United Kingdom-Big money for Cheviot Sheep.

North Country Cheviot sheep breeders enjoyed a buoyant trade for their inaugural premier show and sale of in-lamb park and hill-type females at Lockerbie, last weekend, where a top price of £1000 and an overall average of £240 was achieved for ewes, gimmers and ewe hoggs.

"It’s been a really successful sale," said immediate past president, Innes Graham, Carruthers, Waterbeck. "There has been a huge amount of interest in the sale - we’ve been most impressed by the turnout of breeders and by the quality of sheep forward. The event attracted new breeders from as far afield as Wales, Derbyshire and Rugby, and quality sheep sold well - we’re already looking forward to next years event," he added.

But while the top priced sheep were dispersed fairly evenly throughout the country, most were consigned from the one family - Jim and Willie Thomson’s noted park-type and hill-type flocks from Hownam Grange and Kelsocleugh, at Kelso.

In all, the father and son duo who run 1200 hill-type and 250 park-type Cheviots between the two units, produced the three top priced lots as well as the champion winners in both sections. Sale leader at £1000 was the first prize gimmer from Hownam Grange, purchased by Martin Taylor, shepherd at Haystoun, Peebles, buying on behalf of Mrs MC Coltman.