‘Solid’ trade at Texel sale

There were no world record prices at this year’s Texel sale at Lanark market yesterday but there was a solid trade, with a top price of 60,000gn and 11 deals done over 10,000gn.

The average, at £2,054.40 was down £291.21 on last year. Against that there were 411 sold yesterday compared with 369 in 2011. This helped give a high clearance rate of 80 per cent.

Early in the nine-hour sale, the Clark family – who run three flocks in Lesmahagow and Carluke – sold the 60,000gn sale topper, Teiglum Tornado.

Noted North-east breeder Robbie Wilson, of Turriff, took a 20,000gn share in Tornado while taking a 10,000gn stake each were Bruce Renwick of, Kelso, Allan Chisholm and David Coli of Muir of Ord, Skye’s Donald Rankin and Benjamin Vernon, a Welsh breeder.

At 42,000gn was the reserve champion, Tullylagan Tonka, from Philip Hammond and sons, Jonathan and Stuart, of Cookstown, Northern Ireland.

The Hammonds sold to Charlie Boden, of Boden & Davies, for his Sportsman’s flock based at Stockport.

Cameron Gauld, of Cairn Farm, Auchterarder, who is only 21, had a successful Lanark debut. He won the pre-sale championship with Cairnam Talisman and then went on to sell him for 20,000gn to a three-strong consortium involving brothers Keith, Roy and Allan Campbell of Lochgoilhead, Procters Farm at Slaidburn, Clitheroe, and David and John McKerrow of Freuchie.

Also selling for 20,000gn was Sportsman’s Trojan II from Boden & Davies. Sharing him were Albert and George Howie, of Stuartfield, and Kenny Pratt of Culter, Aberdeen.

The Howie family later had a successful trade for their offering, securing a £9,450 average for seven, their top deal 20,000gn for Knock Travis, bought by a Northern Irish consortium led by Richard Henderson. Then at 17,000gn from the Howies was Knock Trojan, with the Ridleys of Haltcliffe, Cumbria, Robert Forsyth of Whithorn, and Willie Knox and sons of Fyvie, sharing the purchase.

The Clarks also sold at 17,000gn with Teiglum Tunder shared by Dougie Fleming, of Elvanfoot, Crawford, Peter Gray, of Scrogton, Lanark, and Karen Wight, of Crawford, Biggar.

Boden forked out a further 16,000gn for Milnbank Times Square.

Charlie Angus, of Oldfield, Thurso, and Graham Morrison, of Inchbruich, Cornhill, shared at 15,000gn Hen Gapel Thunder from Welsh breeder John Llewelyn Owen.

Stuart Barclay, of Crathes, Banchory, led a consortium which paid 13,000gn for Scholars Tiny Tempo from William McCaffery of Malpas, Cheshire. Linking up with Barclay were John MacGregor of Allanfauld, Kilsyth, the Curries of Carlinside, Lanark, and the Clarks for their Garngour and Teiglum flocks.

Peter Woof of Stainton, paid 11,000gn for Tremendous II, from Boden & Davies.

Best among the females, at 6,400gn, was a gimmer from Brian Buchan, of Clinterty, New Aberdour.