The annual two-day sheep fair hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts was held at Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae on Thursday 19^th and Friday 20^th of September. 

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 the 19^th of September, 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 20^th 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.

PRIZE LIST

SHOW & SALE OF MULTI-BREED RAMS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CAITHNESS SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION – THURSDAY 19^TH SEPTEMBER

TEXEL

MV Accredited Texel Shearling Ram

1st – Lot 80 – A Brims, Thuster Mains

2nd – Lot 40 – D Webster, Lower Reiss Farm

3rd – Lot 41 – D Webster, Lower Reiss Farm

4th – Lot 95 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

Non-Accredited Texel Shearling

1st – Lot 157 – S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn

2nd – Lot 156 – S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn

3rd – Lot 151 – D Coghill, Tofts of Tain

4th – Lot 160 – C & W Budge, Sibster

Pen of 3 Texel Shearling Rams

1st – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

2nd – D Webster, Lower Reiss

3rd – J Coghill, Burnside

Champion & Reserve Champion

Champion Texel – Lot 30 – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

Reserve Champion Texel – Lot 40 – D Webster, Lower Reiss Farm

SUFFOLK

MV Accredited Suffolk Shearling Ram

1st – Lot 31 –A Brims, Thuster Mains

2nd – Lot 25   – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

3rd – Lot 7 – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

4th – Lot 14 – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

Non-Accredited Shearling

1st – Lot 167 – J Henderson, Seaview Cottages

2nd – Lot 168 – C & W Budge, Sibster

Pen of 3 Suffolk Shearling Rams

1st – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

2nd – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

3rd – S Sinclair, Haven View

Champion & Reserve Champion

Champion Suffolk – Lot 31 – A Brims, Thuster Mains

Reserve Champion Suffolk – Lot 25 – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

ANY OTHER BREED

MV Accredited Any Other Breed Shearling Ram

1st – Lot 111 –K Mackay, East Mey

2nd – Lot 105 – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

3rd – Lot 103 – J Coghill, Burnside

4th – Lot 107 – J & A Budge, Knockglass

MV Accredited Any Other Breed Ram Lamb

1st -Lot 108 – J & A Budge, Knockglass

2nd -Lot 109 – J & A Budge, Knockglass

3rd – Lot 110 – J & A Budge, Knockglass

Non-Accredited Any Other Breed Shearling Ram

1st – Lot 121 – S MccCarthy, Myrelandhorn

2nd – Lot 119 – M Anderson, West Catchery

3rd – Lot 127 – J Swanson, Framside

4th – Lot 147 – B Swanson, Framside

Champion & Reserve Champion

Champion Any Other Breed – Lot 121 – S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn

Reserve Champion Any Other Breed – Lot 111 – K Mackay, East Mey

NCC SHEEP SOCIETY – ANNUAL SHOW & SALE OF NCC RAMS & RAM LAMBS – FRIDAY 20^TH SEPTEMBER

Ram Lamb

1^st – Lot 30 – R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

2^nd – Lot 31 – R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 3 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm

2^nd – Lot 33 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield

3^rd Lot 15 – The Queen Eliazbeth Castle of Mey Trust, Longoe Farm, Mey

4^th Lot 41 – J Henderson, 2 Seaview Cottages, Dunnet

5^th Lot 1- J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm

6^th Lot 103 – J & W Mackay, Biggins, Killimster

Group of 3 Shearlings Rams

1^st – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield (34, 36, 38)

2^nd – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm (2, 4, 7)

3^rd – R J Poleson, Findlins Farm, Hillswick (45, 50, 51)

4^th – J S Baillie & Co, Sebay Farm, Tankerness, Orkney (106, 109, 112)

5^th – J & W Mackay, Biggins, Killimster (99, 100, 102)

Group of 5 Shearlings Rams

1^st – H Mill, Achscrabster, Bridge of Westfield (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)

Overall Male Champion & Reserve

CHAMPION – Lot 3 – Messrs J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy Holm –

RESERVE CHAMPION – Lot 33 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of

Females

Gimmers

1^st – Lot 130– J S Baillie & Co Sebay Farm, Tankerness, Orkney

2^nd – Lot 122– J&W Mackay, Biggins

3^rd – Lot 124– D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield

4^th – Lot 128 – A Polson Glenfinnan Findon

Best Ewe Lamb

1^st – Lot 126 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield1st

2^nd – Lot 127–D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield

Overall Female Champion & Reserve

CHAMPION – Lot 130 – J S Baillie & Co Sebay Farm, Tankerness, Orkney

RESERVE CHAMPION – Lot 128 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield