Centre record smashed at Caithness sheep fair

Posted: September 18, 2026

A fantastic show of Rams were forward and centre record smashed at the annual sheep fair hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts at Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae on Thursday 17^th and Friday 18^th of September.

The event kicked off with a record entry for the show and sale of Multi Breed Rams with 201 Rams sold under the auspices of the Caithness Sheep Breeders Association and kindly sponsored by HRN Tractors.

In the Texel section, judged by Peter Andeson, East Gate, East Burrafirth the champion position was awarded to an MV Accredited Texel shearling ram from Ron Mackay, Clyth Mains, Occumster purchased for £3,000 by T A Linklater, Stonelea, Stenness for a new centre record. A second Texel ram also Ron Mackay, Clyth Mains smashed the £3,000 barrier selling to J A C Campbell, Mayfield.

**Texel Champion – Ron Mackay, Clyth Mains, Occumster**

The reserve champion position also went to Ron Mackay for a shearling selling for £2,800 to J A C Campbell, Mayfield.

John R Burgess, Lower House Hillwell, judged the Suffolk section awarding the champion position to a MV Accredited shearling from J B & L Swanson, East Murkle which sold for £2,500 to the judge. The reserve champion also went to a shearling from J B & L Swanson, selling for £1,800 to Messr Swanson, Quarryside, Castletown.

**Champion Suffolk – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle**

The champion Any Other Breed judged by Stephen Sutherland, Sibmister, Castletown was a Suffolk cross Texel from Ron Mackay, Clyth Mains, Occumster selling for £1,500 to Dunbeath Estate. The reserve champion was a Blue Texel shearling from Bethany Swanson, Framside Halkirk which sold for £600 to John R Burgess, Lower House, Hillwell.

On Friday 18^th September, under the auspices of the North Country Cheviot Sheep Society, sold a total of 94 rams to an average of £1,013.83. The Show & Sale was kindly sponsored by Shearwell UK.

The Overall Champion of the day selected by judges Alan Cowens, Old Mill Farm, Philiphaugh, Selkirk and Allister McNeill, 40 Taylorstown Road, Toomebridge was awarded to J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm, Orkney. The champion was Upper Cornquoy Grandslam, a North Country Cheviot shearling ram, sired by Soutra Cannonball sold for £5,500 to Firm of Mackay, South Balkeith, Tain.

The Reserve Champion was a shearling ram, Bardnaclavan Gladiator, sired by Sebay Escort from D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan Farm, Bridge of Westfield, Thurso which sold for £3,600 to Firm of Mackay, South Balkeith, Tain.

The top price of the day was achieved for another North Country Cheviot ram, Swinister Ginan, from R J Poleson Swinister Ollaberry, Shetland. The ram, sired by Biggins Effervescent, sold to Andrew Polson, Glenfinnan, Findon for £6,000.

The next top price of £5,500 was achieved for a ram from Messrs J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy Holm, Orkney which was split three ways to G Cormack & Sons, Wester, Dunnet, Thurso, J S Armstrong, Leam, Howe and O McAllister, Dungarron.

In the females and groups section judged by Lewis Gallier The Sheiling, Daviot and Jac George Maerdy Uchaf, Talley, Llandello, the champion group of 3 was awarded to J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm. In the group of 5, the champion went to Messrs Mill, Achscrabster, Westfield.

The champion female was a gimmer from A G Simpson, Cairnside, 36 Oldhall, Watten and realised £1,000 to A & A Grant, Innergeille House, Kilrenny, Anstruther. The top price was £1,500 for gimmer from a J & W Mackay, Biggins which sold to O Henderson, Middlehorseley, Hope, Waskerley.

Scott Chapman, Auctioneer, Aberdeen & Northern Marts said: “Once again, Caithness breeders delivered an outstanding show of rams, with an increased entry this year and strong demand from a packed ringside of buyers. Averages were up on the year, with a new centre record of £3,000 achieved, reflecting the quality of stock forward for sale at Quoybrae.

We would like to thank HRN Tractors and Shearwell UK for their continued valued support of the event.”

