The annual two-day sheep fair hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts was held at Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae on Thursday, September 19 and Friday, September 20.
The event kicked off with the Annual Show and Sale of Multi Breed Rams with 125 Rams sold under the auspices of the Caithness Sheep Breeders Association on Thursday, September 19, kindly sponsored by HRN Tractors.
Centre records were smashed for the Texels and Suffolks on day one, for the second consecutive year with a top price of £2,800 achieved for a Suffolk shearling from William Barnetson & Son, Lynegar, Watten selling to J S Baillie, Sebay Farm, Tankerness. The second top price of the night, seen another record smashed twice for a Texel from Douglas Webster, Lower Reiss and secondly a Texel from Angus Gunn, Hill of Forss both realising £2,300.
The Champion Suffolk judged by Tommy Linklater, Stonelea, Stenness, was a shearling from A Brims Thruster Mains and sold for £1,500 to the judge. The Reserve Suffolk was awarded to JB & L Swanson, East Murkle, Thurso which sold for £2,000 to M Thompson, Ospisdale, Dornoch, Sutherland.
Alison Webster, Ardhuncart Farms, Kildrummy, judged the Texels with a shearling from A Gunn, Hill of Forss taking Championship and going on to sell for £2,300 to D Coghill & Sons, Skinnet, Halkirk. The Reserve Champion was a shearling from D Webster, Lower Reiss, which went onto sell for £1,400 to William Barnetson & Son, Lynegar, Watten.
In the Any Other Breed section, judge Zena Mackay, Bardnaheigh, Bridge of Westfield tapped out her Champion, a Cross Tup from W S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn, that went onto sell for £700 to A MacKay & Sons, Starth Farm, Watten. The Reserve Champion went to a Blue Texel shearling from K Mackay, East Mey, sold for £900 to D Coghill & Sons, Skinnet, Halkirk.
On Friday 20th September, Aberdeen & Northern Marts under the auspices of the North Country Cheviot Sheep Society, sponsored by Agri-Lloyd, seen a total of 74 rams sold.
On day-two, a top price of £8,000 was achieved for the Overall Champion of the day selected by judge Mr Roderick Runciman, Allanshaws Galashiels, Selkirkshire and Mr Andrew Morris, Logie Farm Newburgh, Fife.The champion was Upper Cornquoy Exclusive, a North Country Cheviot shearling, sired by Knockcocher Catapult and bred by Messrs J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy Holm, which went onto sell to James Bruce, Hagg Farm Ltd, Hagg House, Scarborough.
The Reserve Champion was a shearling ram, Bardnaclavan Eurostar, sired by Soutra Cannonball from D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield, which sold for £1,500 to J I Forbes, Boultach, Latheron.
The second top price of £3,800 was achieved for a shearling ram from Messrs J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy Holm, which went onto sell to Firm of Mackay, South Balkeith, Tain.
The champion female was a gimmer from J S Baillie, Sebay Farm, Tankerness realised £1,300 to James Bruce, Hagg Farm Ltd, Hagg House, Scarborough.
Scott Chapman, Auctioneer, Aberdeen & Northern Marts said: “With an outstanding show of Rams across both days, the trade was electric from start to finish with a packed ringside of buyers, many of which went home empty handed.
"The Caithness breeders came out in style with centre records smashed for a second year running and a fantastic top price of £8,000 was achieved for a top-quality Cheviot shearling ram from Messrs J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy Holm.
"We would like to thank our sponsors HRN Tractors and Agri-Lloyd for their continued sponsorship of the events.”
Following on from the sale of North Country Cheviot Rams was the annual show and sale of 1,150 gimmers.
Champion pen of 10 Gimmers judged by Stephen Sutherland, Sibmister Castletown were Park North Country Cheviots from J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy, Holm which went onto sell for £255 to Fiona Anderson, Overton, Clyth.
The Reserve was the 1st placed Pen of Texels from W & S J McCarthy, Myrelandhorn, Bower, which sold for £250 to J & J M B Sutherland & Son, Latheronwheel Mains, Latheron.
Park Cheviot (314) averaged £291.40 to £1,000 from Newbigging, Harray. Hill Cheviot (449) averaged £168.60 to £260 from Brackside, Reay. Cheviot Mule (70) averaged £165.46 (+£47.97) to £250 from Strichen Mains. Mule (186) averaged £184.22 to £230 (-£0.06) from Strichen Mains. Continental (142) averaged £205.95 to £250 from Myrelandhorn.