Centre records were smashed on Friday September 5th 2003, when a pedigree Texel ram sold for 120,000gns – just 2,000gns short of the world record for a sheep which was broken at a sale in the Borders in August this year.

There was much speculation about the eventual price of the much fancied shearling ram from Andrew and Mark Quick, of Crediton, Devon and signing the cheque for 120,000gns was a syndicate of three Scottish pedigree breeders.

Andrew Quick said: “We hoped the ram would make a good price but this far exceeds what we expected it to make. We had decided that if it was bid to more than 5,000gns we would sell him otherwise we would take him back home.
“ He has excellent conformation with a tremendous head and hindquarters to go with it.” The April-2002 born Loosebeare Imp bred by the Quicks, of Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, is a group 1 scrapie genotype ram by Summerwood Grand Union.

Purchasers were John Forsyth, for his Glenside flock, of Maybole, Ayrshire, Colin Mair, Muiresk flock, of Turriff, Aberdeenshire, and Jimmy Douglas, Cairness flock, of Fraserburgh.

The previous UK sheep record was broken last year at another Harrison & Hetherington centre, at the Kirkby Stephen Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association C District annual shearling ram sale when the champion sold for £101,000.

The previous world record price is believes to be $240,000 Australian, around £100,000 at current conversion rates.

The previous centre record for an animal sold at Carlisle was £55,000gns paid for a Limousin bull in February this year.

Douganhill Jeronimo

The ram which hit the headline price was sold well into the ram sale but it was one of the earliest lots through the ring, a ram lamb from Douganhill Farms which initially broke the Carlisle centre record for a sheep at 48,000gns

Douganhill Jeronimo shown by Brian MacTaggart and son David of Orchardtown Mains, Palnackie, Castle Douglas, was bought by father and son Matt and Craig Ridley of Haltcliffe, Hesket Newmarket, Wigton, Cumbria. The ram lamb, from the 70-ewe Douganhill flock established 22 years ago was the MacTaggart’s best price yet.

The ram is by Cornerstone Isaac which was loaned from the Watchknow flock of good friend Jim Warnock, of Sandilands, Lanark, which also sired a tup that sold for 22,000gns at the world record breaking sale in Lanark in August with a top price of 122,000gns.

The sale – the biggest two day sale of Texels in England, Scotland and Wales with more than 1,200 rams and females sold – was a great show for the Solway and Tyne Texel Breeders Club.
“ It has been a great come-back after the wild storm of foot and mouth,” said club chairman Harry Woodmass, of Linstock, Carlisle.
“ The sale has been absolutely fantastic with a great show of quality lambs and shearlings. There has been a big interest from commercial buyers with many new faces around the ring.
“ Group 1 scrapie genotyped rams have sold well but there has also been good money paid for lower grouped rams,” added Mr Woodmass.

Averages for 391 lamb rams sold at £1,025.43 were up by £462 on last year’s sale while the shearling average at £899.47 was also up by £236 on the year.

Selling at 26,000gns to another syndicate of breeders was the February-born ram lamb Arkle Jaguar shown by George Wilkinson, of Arkleby, Aspatria, with his father Harry. Another top scrapie genotype ram, the ram is out of a gimmer shearling bought for 2,000gns in Skipton to re-stock the Arkle flock. She goes back to Ettrick Billy the Kid. The ram lamb is by Talcoed Insole by Glenside Drum Major.

The syndicate who will use the ram by AI are Allen Cullen, for his Craighead flock, at Carluke, Lanark, Doug Nesbitt and sons Steven and David for their Alwent flock at Winston, Darlington, and Jim Black for his Corrie flock at Lockerbie.
“ We liked the ram because he has such a good carcase and we’re concerned that too much enphasis is now being placed on heads,” said Doug Nesbitt.

At 20,000gns was Tophill Jewel bred by JD Houghton, of Isherwood Farm, Affetside, Bury, Lancashire, which sold to T MacTaggart, Rascarrel Farm, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire; Boden & Davies Ltd, Mellor Hall Farm, Mellor, Nr Stockport, Cheshire; Idris Morris, Y Fachell, Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfon.
Another genotype 1 ram lamb which sold late on in the catalogue, it is by the 12,000gns Knock Impulse by the noted Milnbank Hitman.

The champion selected by the judge Mrs Muriel Johnston, of Courthill, Crocketford, Dumfries, sold for the joint sixth top price of the sale at 10,000gns, with three other rams selling for 11,000gns apiece.
From William Knox’s Haddo flock at Fyvie, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Haddo Jolt, sold to J & W Mellin, Hull House, Hellifield, Skipton, N.Yorkshire. The February-born lamb is by Claybury Invader and out of a Muiresk Blondin dam.

The previous night’s female trade peaked at 4,100gns for a gimmer from Gordon Gray’s Ettrick flock at Lindean, Selkirk, bought by KA and R Campbell, of Lochgoilhead, Argyll.

