Date: 16th July 2026
Judges: Dafydd G Jones, Frongoy flock (Pedigree Classes) & A Currie, Quarters Flock (Young Handlers and Elite Class)
Sponsors: Galloway & MacLeod Ltd and Jamieson Brothers
Auctioneer: Lawrie & Symington
Claycrop Flock Claims Overall Championship and Tops the Trade at Lanark
The 91st Scottish Area Branch Suffolk Sheep Sale took place at Lanark Auction Market on Thursday, 16 July 2026, attracting a strong entry of quality Suffolk sheep and breeders from across the UK. The show commenced at 9.00 am, with judging overseen by Andrew Currie (Quarters Flock) and Dafydd Jones (Frongoy Flock), before the sale got underway at 1.30 pm. Strong competition in the show ring and lively bidding throughout the afternoon reflected the continued strength and popularity of the Suffolk breed.
It is always great to see skills that have been honed over generations being passed down to the next generation. This is a very important part of the future of the breed, and having the Young Handlers first into the ring is a great example of this in action.
Young Handlers Competition
The Under-12 class, with the winner receiving the Duncan Gill Memorial Trophy, was won by Millie Shelley from the Delves family. Following in her mother Georgia’s footsteps as an excellent stockperson, Millie demonstrated her handling skills and knowledge to the judge to come out on top.
The 12–18-year-old class, with the winner receiving the John Stuart Memorial Trophy, was won by Beau Taylor. Once again, it was excellent ringcraft and an impressive overall knowledge of the sheep being shown that secured the red rosette for 2026.
Elite Commercial Ram Lamb Class
Andrew Currie then moved on to judge the Elite Commercial Ram Lamb class, with competitors vying for the coveted Horsburgh Salver. Lot 100, consigned by Boden and Davis (Sportsmans Flock), took the title for 2026.
The ram lamb, WWZ:26:02503, was a single ET lamb sired by Mullinvale Dazzler, an All-Ireland Champion purchased for 30,000gns at the Mullinvale Megastars online sale, out of Birness ewe 1W:23:03790, which had been purchased from the Birness Flock. The ram heads to Orkney to join M. Delday at Quoybelloch, Dearness, changing hands for 5,000gns.
Female Class
Judge Dafydd Jones then took over to judge the remaining show classes. With few female entries forward for the sale, Ali Jackson’s Lot 1 gimmer shearling took first place in its class and, with no ewe lambs forward for the show, ultimately became Female Champion for 2026.
Novice Ram Lamb Class
The Novice Ram Lamb class was next, with competitors bidding for the Carr’s Billington Perpetual Cup. The class is open to exhibitors who have shown for up to three years from their first year of selling at the Scottish National Show and Sale and who are not eligible for the Open Ram Lamb class.
Taking first place was Lot 26, consigned and shown by Finlay Hunter of the Sunset Flock, who was delighted to win the class. The twin lamb, XFH:26:05290, was by natural service, sired by Bridgeview Big Guns, out of home-bred ewe XFH:23:04173. The back pedigree includes well-known flock names such as Limestone, Bridgeview, Frongoy and Maidenstone, demonstrating the strength in depth of the Sunset breeding programme.
The ram caught the eye of the Cannons of Redbrae as a valuable addition to their flock and sold for 3,000gns at the fall of the gavel.
Open Ram Class
With 18 Suffolk ram lambs forward in the Open Ram Lamb class, all of exceptional quality, Dafydd Jones had no easy task in selecting a winner. The standard on show was outstanding, and taking first place with Lot 48 was James Wallace of the Claycrop Flock.
Overall Champion
Ram lamb NCX:26:10714, a single ET lamb, was sired by Limestone King of Diamonds out of a home-bred 2023 female (NCX:23:09107) by the 48,000gns Limestone Marksman. Billed as one of the best lambs the Claycrop Flock has ever bred, he comes from one of their best breeding families.
The sire was purchased jointly and privately with Stewart Lathangie, Pyeston Flock for £40,000, with a one-third share retained by the Limestone Flock. He was crowned Male Champion at Balmoral 2025.
The lamb went on to become Male Champion and Overall Champion at the Scottish Area Branch Sale 2026 and was greatly admired by many. He later topped the sale at 28,000gns and heads to Stockport to join TJ & CR Boden’s Sportsmans Flock.
Reserve Champion
Runner-up in the Open Ram Lamb class was Lot 109 from Stewart Lathangie, Pyeston Flock, which followed the judge’s pattern by also becoming Reserve Male Champion and Reserve Overall Champion.
LVL:26:01270, a single ET lamb, was also sired by the shared Limestone King of Diamonds and out of home-bred ewe LVL:24:01044.
Stewart’s Suffolk sheep successes on the 2026 show circuit included Male Champion and Reserve Overall Champion at the Scottish National Show at Fife Show in May. He then won his Ram Lamb class at the Royal Highland Show in June before going on to become Reserve Male Champion.
