Strong demand and a top price of £6,000 achieved at Caithness Ram Fair

Posted: September 19, 2025

A fantastic show of Rams were forward at the annual two-day sheep fair hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts at Caithness Livestock Centre, Quoybrae on Thursday 18^th and Friday 19^th of September.

The event kicked off with the show and sale of Multi Breed Rams with 145 Rams sold under the auspices of the Caithness Sheep Breeders Association and kindly sponsored by HRN Tractors.

In the Suffolk section, judged by Scott Morrison, Shinsharnie, Huntly, the champion position was awarded to a shearling from William Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar, which went on to sell for £2,200 to Douglas Webster, Keiss Mains, Keiss. The reserve champion went to a shearling from William Barnetson & Son, Lynegar, also selling for £2,200 to R & N Barclay, Harestone Farm, Banchory.

Louise Coghill, Skinnet, Halkirk, judged the Texel section awarding the champion to a shearling from Douglas Wesbter, Keiss Mains Wick, backing her decision she went onto purchase the ram for £2,400. The reserve went to a shearling from D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan, Thurso, going onto sell for £2,000 to W & G Coghill, Balnahard, Halkirk.

Top price in the Texel section went to a 3^rd prize shearling ram from Douglas Webster, Keiss Mains, which sold for £2,600 to William Barnetson & Son, Lynegar.

Champion in the Any Other Breed section, judged by Dougie Munro, Banniskirk Mains, was a Blue Face Lieciester from A Gunn, The Shein Hill of Forss which sold for £1,700 to William Barnetson & Son, Lynegar. Reserve champion was awarded to a Beltex Cross shearling from A & S Sutherland, Bardnaheigh, Halkirk, going on to sell for £700 to the judge.

AOB Champion L-R Magnus Barclay, HRN, Dougie Munro, Judge, Angus Gunn

On Friday 19^th September, under the auspices of the North Country Cheviot Sheep Society, sold a total of 87 rams to an average of £1,104.60. The Show & Sale was kindly sponsored by new sponsors Shearwell UK.

The Overall Champion of the day selected by judges Alistair Armstrong, 54 Aughentaine Road, Filvemiletown, Co Tyrone and Mr John Robert Burgess, Lower House, Hillwell, Quendale, was awarded to Andrew Polson, Glenfinnan, Findon, Aberdeenshire. The champion was Smerlie Falcon, a North Country Cheviot ram, sired by Upper Cornquoy Classic which went onto sell for £4,000 to R Davis, Maerdy Isaf, Talley, Llandeilo.

The Reserve Champion was a ram, Sebay Forever, sired by Gremista Classy from J S Baillie & Co, Sebay, Tankerness, Orkney, which sold for £2,400 to Firm of Mackay, South Balkeith, Tain.

The top price of the day was achieved for another North Country Cheviot ram, Smerlie Foreman from Andrew Polson. The ram, sired by Smerlie Epic, sold to D N Campbell & Son, Bardnaclvan and J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy for £6,000.

The second top price of £4,800 was achieved for a ram from Messrs J & J Smith Upper Cornquoy Holm, Orkney which went onto sell to Andrew Polson, Glenfinnan, Findon. Followed by £4,000 achieved twice firstly for the Overall Champion, and secondly for a Ram from A G Simpson, Cairnside, 36 Oldhall, Watten selling to David Bruce, Hagg Farm, Scarborough.

In the females and groups section judged by Rhys Davies, Maerdy Isaf, Talley, Llandeilo and Brendan Drew, Low Gill Beck Farm, Glaisdale, Whitby, 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 Mesr H Mill, Achscrabster, Bridge of Westfield and realised £1,300 to James Swanson, Framside. The top price was £1,800 for gimmer from a J & W Mackay, Biggins which sold to Vickie Elder, East Whitestones, Cuminestown.

Scott Chapman, Auctioneer, Aberdeen & Northern Marts said: “Once again Caithness breeders came out in style with an outstanding show of rams forward exceeding vendors expectations. With a packed ringside of buyers, sellers were well rewarded with averages up significantly on the year.

We would like to thank our sponsors HRN Tractors and new sponsor Shearwell UK for their valued support, which makes the events such a success.”

Following on from the sale of North Country Cheviot Rams was the annual show and sale of 887 gimmers.

Champion pen of 10 Gimmers judged by Christopher & Cameron Coghill, Knockdee Farm Halkirk were 10 North Country Cheviots from J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm which went onto sell for £460 to A Miller & Sons, Aimster, Thurso. The Reserve was 10 Cheviot Mules from H H & A Swanson, Tister farm, Halkrik, which sold for £292 to J M & B Sutherland, Latheronwheel Mains.