Leading prices: Rams
Lot 645, EW Quick, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon, Loosebeare Imp, 120,000gns to JP Forsyth, Glenside Farm, Maybole, Ayrshire; JG Douglas, Woodhead of Cairness, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire; SG Mair & Sons, Kinnermit, Turriff, Aberdeenshire.

Lot 758, Douganhill Farms, Orchardtown Mains, Palnackie, Castle Douglas, Douganhill Jeronimo, 48,000gns to M & MA Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket-new-Market, Wigton, Cumbria.

Lot 782, GH & CM Wilkinson, Arkleby House, Arkleby, Aspatria, Arkle Jaguar, 26,000gns to J Cullen, Craighead Farm, Kilncadzow, Carluke, Lanarkshire; Firm of R Black, Craighouse, Corrie, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire; T Nesbitt & Son, Alwent Hall, Winston, Darlington, Co.Durham.

Lot 1177, JD Houghton, Isherwood Farm, Affetside, Bury, Lancashire, Tophill Jewel, 20,000gns to T MacTaggart, Rascarrel Farm, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire; Boden & Davies Ltd, Mellor Hall Farm, Mellor, Nr Stockport, Cheshire; Idris Morris, Y Fachell, Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfon.

Lot 879, Alastair Gault, Newtonabbey, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, Forkins Jacko, 11,000gns to KD & DE Millar & Ptrs, Crookholm Farm, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire; JW Irving, No6 Stonehouse, Gretna, Dumfriesshire.

Lot 922, John Forsyth, Lochlands Farm, Maybole, Ayrshire, Glenside Junior, 11,000gns to JD Houghton, Isherwood Farm, Affetside, Bury, Lancs.

Lot 1178, JD Houghton, Tophill Jetstream, 11,000gns to Firm of G Gray, Sunnycroft, Linden, Selkirk; Karen Wight, Rowen Green, Camps Road, Crawford, Biggar, Lanarkshire; GA Gibson & Co, Cowgrove Farm, Galston, Ayrshire.

Lot 906, Mrs Margaret I Lyon, Milnbank, Ardmiddle, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Milnbank Jubilee, 10,000gns to PK Woof, Storth End Farm, Stainton, Kendal, Cumbria; RS & J Bradley, Far Hey Farm, Cross Lane, Salterforth, Colne, Lancs.

Lot 1070, William J Knox, Mid Haddo, Fyvie, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Haddo Jolt, 10,000gns to J & W Mellin, Hull House, Hellifield, Skipton, N.Yorkshire..(champion).

Lot 977, P Richardson, Sandhills Farm, Bassenthwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, Skiddaw Justice, 9,000gns toKaren Wight, Rowen Green, Camps Road, Crawford, Biggar, Lanarkshire; GA Gibson & Co, Cowgrove Farm, Galston, Ayrshire.

Lot 968, Robert Mulligan, Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, Brague Jodami, 7,000gns to DP Currie & Son, Beautry House, Rathmell, Settle, N.Yorkshire.

Lot 1074, William J Knox, Haddo Judge, 6,000gns to TA Jackson, Boat Farm, Thankerton, Biggar, Lanakrshire; A Barr, Parkhouse, Quothquan, Biggar, Lanarkshire.

Lot 419, PK Woof, Storth End Farm, Stainton, Kendal, Cumbria, Stainton Instructor, 6,000gns to GE Hunter, Beck Houses, Greyrigg, Kendal, Cumbria.

Lot 1114, R & M Struthers, Collielaw Farm, Carluke, Lanark, Collielaw Jumbo, 5,000gns to R & J Osborne, Castlehill, Durisdeer, Thornhill, Dumfries; J & C Hastings, Rosehill, Holywood, Dumfries.

Lot 1072, William J Knox, Haddo Jaguar, 4,500gns to WG Halliday, Paulsland, Ecclefechan, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire.

Lot 1206, Andrew Dunbar, Kerse, Johnstonbridge, Lockerbie, Kerse Jonah, 4,000gns to P Richardson, Sandhills, Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, Cumbria.

Females
Lot 228, Gordon Gray, Lindean, Selkirk, Ettrick, 4,100gns to KA & R Campbell, Drimsynie Estates, Lochgoilhead, Argyll.

Lot 230, Gordon Gray, 4,000gns to KA & R Campbell, as lot 228.

Lot 227, Gordon Gray, 2,000gns to Mrs PE Starkey, Elgendon Dale Road, Elloughton, Brough, E.Yorkshire.

Lot 76, Douganhill Farms, Douganhill, 1,800gns to R & J Mullholland, Midtown Farm, Great Orton, Carlisle, Cumbria (reserve champion).

Averages:
15 aged rams, £480.90 (minus £109.54)
327 shearling rams £899.47 (plus £236.01)
391 lamb rams, £1,025.43 (plus £462.06)
196 shearling gimmers £435.29 (plus £73.75)
18 ewe lambs £257.83 (minus £58.22).