A record crowd engulfed Carlisle’s Borderway Mart for Harrison & Hetherington’s 11th annual rare, minority and traditional breeds sale on Saturday 4th October 2003.

The masses were not just on lookers, however because a lot of serious trading amongst the fifteen different breeds of cattle and sheep was done - not to mention the two or three thousand head of poultry and waterfowl.

In the cattle section trade was solid and sensible and in harmony with the quality of the entry. The top bid of £1,050 was for a ten year old Beef Shorthorn roan cow with her seven month old heifer calf at foot from Leeds City Council’s Templeson’s herd.

The high spots amongst the sheep section were many, with breed record prices, from four figure bids, and Carlisle record prices spread across several breeds.

The £1,000 final bid that secured the Shetland shearling ram Rench Dougal, although not quite a breed record launched not only a most well deserved successful day for popular noted West Lothian breeders Tom and Robyn Findlay, but for the Shetland breed as a whole - now released from the protective umbrella of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. These sheep, with their exceptionally fine wool, easy management and excellent crossing potential are much in demand these days and the keen competition round the sale ring, particularly for the better quality, was evident.

This white ram, that had earlier in the year won the Royal Highland Show championship, was not the only seriously priced sheep on the day.

The Jacobs, who have been selling animals at Carlisle for many years, were in profusion with a catalogued entry of 166 of which six lots made over £200 to a top of £500 for a handsome four horned shearling ram, bred and shown by Hawick breeder Mrs Marion Leithead.

One breed of sheep that attracted enormous interest is the Zwartbles. These striking powerful sheep with their dark fleeces, white face blaze and socks have proved themselves to be worthy of serious interest from pedigree and commercial sheep farmers alike.

Fourteen Zwartbles, nearly half the total entry made over £300 with five lots over £400 to a top price of £500. This bid came for a ewe lamb from DF Calder Farms from near Cornhill on Tweed and was just one of many admired sheep in the section.

Another top breeder who monopolised the highlights of their particular speciality was Richard Wear and family from near Bristol. Their Ruslin flock of Ryeland sheep have been held in the highest esteem for many years and it was fitting that their consignment smashed three breed record prices in almost as many minutes.

The three Ruslin ewe lambs forward all made over £300 to a top of £350 with a shearling gimmer at £320 and two shearling rams at £300 a piece.

Particular note should also be made of an awesome shearling Hebridean ram, champion in its breed and consigned by leading breeder Jane Wilson of near Hexham. Winkwell Falco was knocked down for the worthy figure of £400.

Sheep from all the breeds were in good demand and as the auctioneers would readily admit that it is the sort of event where it is difficult to keep everybody happy this particular sale was without doubt the most successful yet for buyers, for sellers and for on lookers.

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