Park Cheviot (171) averaged £315.14 (+£23.74) to £1,200 from 8 Henderson Square, Watten. Hill Cheviot (331) averaged £173.18 (+£4.55) to £230 from Longoe Farm, Castle of Mey. Cheviot Mule (73) averaged £242.60 (+£77.14) to £292 from Tister, Halkirk. Mule (159) averaged £224.08 (+£39.86) to £280 from Wardhead, Strichen. Continental (113) averaged £205.95 (+£23.08) to £250 from Myrelandhorn.

PRIZE LIST

SHOW & SALE OF MULTI-BREED RAMS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CAITHNESS SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION – THURSDAY 18^TH SEPTEMBER

TEXEL

MV Accredited Texel Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 79 – D Webster, Keiss Mains

2^nd – Lot 70 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

3^rd – Lot 80 – D Webster, Keiss Mains

4^th – Lot 71 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

5^th – Lot 113 – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

MV Accredited Texel Ram Lamb

1^st – Lot 116 – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

Non-Accredited Texel Shearling

1^st – Lot 213 – S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn

2^nd – Lot 205 – D Coghill, Tofts of Tain

3^rd – Lot 197 – G Cormack & Sons, Wester

4^th – Lot 193 – D A & K Douglas, Achnamoine

5^th – Lot 198 – G Cormack & Sons, Wester

6^th – Lot 218 – C & W Budge, Upper Clayock

Pen of 3 Texel Shearling Rams

1^st – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

2^nd – S McCarthy, Myrelandhorn

3^rd – D Webster, Keiss Mains

Champion Texel

Lot 79 – D Webster, Keiss Mains

Reserve Champion Texel

Lot 70 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

SUFFOLK

MV Accredited Suffolk Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 43 –Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

2^nd – Lot 44 –Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

3^rd – Lot 42 –Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

4^th – Lot 54 – J B & L Swanson, East Murkle

MV Accredited Suffolk Ram Lamb

1^st – Lot 41 – S Sinclair, The Haven

Non-Accredited Shearling

1^st – Lot 131 – C & W Budge, Upper Clayock

2^nd – Lot 133 – C & W Budge, Upper Clayock

3^rd – Lot 132 – C & W Budge, Upper Clayock

Pen of 3 Suffolk Shearling Rams

1^st – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

2^nd – Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

Champion Suffolk

Lot 43 –Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

Reserve Champion Suffolk

Lot 44 –Wm Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar

ANY OTHER BREED

MV Accredited Any Other Breed Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 12 – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

2^ND – Lot 3 – A & S Sutherland, Bardnaheigh

3^rd – Lot 7 – D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan

Non-Accredited Any Other Breed Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 145 – B Swanson, Framside

2^nd – Lot 146 – B Swanson, Framside

3^rd – Lot 158 – D A & K Douglas, Achnamoine

4^th – Lot 142 – B Swanson, Framside

5^th – Lot 146 – B Swanson, Framside

Champion Any Other Breed

Lot 12 – A Gunn, Hill of Forss

Reserve Champion Any Other Breed

Lot 3 – A & S Sutherland, Bardnaheigh

NCC SHEEP SOCIETY – ANNUAL SHOW & SALE OF NCC RAMS & RAM LAMBS – FRIDAY 19^TH SEPTEMBER

Ram Lamb

1^st – Lot 122 – William Campbell, Naver House

Shearling Ram

1^st – Lot 101 – Andrew Polson, Smerlie,

2^nd– Lot 34 – J S Baillie & Co, Sebay, Tankerness

3^rd Lot 35 – J S Baillie & Co, Sebay, Tankerness

4^th Lot 48 – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm

5^th Lot 50- J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm

Group of 3 Shearlings Rams

1^st – J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm (51,52,53)

2^nd – J & W Mackay, Biggins, Killimster (27,28,32)

3^rd – Mesr H Mill, Achscrabster, Thurso (73,74,75)

4^th – B & J Mackay, Skitten, Wick (20,22,23)

Group of 5 Shearlings Rams

1^st – H Mill, Achscrabster, Bridge of Westfield (70,69,67,72,71)

Overall Male Champion & Reserve

CHAMPION – Lot 101 – Andrew Polson, Smerlie,

RESERVE CHAMPION – Lot 34 – J S Baillie & Co, Sebay, Tankerness

Females

Gimmers

1^st – Lot 139– Mesr H Mill Achscrabster

2^nd – Lot 133– J & W Mackay, Biggins, Killimster

3^rd – Lot 134– J & W Mackay, Biggins, Killimster

4^th – Lot 141– E Wishart, Newbigging, Harray

Best Ewe Lamb

1^st – Lot 136 – J Henderson, 2 Seaview Cottages

2^nd – Lot 137 – J Henderson, 2 Seaview Cottages

3^rd – Lot 131 – to R & K Sutherland, Hilliclay

Overall Female Champion & Reserve

CHAMPION – Lot 139– Mesr H Mill Achscrabster

RESERVE CHAMPION – Lot 133– J & W Mackay, Biggins, Killimster

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