by RPD
Champion
Lot 235 J B Wilkie & Son Whitestone Skene
Dutch Spotted
Single Ewe
1st – Lot 263 Laura Needham Corrennie House Sauchen
2nd – lot 265 Laure Needham Corrennie House Sauchen
Single Gimmer
1st Lot 242 A Beattie and L Kennedy Carlaustan Kippen
2nd Lot 241 A Beattie and L Kennedy Carlaustan Kippen
3rd Lot 264 Laura Needham Corrennie House Sauchen
Single Ewe Lamb
1st Lot 255 Isla French Little Rowater Cornhill
2nd Lot 253 S & C Cooper Forebogs of Knaven Maud
3rd Lot 254 Isla French Little Rowater Cornhill
4th Lot 247 A & J Budge Knockglass Farm Watten
Champion
Lot 242 A Beattie and L Kennedy Carlaustan Kippen
Reserve Champion
Lot 255 Isla French Little Rowater Cornhill