Beltex Society In Lamb Show & Sale

An entry of 13 shearling ewes from Liam and Jack Swinnerton’s Lipley Flock were very much in demand, commanding many of the top prices at the Beltex Sheep Society’s sale at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway Centre on Friday, 9 December.

It has been a good year for Liam and Jack, from Cheswardine, Market Drayton, as they followed on from a 20,000gns ram lamb sale back in August where their shearling rams were also well sought after.

Their 3200gns in-lamb leader was the last on offer, Lipley Gazelle ET, a daughter of the renowned 30,000gns Buckles Dark Dawn bred out of Lipley Ellie, herself by Broxty Boxer. Gazelle heads south to Eldersfield and joins the Bishops Flock of Andrew and Becky Bishop carrying a pair to the 5500gns Borderesk Gigalo.

With all the Lipley gimmers selling in-lamb to Borderesk Gigalo, next best at 2600gns when knocked down to JA Thom for his Corrielea Flock near Corrie, Lockerbie, was Lipley Gorgeous Girl ET, which also scanned a pair. Her pedigree features the imported Iglo V/D Drie Musschen on to the Bailey Brook Chief daughter, Woodies Diamond Girl.

Two were close behind on 2500gns apiece and the first of these when snapped up by Jack O’Brien, Burnfoot, Donegal, was the Reserve Champion, Lipley Galway Girl ET, a full sister to Gorgeous Girl. She also scanned with a pair.

A couple lots later Lipley Gloria ET also realised 2500gns, this time selling to EG Morgan, Nantygwreiddyn, Brecon. Scanned with a single, she offers some different breeding being by Topflite Al Pacino and out of Tiree Coral, a Callacrag Wise Crack daughter.

Another two lots later and Lipley Glamourous ET sold to RD Dixon, Cowburn Flock, also from Corrie, Lockerbie. Another by Dark Dawn and scanned with twins, she is out of the Tercrosset Action Man-sired Airyolland Cassiopeia.

It was a good day for Edward Cyril Lloyd Lewis from Conwy, when Alex Martin sold their Gyffin Great Gatsby ET to young Logan and Evan Farming for their newly established Oaklands Flock near Cwmyoy, Abergavenny. This daughter of the 7000gns Clary Dumfries is out of Smart Ass Anest, herself by The Godfather, and changed hands scanned with a pair to Chulsey Gate Chris Brown.

Andrew Morton saw his dearest, Mortons Gin Fizz ET, from the flock near Denny, sell online to M Dollan, Torrance, for 1600gns. Due with a single to Mortons Gremlin, this Gyffin Dexter daughter is out of the Ravara Avicii-bred Mortons Embrace.

A brace of 1300gns both came from Alan Miller’s Lurg Flock from near Midmar, Inverurie, both of which sold in-lamb to Midshawtonhill Gypsy King. First up was the second prize shearling ewe, Lurg Go Large ET, which is by Woodies Explosive and out of Sinclair’s Daisy, a Kingledores Battleaxe daughter. She caught the eye of Saskia Fletcher for her Diamond Dale Flock near Brailsford, Ashbourne, and sold carrying a single.

Selling to GM and TNL Bennett, Manafon, Welshpool, scanned with twins was Lurg Gemma ET which was this time by Bailey Brook Doyle and out of the Carrigans Bob Lee Swagger-sired Woodies Classy Girl.

Three sold for 1200gns apiece including Langlands Georgia ET from Jeff, Sue and Steve Wilkinson, from near Richmond. Selling to John Cousar for his Howcommon Flock, Craigie, Kilmarnock, this Cromwell Cadillac daughter is out of the Smart Ass Alfie-bred Langlands Delila, and sold carrying a single to Logie Durno Godfather.

Matching that 1200gns was Woodies Gemstone from Stuart Wood, Skene, Westhill, which also sold to Logan and Evan Farming. Carrying triplets to Swffryd Eyecatcher, this Bailey Brook CR7 daughter is out of a home-bred Clary Chancer ewe.

The last to make 1200gns was Elizabeth McAllister’s Artnagullion Gillie, an Airyolland Eejit daughter from the flock near Kels, Ballymena. Bred from the Ardstewart Armani-sired Artnagullion Daisyduke, she sold to AT Davies, Bryngroes Flock, Llanelli.

Among the ewe lambs it was Matthew Burleigh’s Supreme Champion that led the section when she was knocked down to Oliver Dean, Kirkhouse Flock, Brampton, for 1700gns. The unnamed Buckles Fizzy Pop daughter is out of Matt’s Double Deuce, herself by Hackney Corker.

Matthew, from Shanra, Enniskillen, also received 1100gns from Ben Collings, Launceston, for another Fizzy Pop daughter. Her dam is Matt’s Desert Rose, another by Hackney Corker.

The Buckles family from near Kirkby Stephen offered up some embryos from the Lurg Goliath x Buckles Desert Sands flush, with a twin selling to Alan Miller for 2300gns and a single to Saskia Fletcher for 1800gns.

Averages: Three aged ewes, £294 (7 x £387 in 2021); 78 shearling ewes, £695 (128 x £784); 10 ewe lambs, £404 (38 x £691); two recipients carrying embryos, £2153 (1 x £1470).