Innes Family dominate Pedigree Female Sheep Sale with a Champion Suffolk reaching 5,000gns

Posted: November 27, 2023

Averages: 22 Suffolk gimmers £1589.31; 14 Suffolk ewe lambs £1526.25; 50 Texel gimmers £1078.98; 6 Texel ewe lambs £880.25

The Innes Family from Dunscroft, Huntly saw their Champion Suffolk gimmer jointly topping the sale at 5,000gns on Monday evening. 

The annual show and sale saw 154 selling at an excellent average of £965.73.

Judge, Bruce Johnson, Heatherbrae, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland selected the Suffolk gimmer which was sired by Crewelands Kingpin, out of a Strathbogie dam as the Champion which reached a leading price and sold to Craig Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder.

Matching this top trade was a Suffolk ewe lamb from G L Stuart, Miltown of Birness, Ellon which was sired by Forkins Firecracker with a homebred dam, selling to Neil Benzie and Vicki-Maree, Milnwood, Turriff also for 5,000gns. 

The Innes flock dominated the sale at Thainstone, with another Suffolk ewe lamb achieving 3,200gns selling to S Craft, Little Balquhomrie, Leslie, Glenrothes, followed by a ewe lamb reaching 2,200gns and a gimmer selling for 2,000gns both going to Richard Cross, Cob Clough Head, Gosling Lane, Halifax. 

The Reserve Suffolk Champion was won by George Stuart, Miltown of Birness, Ellon which went onto sell for 3,000gns, being purchased by Neil Benzie and Vicki-Maree, Milnwood, Turriff.

The sale of pedigree Suffolk females also saw a further 4 gimmers selling at 1,800gns from the Innes and Briness flocks. 

In the Texels section the Innes family had the Champion, a gimmer which sold for 4,000gns.   

Kenny Pratt from Oldtown Farm, Peterculter, Aberdeen also sold a Texel Gimmer for 4,000gns, this second prize winner sold to W J Knox, Mid Haddo, Fyvie, Turriff. 

A Texel Gimmer from Robert Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff sold to the price of 3,500gns and was purchased by K W Hourston, Skelbister, Orphir, Stromness. 

Following this was a Texel gimmer from G Morrison, Inchbruich Farm which sold for 2,500gns going to Paul & Kay Carmel, Ulmus Farm. 

Another Texel gimmer from the Innes flock sold for 1,800gns to H M Livestock, Shethin Farm, Tarves and also selling for 1,800gns was a ewe lamb from Robert Wilson which sold to Garson Farm, Sandwick, Stromness. 

The Blue Texel was judged by Katrina Rendall from Newton of Budgate, Cawdor, Nairn and she awarded the Champion position to a gimmer from W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch, which was then purchased by the judge for 1,500gns. 

The Hunter family also sold a gimmer to N Robertson, Balladrum Farm, Durris, Banchory for 1,000gns. 

Jennifer Duncan from Inchford sold her Blue Texel Gimmer for 600gns, which goes home with A & P Casey, Gaitnip, St Ola, Orkney.

Mark Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford judged this year’s Beltex classes and he picked a gimmer from Zoey Rennie, Muirfold Farmhouse, Keith as his Champion, this went on to sell for 950gns to R Munro, Brora, Sutherland. Zoey also topped this section with a ewe which sold for 1,000gns to an online bidder. 

The Blue Faced Leicester’s reached 850gns for a gimmer from Matthew Seed, Home Farm of Auchry, Cuminestown, Turriff which went to O Jones, Llanbadarn Fynydd, Llandrindod Wells. 

Meanwhile, Dutch Spotted section saw a ewe lamb from G & I French, Little Rowater, Cornhill achieve 900gns going to Tom Rendall, Hollysell, Catfirth, South Nesting, with Badgerfaces seeing a gimmer from the Hunter flock sell for 800gns going to J & A Strathdee, North Retannach, Rothiemay. Finally, the Charollais topped at 600gns twice for ewes from E & E Duncan, Barnyards, Clola, Mintlaw. 

Pedigree Sheep – Prize List

Beltex – (Judge – Mark Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford)

Ewe

1st. Lot 1 – Zoey Rennie, Muiryfold Farmhouse, Grange

Gimmer

1st. Lot 21 – Zoey Rennie, Muiryfold Farmhouse, Grange

2nd. Lot 8 – Colin G Mair & Partners, Muirfield, Everton of Auchry, Aviemore 

3rd. Lot 7 – Colin G Mair & Partners, Muirfield, Everton of Auchry, Aviemore  

Ewe Lamb

1st. Lot 24 – Colin G Mair & Partners, Muirfield, Everton of Auchry, Aviemore  

2nd. Lot 23 – Colin G Mair & Partners, Muirfield, Everton of Auchry, Aviemore  

Champion

Lot 21 –   Zoey Rennie, Muiryfold Farmhouse, Grange

Blue Texel – (Judge – Katrina Rendall, Newton of Budgate, Cawdor, Nairn)

Ewe

1st. Lot 27 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch

2nd. Lot 26 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch

3rd. Lot 43 – B & S Scott, Odmoston Farm, Laurencekirk

Gimmer

1st. Lot 55 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch

2nd. Lot 56 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch

3rd. Lot 54 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch

Ewe Lamb

1st . Lot 71 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch 

2nd. Lot 72 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch 

3rd. Lot 70 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch 

Champion

Lot 55 – W J & M Hunter, West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch

Texel – (Judge – Kenny Duthie, Woodside of Chapelton, By Brechin Angus)

Ewe

1st. Lot 102 – M Seed & Son, Home Farm Auchry, Cuminestown, Turriff

Gimmer

1st. Lot 123 – Messrs James Innes & Sons, Strathbogie

2nd. Lot 105 – Kenny Pratt, Oldtown Farm, Peterculter 

3rd. Lot 118 – Gordon Gray, Sunnycroft, Lindean, Selkirk 

Ewe Lamb

1st. Lot 186 – Robert H Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff. 

2nd. Lot 189 – Robert H Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff. 

3rd. Lot 187 – Robert H Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff. 

Champion

Lot 123 – Messrs James Innes & Sons, Strathbogie

Reserve Champion

Lot 186 – Robert H Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff.

Suffolk – (Judge – Bruce Johnson, Heatherbrae, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland)

Ewe

1st. Lot 195 – R & P Machray, Bilboa, Daviot, Inverurie 

Gimmer

1st . Lot 198 – James C Innes, Strathbogie 

2nd. Lot 210 – George L Stuart, Milltown of Birness, Ellon 

3rd. Lot 215 – Craig G Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder 

4th. Lot 209 – Graeme J Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Chapel of Garioch, Inverurie 

 Ewe Lamb

1st. Lot 227 – George L Stuart, Milltown of Birness, Ellon. 

2nd. Lot 233 – James C Innes, Strathbogie 

3rd. Lot 240 – Graeme J Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Chapel of Garioch, Inverurie 

4th. Lot 230 – George L Stuart, Milltown of Birness, Ellon. 

Champion

Lot 198 – James C Innes, Strathbogie

Reserve Champion

Lot 210 – George L Stuart, Milltown of Birness, Ellon.