Show and Sale of MV Accredited and Non-Accredited

Rams and Ram Lambs

17^th September 2026

TEXEL

MV Accredited Texel Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 14 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

2^nd – Lot 12 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

3^rd – Lot 46 – Messrs Webster, Lower Reiss Farms

4^th – Lot 72 – J Forbes, Boultach

Non-Accredited Texel Shearling

1^st – Lot 177 – S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn

2^nd – Lot 203 – D Coghill, Tofts of Tain

3^rd – Lot 200 – G Cormack & Sons, Wester

4^th – Lot 164 – G R & P H Sutherland, Achunabust

Pen of 3 Texel Shearling Rams

1^st – Lots 11, 16, 17 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

2^nd – J Forbes, Boultach

3^rd – Lots 22, 23, 24 – C Ryrie, East Kirk

Champion Texel

Lot 14 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

Reserve Champion Texel

Lot 12 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

SUFFOLK

MV Accredited Suffolk Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 127 – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

2^nd – Lot 126 – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

3^rd – Lot 142 – A Brims, Thuster Mains

4^th – Lot 140- A Brims, Thuster Mains

5^th – Lot 121 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

6^th – Lot 156 – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

MV Accredited Suffolk Ram Lamb

1^st – Lot 152 – S Sinclair, Haven View, Lower Gills

2^nd – Lot 153 – S Sinclair, Haven View, Lower Gills

Champion Suffolk

Lot 127 – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

Reserve Champion Suffolk

Lot 126 –J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

Non-Accredited Shearling

1^st – Lot 210 – K Gunn, Shop Farm

2^nd – Lot 211 – K Gunn, Shop Farm

Pen of 3 Suffolk Shearling Rams

1^st – Lots 157, 158, 159 – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

2^nd – Lots 128, 129, 130 – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

3^rd – Lots 143, 144, 145 – A Brims, Thuster Mains

ANY OTHER BREED

MV Accredited Any Other Breed Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 101 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

2^ND – Lot 115 – A Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss

3^rd – Lot 114 – A Gunn, The Shiean, Hill of Forss

4^th – Lot 103 – J A Coghill, Burnside

5^th – Lot 105 – J & A Budge, Knockglass

Non-Accredited Any Other Breed Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 232 – B Swanson, Framside

2^nd – Lot 234 – J Swanson, Framside

3^rd – Lot 227 – M Anderson, West Catchery

Pen of 3 Any Other Breed Shearling Rams

1^st – M Anderson, West Catchery – BFL

2^nd – J Swanson, Framside – Beltex

3^rd – D A & K Douglas, Achnamoine – BFL

Champion Any Other Breed

Lot 101 – R Mackay, Clyth Mains

Reserve Champion Any Other Breed

Lot 232 – B Swanson, Framside

North Country Cheviot Sheep Society

Show and Sale of NCC Rams and Females

18^th September 2026

Class 1 -Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 64 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

2^nd – Lot 94 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

3^rd – Lot 105 – R J Poleson, Swinister

4^th – Lot 112 – A Polson, Glenfinnan

5^th – The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, Longoe

Class 2 – Aged Ram

1^st – Lot 2 – D & A Campbell, Mill Farm

Class 3 – Group of 5 Shearlings

1^st – Lots 80. 82, 83, 84, 85 – Messrs H Mill, Achscrabster

Class 4 – Group of 3 Shearlings

1^st – Lots 65, 68, 69 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

2^nd – Lots 49, 43, 45 – J & W Mackay, Biggins

3^rd – Lots 38, 42, 48 – J & W Mackay, Biggins

4^th – Lots 93, 95, 96 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

5^th – R J Poleson, Swinister

Class 5 – Ram Lamb

1^st – Lot 101 – J Henderson, Seaview Cottages

2^nd – Lot 92 – R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

3^rd – Lot 102 -J Henderson, Seaview Cottages

4^th – Lot 91 – R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

Champion Male – Lot 64 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

Reserve Champion Male – Lot 94 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

Class 6 – Gimmer

1^st – Lot 125- -A Simpson, Cairnside

2^nd – Lot 133 – J J & E Wishart, Newbigging

3^rd – Lot 123 – R Poleson, Swinister

4^th – Lot 130 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnac

5^th – Lot 139 –

Class 7 – Ewe Lamb

1^st – Lot 12 – A Simpson, Cairnside

2^nd – Lot 137 – R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

3^rd – Lot 138 – R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

Overall Champion – Lot 64 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

Overall Reserve Champion – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

Best Ram Lamb – Lot 101 – J Henderson, Seaview Cottages

Champion Shearling Ram – Lot 64 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

Best Group of Three – Lots 65, 68, 69 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

Best Group of Five – Lots 80, 82, 83, 84, 85 – Messrs H Mill, Achscrabster

Best Group – Lots 65, 68, 69 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy

Back to News