averages: 79 Texel gimmers, £633.16; 14 Texel ewe lambs, £1284.28; 35 Suffolk gimmers, £831.42; 10 Suffolk ewe lambs, £1035. 

Centre records were smashed at the opening of the Aberdeen Christmas Classic on Monday evening, when a first prize Texel ewe lamb from Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock sold for 7000gns.  

The annual sale attracted a record entry of pedigree females and saw 201 of the 246 animals change hands, as the entire sale averaged £772, with a total of 37 lots sold at 1000gns or above. 

Producing a new centre record for a pedigree female sheep at Thainstone, was Robbie’s first ewe lamb through the ring, a daughter of Harestone Eldorado, out of an Auldhouseburn Billy The Kid dam, which is a full ET sister to 7000gns Cobra.  

This sale topper was purchased online by Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk, Ayrshire.  

Robbie’s flock from North Dorlaithers, Turriff, also topped the gimmer trade at 3600gns when sold to Helen Hunter, Braehead, Bainshole, Huntly.  

This was his second prize winning gimmer by the 30,000gns Teiglum Dancing Brave, carrying twins to the 26,000gns Knockem Ferocious.  

She is bred out of a Strathbogie Yes Sir dam, which ET sister sold for 4200gns.  

Robbie also received 1100gns for another gimmer in lamb to the same sire when sold online to JG Mansonfield, West Carrabus, Bridgend.  

The last offering from Sandy Lee’s Texel flock from Feurdies, Cairnmuir, sold to 2500gns for a ewe lamb by Teiglum Bandana, out of a Fachell Victor dam, which is a maternal sister to the 24,000gns Fordafourie Am Alert and ET sister to 16,000gns Big Ben and 12,000gns Balvenie.  

The buyer was Keith Ingram, Balloch View, Grange, Keith.  

Gimmers from Kenny Pratt’s Hilltop flock near Peterculter, sold to 2000gns and 1600gns apiece.  

Dearest was a gimmer by Knock Dalwhinnie, out of a Strathbogie-Terminator sired ewe which has bred tups to 5000gns and 4600gns.  

Scanned in lamb to Auldhouseburn Fancy Pants, she sold to Angus Gunn, Hill of Forss, Thurso. 

Kenny’s third prize gimmer from the pre-sale show, judged by Jenna Ballantyne, East Cauldcoats Farm, Strathaven, made 1600gns to WJ Jack and Sons, Woodend, Muir of Ord.  

She is scanned in lamb to the same sire and is by Sportsmans Cannon Ball, out of an Eden Valley Y Not.  

Matthew Seed’s reserve champion from Home Farm Auchry, Cuminestown, near Turriff, made 1300gns when purchased by A Maclean, Isle of Barra.  

This ewe is by Boghouse Atlanta, out of a Cambwell Very Shapely-sired dam, which is the same way bred as the £7500 Auchry Boris.  

She was successfully flushed this year and sold carrying to Garngour Everton.  

Matching that price of 1300gns, was a gimmer from Graham Morrison’s Deveronvale flock at Inchbruich, Cornhill. She sold to Roy Adams, Raemoir, Banchory.  

The champion Texel from the Ingram family of Logie Durno, Pitcaple, made 1100gns to I Spence, Hillview, Fortrie, Turriff.   

Scanned to Feddal Road Easypeasy, this gimmer is by the 40,000gns Garngour Alabama, out of a Logie Braveheart-sired dam.  

In the Suffolk section, trade reached 2400gns for a third prize gimmer from Melvin Stuart and family, Milltown of Birness, Ellon.  

Selling to Tommy Linklater Livestock, Stonelea, Stenness, she is by Limestone Legacy, out of a Crewelands Megastar ewe, and sold carrying twins to the 13,000gns Sportsmans 5 Star.  

Birness also received 2000gns for a ewe lamb by Harpercroft Houdini, which has sired sons to 3600gns. Bred out of a Limestone Legacy dam, she sold to J Bignell, Smaladh Farm, Gruinart, Islay.  

The pre-sale champion, judged by Helen Goldie, Harpercroft, Kilmarnock, was a gimmer from Graeme and Finn Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple.  

Sired by Howgillfoot Sniper, out of a Deveronside Doodlebug dam, she sold in lamb to Muirton Man of the Moment, for 2000gns to Jimmy Young, Muirton, Corse, Alford.  

Jim Innes of the Strathbogie flock, Dunscroft, Huntly, sold his best at 2000gns for a gimmer by Howgillfoot Sniper, out of a Crewelands Kingpin dam. She is in lamb to Muirton the Joker, and was also purchased by Jimmy Young, Muirton.  

The reserve champion from Craig Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder, sold for 1900gns to M Miley, Ballyglass, Knockcroghery.  

This was a ewe lamb by Birness Banter, out of a Castleisle Capaldi ewe.  

Stuart and Wendy Hunter, West Cairnhill, Insch, led the way in the Blue Texels, selling gimmers to 2000gns and 1600gns.  

Dearest was a gimmer by Hunters Deerstalker, scanned in lamb to Stonycroft Fifa, which sired prize winning progeny at Echt Show this year.  

She sold to Neil and Mark Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford.  

The other gimmer from Hunters, in lamb to the same sire and by Lyles Eagle, made 1600gns to M and A Lennie, Seaview, Sanday.  

Of the Beltex offering, it was the champion from Stuart Wood, Broadwater, Skene, which topped at 1000gns when sold to Ellie Miller, The Lurg, Midmar.  

Bluefaced Leicesters reached 1400gns for a gimmer from Matthew Seed, Home Farm Auchry, Cuminestown, Turriff, when purchased by O Jones, Ddol, Llanbadam Fynydd.  

Meanwhile, Dutch Spotted gimmers topped at 1450gns from Stuart Wood to J Cameron, Balmacaan, Drumnadrochit, with Badgerfaces from the same home reaching 800gns when sold to N Flanagan, Armagh.  

PRIZE LIST 

Texel (Judge: Jenna Ballantyne, East Cauldcoats Farm, Strathaven, Lanarkshire) 

Ewe – 1 and reserve champion, M Seed, Home Farm Auchry, Cuminestown 

Gimmer – 1 and champion, W and C Ingram, Logie Durno, Pitcaple; 2, R Wilson, North Dorlaithers, Turriff; 3, K Pratt, Oldtown Farm, Peterculter 

Ewe lamb – 1, 2 and 3, R Wilson. 

Suffolk (Judge: Helen Goldie, Harpercroft, Dundonald, Kilmarnock) 

Ewe – 1 and 2, D Delday, Quoybelloch, Deerness; 3, A Donald, Doonbye, Cuminestown.  

Gimmer – 1 and champion, G Christie, Newton of Balquhain, Inverurie; 2, M Stuart, Milltown of Birness, Ellon; 3, M Stuart.  

Ewe lamb – 1 and reserve champion, C Paterson, Cranna Bridge, Aberchirder; 2, M Stuart; 3, M Stuart. 

Beltex (Judge: Simon Stephen, Meikle Geddes, Nairn) 

Gimmer – 1 and champion, S Wood, Broadwater, Skene; 2, CG Mair and Partners, Muirfield, Everton of Auchry, Cuminestown; 3, CG Mair and Partners.  

Ewe lamb – 1 and 2, S Wood.