Bleu Du Maine female brace hits 4,000gns at Carlisle

All eyes in the Bleu Du Maine ring were on two females from the Calla flock at Borderway on a day that also saw Millennium Bleu stock offered.

Trade was firm overall for 26% more sold on the year (168 head v 125 head) on Friday (17 August), with Bleu Du Maine averages back slightly for ram lambs and shearling rams, but up £8 for ewe lambs and up £134 for shearling gimmers.

Millennium Bleus saw gimmer shearlings £50 cheaper on the year at £295, while 30 shearling rams slid £94 on the year to make £527 for 12 more sold.

Females at 4,000gns

William Baillie’s Calla flock from Thankerton, near Biggar, saw 4,000gns bids twice for an aged ewe and a shearling gimmer, both selling to Yorkshire breeders Messrs Williamson, Grafton, Harrogate.

See also: Beltex shearling record set at Carlisle

At 4,000gns was February 2015-born Calla Neva, a Calla Magnum daughter going back to PerdiLorenzo, out of Calla Hayley, a Cysgod Daniel daughter. She thoroughly impressed on the day, taking overall female champion at the pre-sale show.

One of two lots making 4,000gns on the day from Mr Baillie was Calla Neva © Wayne Hutchinson

Also at this money, and also heading back to Harrogate with the Williams team, was Calla Pleasure, a Maximum Obama daughter out of a ewe by Maximum Hawk Eye.

Also at 4,000gns was Calla Pleasure, which also took the eye of the Williamsons, Yorkshire © Wayne Hutchinson

Rams to 2,200gns

Bleu Du Maine rams topped at 2,200gns, with a bid from Glasgow-based bidders Messrs Daff, Uplawmoor, taking home the overall champion on the day, Maximum Obama.

This bid saw Mr Baillie in the money again, although Obama was bred by Sally Shone. He is by Perdi and out of Maximum Mayflower, a Calla King Kong daughter.

He famously claimed the champion title and top price at Carlisle in 2016 and won first prize aged ram lamb at the Highland Show earlier this summer and is a proven breeder of quality sheep, namely Calla Pleasure.

Averages: Three aged ewes, £1,785; five aged rams, £808.50; 41 (+8) shearling gimmers, £531.66 (+£134); 23 (+5) shearling rams, £421.83 (-£36); 18 (-6) ewe lambs, £305.08 (+£8); (+16) 25 ram lambs, £435.12 (-£75); 18 (+4) Millennium shearling gimmers, £295.17 (-£50); one Millennium aged ram, £840.00; two Millennium ewe lambs, £210.00; 30 (+12) Millennium shearling rams, £527.80 (-£94); two Millennium lamb rams, £315.00 (Harrison & Hetherington)