Cheviot Ram Sale
2004

A new breed record price, two five-figure bids and 22 transactions at £2000 or better set the tone at the annual sale of Hill Cheviots tups at Lockerbie on Monday 4th October 2004. However the absence of the Crofters Commission from the ringside took the edge off the trade and resulted in a slide in the overall average with 343 sold returning at £665.47 down by £105 on the year.

The highlight of the sale was the £14000 record for an outstanding shearling from Bill Goodfellow, Glengeith, Elvanfoot, by a Winterhope sire out of a ewe by a Bloch tup. This sheep was spotted during the show season by Jim Robertson of the Becks, Langholm, and despite the fact that he is rate R2 for scrapie resistance, the determination to buy him never faltered.

Next best at £11000 was the pick of the strong consignment from Sandy Fleming, Hislop, Teviothead, Hawick. This two shear, again R2, by the great breeding Crossdyke Usk, joins the renowned Catslackburn flock of Norman and David Douglas in the Yarrow Valley, near Selkirk. The Hislop pen enjoyed one of the best trades of the day with a string of four figure sales, including on at £1800 for another son of the Crossdykes sire which went to J Hepburn & Co, Crosscleugh, Yarrow, Selkirk.

The Cheviot breed suffered terribly during the FMD crisis of 2001 losing close on 30% of the bloodlines, but recovery from that disaster is now almost complete. Among those who lost sheep then was Stephen Busby, Unthank, Lanholm. But that flock was once again to the fore with shepherd Willie Moffat bringing out a fine R1 shearling by a Castle Crawford sire to sell for £5800. This tup is shared by Ted Fox, Elsdonburn, Wooler, and Charlie and Mary Symons, Attonburn, Kelso.

Archie Stewart, Tushielaw, Selkirk was first into the ring but his best by the home bred Schumacher attracted keen attention. This R1 sold to Robert and John Paton, Castle Crawford, Abington, Biggar. The Patons were back in action before long with a bid of £2200 to take the pick of the pen from Tim Douglas, Mainside, Yetholm. Gavin Douglas, Upper Hindhope, Jedburgh had mixed trade but his best by the home-bred Kale President Made £3000 selling to Jim Robertson.

Tim Elliot, Hindhope, Jedburgh, whose family have been showing and selling Cheviots for well over 100 years, was in the money at £2500 for one by Alemoor Hope selling to WO Watkings, Maesgals, Dyfed, Wales, George and Ian Bell, Bloch, Langholm has useful pen of sheep and the pick of this bunch, by a Stirkfield sire made £2200 to Robbie and Roy Weir, Townfoot, Thornhill.

The Catslackburn consignment sold as well as any with a peak of £3500 for a R1 son of Castle Logan going to Andrew Douglas, Saughtree, Newcastleton. At £3200 a son of the same sire was secured by Mark Bell, Winterhope, Lockerbie, while one by Catslack Black Douglas 2nd found favour with Tim Elliot at £2200. Charlie Symons, of Attonburn, who breeds Suffolks and Texels as well as Cheviots had a best of £3000 for one by Murtholm Right Charlie to Robert Warden, Skelfhill, Hawick.

Jim Robertson with his pen of 20 from the Becks recorded no less than nine prices over the £1000 mark. His best was £4500 for a R2 son of Townfoot Topper which sold to Blair and Morag Cockburn, Stirkfield, Biggar. The same sire was responsible for one which made £4400 to Jim and George Irving, Mount Benger, Selkirk. Another by King of the Castle change hands at £3800 selling to Allan Common, Crossdykes, Lockerbie. The pick of the Stirkfield consignment by Tushielaw Schumacher sold at £3800 to Sandy Fleming of Hislop.

The Castle Crawford pen was strong on quality in depth with a top of £6500 for a R1 son of Winterhope Ruffian selling to Adam Fisken, High Craigton, Milngavie, Glasgow. Billy Goodfellow showed no reluctance to invest some of his earlier takings taking the first two from the Patons. His first by Hindhope Sandy cost £3200 while the next by an Unthank sire made £3800. The next sheep into the ring by Catslack Rocket quickly soared to £4000 before being knocked down to George and Ian Bell of Bloch. Winterhope were in the action at £2200 for one by Townfoot sire while minutes later Stephen Busby invested £2400 in a son of Castle Legend.

WC Anderson, Easter Alemoor, Hawick, were late in the sale but still managed a top of £2000 for a son of a home-bred sire selling to Sandy Fleming of Hislop. Ogilvie Jackson, Cossarhill, Selkirk, was last in the ring but still delighted to receive £2100 for one by Carterton Sergent selling to Castle Crawford.