Sapphire Blue Texel Sale

The Sapphire Annual Production Sale from the Whatmore, Hackney & Jonsland Flocks was held at Carlisle on Friday and saw a top price of 4200gns achieved.

Heading up the sale was a gimmer from Paul Tippetts and Christine Williams’ Hackney flock sired by a Turbo Blue ram and out of an imported ewe. This gimmer had been scanned in lamb to Nantyderri Derek, the flock’s stock ram, and was purchased by Messrs Beck from Halesworth, Suffolk.

Following this gimmer into the ring was Hackney Clarissa, another by the same sire and again in lamb to Nantyderri Derek. Clarissa was out of Hackney Yeah Yeah who has bred well for the flock and she sold for 3200gns to Messrs Brisbane from Stranraer.

Hackney Cranberry, a gimmer by Joe’s Alvin, sold for 2800gns. She was also in lamb to Nantyderri Derek and this time the successful purchaser was Messrs Miskelly from Alford, Aberdeenshire.

Two from Steve and Sara Gibbons’ Whatmore flock reached 2000gns. The first of these was the 2017 born ewe Whatmore Bramley, sired by Whatmore Siren and out of Whatmore Xquisite. Bramley sold scanned in lamb to Whatmore Chaos and was purchased by an undisclosed buyer.

Also selling for the same money was Whatmore Cayenne, this gimmer was sired by Whatmore Bentley, out of Whatmore Xtra-Special and scanned in lamb to Whatmore Chaos. The successful buyer on this occasion was Messrs Graham from Bridge of Allan, Stirling.

Another Whatmore gimmer by the same sire and scanned also in lamb to Chaos sold for 1800gns. Whatmore Chaffinch was again out of a Whatmore Wasp sired ewe and she was purchased by Messrs Brute from Brecon.

Dan and Janine Jones’ Jonsland flock sold to a top of 900gns on two occasions. Firstly for Jonsland Crisp, a in-lamb gimmer sired by Whatmore Yorkie and out of Jonsland Xiting. This gimmer sold in lamb to Ettrick Casino and was purchased by Messrs Cormack & McDowell from Leicestershire.

Jonsland Cracker was the other to go at 900gns. Cracker was sired by Cleenagh Xquizit, out of Jonsland Xactly and had been scanned in lamb to the Whatmore Yorkie son Jonsland Clipper. This gimmer was purchased by Messrs Crawford from Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.

Averages

Hackney – 2 Aged Ewes £997.50; 8 Shearling Gimmers £2428.12; 11 Ewe Lambs £954.54

Jonsland – 10 Shearling Gimmers £661.50; 10 Ewe Lambs £356.25

Whatmore – 1 Aged Ewe £2100; 8 Shearling Gimmers £1148.43