Dalmally Ram Lamb Sale

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averages: 192 ram lambs, £2179.00 (-£325 for 22 more sold).

Despite averages slipping £325 on the year, the majority of vendors saw a cracking trade for ram lambs, with top prices of £52,000, £30,000 twice, and a further six at five-figure sales.

Of more significance is the fact that while most sales have seen fewer tups sold, an additional 22 were cashed compared to the same event here in 2021, with some 192 head averaging just shy of £2180.

It was a great day for brother and sister duo, Eoin and Kirstyn Blackwood too, when they produced the £52,000 sale leader and a personal best from their Dalblair flock from Muirkirk which is home to 1800 ewes of which their stud unit comprises 500.

Their pen leader, was a son of the £13,000 Glenrath lamb bought in 2020 in partnership with Elmscleugh and Auldhouseburn, that last year bred sons to £32,000 and £14,000 at Lanark and Dalmally, respectively, for Dalblair. The dam is a daughter of the £28,000 Auldhouseburn. He sold in a three-way split to Davie and Jock Jackson, Pole, Lochgoilhead; Billy McFarlane and sons Joe and Alfie, Drumgrange, Patna and James McCurdy, Broughshane.

Near neighbour John Murray, Crossflatt, always produces some eye candy, and his pen leader made £30,000 to the Wights at Midlock, Crawford and Hugh and Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, Muirkirk, jointly.

There are some more top genetics behind this lad with the sire being McCoy Lookalike, a home-bred tup retained at Crossflatt by £150,000 Auldhouseburn, that last year bred lambs to £40,000 and £10,000 for Upper Wellwood. The dam is by the £52,000 Crossflatt.

Later in the day, team MacGregor at Allanfauld, Kilsyth, had plenty to celebrate, matching the £30,000 sale, with other lambs at £10,000 and £5500.

Topping their trade was a son of Tarmac, the 26,000gns lamb bought last year at Ballymena from Veronica Fullerton, in partnership with Arnicle, out of a ewe by a £5500 Elmscleugh. He sold to Irish breeders, Charlie and Cathal Harkin, The Rock, and Brian Devine, both Donemana, Co Tyrone.

Another by the same sire made £5500 to Veronica Fullerton.

The breeding behind the MacGregor’s £10,000 lamb includes last year’s £48,000 Midlock shearling bought here with Gass and Blackcraig and another £5500-sired Elmscleugh dam. Donald Shaw, Innisaig, Ardfern, Lochgilphead, paid £5000, with the MacGregors paying the remainder to retain a half share.

Next best amongst the lambs was a £28,000 sale from Hugh and Alan Blackwood, Auldhouseburn, for a son of last year’s £82,000 Loughash lamb bought at Lanark, bred from a ewe by an £85,000 Elmscleugh. Final bidder was Damian McSwiggan, Gortin, Co Tyrone.

Another by the same sire and from the same stable made £10,000 selling to Northern Ireland breeders, John and Patrick Harkin and Veronica Fullerton, from Loughash, Donemana and Draperstown, respectively. The dam is a daughter of the £58,000 Auldhouseburn.

The Blackwoods also took £4500 for their last lamb from Seamus Fegan, Castlewellan.

Having enjoyed a flying trade for his Dalchirla shearlings, Ian Hunter’s lambs also proved popular with sales at £25,000, £20,000, £6200 and £6000.

All were sons of Jocky, a home-bred son of a £20,000 Crossflatt lamb retained for breeding, with the dearest, bred from a gimmer by the £45,000 Nunnerie shearling. He was knocked down to Glenmore Estate, Co Donegal.

The £20,000 Dalchirla lamb, purchased by Eoin McKenna, Ballyknock, is bred from a ewe by the £24,000 Connachan.

Sam McClymont and sons William and Scott, Tinnis, Yarrow, bought the £6200 Dalchirla lamb, and the £6000 entry from the same home, sold to Malcolm Coubrough, Hartside Farms, Lamington, and Matthew Hamilton and son Matthew, South Cobbinshaw, West Calder, jointly.

Minutes later, Willie Dunlop and sons Quintin and William, Elmscleugh, Dunbar, sold their pen leader at £14,000 in a two-way split to Danny Hair, Drumbreddan, New Luce and Sanny Blackwood, Greenside, Muirkirk. A son of the £80,000 Allanfauld lamb sold at Lanark in 2020 to Elmscleugh and Nunnerie, he is bred from a ewe by a home-bred son of a £12,000 Gass.

On the debit side, Elmscleugh bought Willie Stevenson’s highest priced ram lamb to date from Balrazzie, Ballantrae, at £9000. This was a son of last year’s £14,000 Dalblair lamb bought here, out of a ewe by a £7000 Shawsknowe.

A son of last year's £30,000 Auldhouseburn bought here, was behind an £8000 sale from Billy Renwick and son Andrew, Blackhouse, Yarrow, purchased by Andy Paton, Craig, Straiton. His dam is by a £2000 Glenrath.

Top price for the Dunlops, Upper Wellwood, Muirkirk, was £6500 paid by Ian McLarty, Little Port, St Fillans, who gets for his money a son of last year's £40,000 Upper Wellwood of which the Dunlops retained a share. The dam is by a £22,000 Auldhouseburn.

Thomas Muirhead, Orchilmore, Comrie, sold to £6000 and £4500. The former, by a £6000 Auldhouseburn bought at Stirling, is out of a £160,000 Dalchirla dam. Final bidders were Jim and Fiona Burns, Craignell, New Galloway.

FLOCK averages

Farm (No) Top (£) Average

Ram lambs

Drumgrange (3) 700 550.00

Nunnerie (7) 2100 921.43

Waterlands (5) 120 104.00

Orchilmore (3) 6000 3700.00

Netherwood (3) 2600 1266.67

Gosland (4) 500 300.00

Burnhead, Darvel (3) 400 216.67

Braes of

Ardeonaig (3) 200 156.67