The Wilkinsons Arkle flock secured the top price from The Twilight Texel Sale at Borderway Livestock Mart, Carlisle, for the second consecutive year. The flock’s 2017 show gimmer, and overall show champion on three occasions, WGA1603049, attracted huge pre-sale interest.

The gimmer was sired by the £11,000gns Milnbank Vantastic, and out of a Brackenridge Underdog dam. She sold carrying a pair to £3,800gns Aldan Adonis and with a recipient carrying an implanted egg from a successful flush to the £16,000gns Cornmore Ace. This exceptionally tight-skinned and well-balanced gimmer, with a flashy head, was finally knocked down to C Bellis following a flurry of bidding.

The Osborne family’s Durisdeer flock took the next-best price at £3500gns for the second gimmer into the ring on the day, ORD1605579, Sired by Procters U S President and out of a dam by Loosebeare Super Scot.

She was sold in-lamb to Bradleys Agent Steel, going back to the well-known Halbeath VIP. This powerful gimmer was the pick of Robin and Caroline Orr, joining their Halbeath flock, Fife.

The Quick family’s Loosebeare flock was next up with their best gimmer, QEL1606634, making £2,800gns. A very big, strong, flashy gimmer sired by Strawfrank Wild Thing, she is out of a Hull House Special Brew daughter who bred the £6,200gns ewe that went on to breed Halbeath VIP, and was the pick of Esmor Evans, Wales.

Five gimmers then traded at £1800gns each, with the first two of these being from the Orr family’s Halbeath offering. First was lot 442, ONH1600356, a Cambwell Trademark daughter out of a dam by Claybruy Teddy and sold in-lamb having repeated to the homebred Halbeath VIP. She sold to IW Slater, Orkney. The second from Halbeath at this money was the next lot into the ring, ONH1600400, a daughter of Halbeath VIP out of a dam by Campsie VMD. She goes back to Haremoss Important and sold in-lamb to the 23,000gns Peacehay Ya Belter. Esmor Evans purchased this one to join her earlier purchase from the Loosebeare flock.

1,800gns

Next at 1800gns came two from the Arkle pen adding to their top-priced gimmer. The first was WGA1602990, a Halbeath VIP daughter out of a dam by Finevalley Triple Crown, who was maternal sister to the Twilight sale 2016 top-priced gimmer. She is a full ET sister to the 20,000gns Arkle You Bet, and sold in-lamb to the £16,000gns Cornmore Ace. This one was knocked down to A E Harvard and Co, Brecon.

The second from the Arkle pen at this money was WGA1603034, a daughter sired by the £7,000gns Aman Watcyn Wyn and out of a dam by Rascarrel Tiulouse. This ewe was a maternal sister to the £4,300gns Arkle Admiral, sold carrying twins to Midlock Yorkie, the first-prize shearling at the Great Yorkshire Show 2017, and was bought by Archie Hamilton, Lanark, for the Smyllum flock.

Stainton

The final £1,800gns call came for Peter Woof’s first gimmer in from his Stainton consignment. This was WPS1600911, a daughter of the homebred Stainton Wasdale, going back to Anglezarke Uno, out of a dam by Sportsmans Tremendous and in-lamb to Knock Yankee. She sold with an index of 357, being bought by S Beachell, Yorkshire.