JOHN Green and family’s Greenall flock, again travelling down from Lilliesleaf in the Scottish Borders, was the standout performer in both the show arena and on price at the Beltex Sheep Society’s annual show and sale of registered rams and females at Skipton Auction Mart. (Fri & Sat, Sept 1&3)

Hitting the headlines were a brace of Green shearling rams that stood first and second in their show class, the winner going on to secure the male, then supreme championship and 8,000gns top call, the runner-up tapped out as reserve male champion, before claiming second top spot on price of 4,500gns.

Mr Green, who farms at The Craggs with his wife Emma, and sons, Gilbert, 12, and ten-year-old William – the flock was established five years ago and now features some 20 breeding ewes – were stepping up on another fine performance at last year’s fixture.

Taking leading honours was their March, 2022-born single, Greenall Harvey Wallbanger, by Heatheryhall Fireman Sam, who has bred tups to 30,000gns and was also responsible for Mr Green’s second top price 4,500gns shearling ram at Skipton in 2022.

Out of the Rathbone Tony ewe, Artnagullion Amber, also dam of Greenall Dennis The Menace, a 3,000gns Skipton sale to the McAllisters’ Artnagullion flock in Co. Antrim in 2019, the victor fell to Derbyshire purchasers T&J Bellfield, Buxton.

Fireman Sam was also the sire of the reserve male champion, Greenall Hells Bells, another March-born single and from the same flush as the title winner, both grandsons of Buckles Dark Dawn. Paying the 4,500gns selling price were Co. Durham’s F&JS Gargett, Barnard Castle.

The Greens also sold a pair of Artnagullion Feux sons at 2,500gns each, their strong pen of seven further hitting the headlines when claiming the leading pen average of £3,075 per head. Three were by Fireman Sam, the other four by Feux, himself a Dennis The Menace son, and top price 7,000gns performer at Skipton for the McAllisters two years ago, also grand sire to last year’s top price 5,000gns Procters Farm shearling ram.

A pair of Buckles Fizzy Pop sons from Northern Ireland regular Matthew Burleigh, Matt’s flock, Shanra, Co. Fermanagh, both achieved 4,000gns, the first, Matt’s Heineken, from the Airyolland Auslam daughter, Hackney Amber, standing third in the shearling ram class before also heading to Barnard Castle with F&MP Allison & Sons. The second, Matt’s House of Cards,from a home-bred Matt’s Defender ewe, sold locally to Beltex show judge Jon Frankland, Frankland Farms, Rathmell. Mr Burleigh also claimed 850gns with his second prize ram lamb, the March-born Matt’s Jester.

Also from Northern Ireland, Garry Scott’s Bessy Belle flock, Mountjoy, Co. Tyrone, received strong interest for a quality consignment of first draw-shearling rams, topping his run at 3,000gns for a Tullylagan Figo sired son from a Morton Charles ewe. It, too, headed to Rathmell with Richard Maudsley and family.

Two Cumbrian vendors both achieved 2,400gns. Father and son, James and Jack Whiteford, Tercrosset flock, Brampton, were first up with another Artnagullion Feux son from a home-bred Airyolland Aragon ewe going to Rodney Bros, Ripon.

This price was matched by Brian and Sabine Hall’s Ainstable flock in the village of the same name near Carlisle, with their first prize ram lamb, Ainstable Jukebox, a February-born single by Richard Wood’s Kingledores Engleburt, a 3,200gns joint top price purchase from Richard Wood as a ram lamb at Skipton who has bred show champions and tups to 30,000gns. Out of a Matt’s dam, herself a Hackney Wonderboy daughter, Jukebox returned to Cumbria with J Aiken, Wigton.

There were further successes in the show arena for both families. The Whitefords also stepped up with the first prize shearling ewe, female and overall reserve champion, Tercrosset Honeycomb, a March, 2022, twin yet again by Artnagullion Feux, who made such an impact on the Skipton sale. Out of an Airyolland King of Clubs ewe, Honeycomb also hit four figures at 1,000gns when going across the Irish Sea to fellow vendors F&J Harbinson, Gleenkeen flock, Limvady, Co. Londonderry.

The Halls, who currently run some 70 breeding ewes, also made their mark when consigning the second prize shearling ewe and reserve female champion, Ainstable Honeysuckle, a February, 2022, twin again by Engleburt, out of a home-bred dam by Woodies Wicked. She made 1,500gns when selling to another fellow entrant, Richard Harrison, Harridale flock, Ashbourne.

From the same home, the third prize shearling ewe, another February, 2022, Engleburt daughter, by a Black Jack Casanova-sired dam, sold at 1,000gns, also to Mr Harrison, bettered at 2,000gns by the fifth prize shearling ram, Ainstable Honorable, a March, 2022, single by Smart Ass Dark Horse, again by a home-bred daughter of Black Jack Casanova.

Richard Seed, Parsonage flock, Chipping, Preston, claimed 2,000gns with his, March, 2022, shearling ram, Parsonage Hugh, by Artnagullion Fazzo, out of a Woodwick Charmer-sired dam, sold locally to John Carlisle and family, Cracoe.

Back with the ram lambs, the Buckle family’s Broxty flock, Barras, Kirkby Stephen, caught the eye with a 1,800gns sale of their fourth prize winner, Broxty Just My Style, a January-born single by Ardstewart Armani, who has bred sons to 30,000gns. Out of the Gyffin Dexter daughter, Browxty Flawless, said to be the best ewe in the flock, the Scottish purchaser was J Bell, Lanark.

Another four-figure shearling ram at 1,000gns was the fourth prize winner from the Wannop’s flock, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe, Morecambe, with their Wannop's Hilarious, a January, 2022, twin by Dooley Gabriel, out of a home-bred Matt’s Edward-sired dam. The local buyer was PW Simpson, Wigglesworth.

Brother and sister, William and Libby McAllister, were again present from Kells, Ballymena, with their Artnagullion flock, consigning the first prize aged ram, Glenview Goldie, bred by Sean Daly and an April, 2021, twin by Ballinakill Fagan, out of a Sheephaven Casonova-bred dam. The red rosette winner headed the class selling prices at 1,400gns when heading just up the road to Gargrave with John Beckwith.

The second prize aged ram from Derbyshire’s MJ Wells & Son, Barleyclose flock, Moneyash, also commanded four figures at 1,000gns. Their 2021 Buckles family-bred Buckles Gorgeous George, by Gyffin Dexter, out of a Wilodge dam, went to Norfolk with T Biela, Thetford.

Another solid entry of 414 head saw shearling rams average £951 (2022 £1093), ram lambs £1090 (2022 £989), shearling gimmers £513 (2022 £520), with the two aged rams sold to average £1260.