His dam sold for 6,000gns at the Three Nations Sale in November 2025, while his granddam had two brothers sell for 32,000gns and 38,000gns respectively. Having stood before three different judges during the season and reached the top honours each time demonstrated that this was a very special lamb.
Craig Paterson, Cranorskie Flock purchased him for 20,000gns, taking him home to Huntly, Aberdeenshire, with the sale prices reflecting the judge’s decisions.
The Pyeston pen continued to excel, with bidding remaining fiercely competitive. Lot 110 sold for 16,000gns in a two-way share between C. Whitticase, Glanmarton Flock and Georgia Delves, Chaseley Flock, while Lot 111 also reached 16,000gns in a two-way share between Dafydd G Jones, Frongoy Flock and T.A. Irwin, Kings Flock.
These results gave Stewart the highest averaging pen of the day, with his three principal lambs averaging 17,333gns. A further lot sold for 11,000gns, making it a very special day for the Pyeston Flock.
Agri Images Masterclass
New for 2026 was the Agri Images Masterclass, open to all flocks established for 25 years or more, giving the old hands a chance to shine.
Taking first place, along with a photography voucher, was John Gibb of the Cairnton Flock with Lot 44, which was tapped out by the judge.
KLR:26:01824 was bred from a fully home-bred pairing, got by AI from Cairnton Five Star and out of the 2024-born ewe KLR:24:01646. The sire stood Male Champion and Reserve Overall Champion at the Scottish Area Branch Sale at Lanark in 2025 before later selling for 12,000gns.
John now progresses to the Agri Images Masterclass showdown, where the winners from the Northern Ireland Premier Export Sale and the National Show and Sale at Shrewsbury will compete. The overall winner of the 2026 Masterclass title will be decided by a public vote in true Britain’s Got Talent style.
The lamb later sold for 5,000gns in a shared purchase between the Claycrop Flock and the Pyeston Flock.
Group of Three
The Group of Three Competition was fiercely contested, with an abundance of superb sheep in the ring. Phil Poole of the Salopian Flock took top honours with his group, comprising consecutive Lots 103, 104 and 105.
Phil takes the Oliver Rose Bowl back to Shrewsbury for his efforts. Two of the group were sired by Solwaybank Solar, purchased at Lanark for 24,000gns in 2024 and described by Phil as his pick of the pen that day. The third was sired by Sharps Heritage, also purchased at Lanark in 2023 for 20,000gns.
These purchases demonstrate the importance of the Scottish Area Sale at Lanark to the Salopian breeding programme and have undoubtedly contributed to the flock being crowned winners of the National Flock Competition and the Bristol Gold Cup in 2026.
| Lot | Flock | Price | Purchaser |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Claycrop (Overall Champion) | 28,000gns | TJ & CR Boden, Sportsmans |
| 109 | Pyeston (Reserve Overall Champion) | 20,000gns | C Patterson, Cranorskie |
| 110 | Pyeston | 16,000gns | C Whitticase, Glanmarton & G Delves, Chaseley |
| 111 | Pyeston | 16,000gns | DG Jones, Frongoy & TA Irwin, Kings |
| 8 | Middlemuir | 12,000gns | B Roth, Tolgus & R Lawrence, Roundacre |
| 113 | Pyeston | 11,000gns | R&S Arthur, Highmuir |
| 49 | Claycrop | 7,000gns | M Stuart, Birness & C Paterson, Cranorskie |
| 128 | Sitlow | 5,800gns | C & F Wight, Wight’s |
| 28 | Tolgus | 5,200gns | O Sparks, Homeland |
| 87 | Howgillfoot | 5,200gns | RH Black, Collessie & R & P Machray, Middlemuir & RH Goldie, Harpercroft |
| 99 | Sportsmans | 5,200gns | M Stuart, Birness |
Sale Average
A total of 111 ram lambs sold to average £2,828.78, with an 89% clearance.
Thanks must go to the staff at Lawrie and Symington for their kind attention throughout the build-up to the show, the Barclay boys for their excellent coverage of the event, and Heather and the Scottish Area Branch for organising another excellent day.
Once again, the Scottish Area Branch Suffolk Sheep Sale demonstrated the outstanding quality of Suffolk breeding across the UK, with strong commercial demand, exceptional stock and spirited bidding making for another memorable day at Lanark Auction Market.
91st Scottish Area Branch SHOW RESULTS – 16th July 2026
Class 1: Young Handlers (Under 12)
1st Millie Shelly
2nd Celia Boden
3rd Parker Shelly
4th Eva Alston
Class 2: Young Handlers (Aged 12-18)
1st Beau Taylor
2nd Lara Taylor
3rd Noah Taylor
Class 3: Elite Commercial Ram Lamb
1st Lot 100 TJ & CR Boden, Sportsmans WWZ:26:02503
2nd Lot 60 JT & JB Cannon, Redbrae JKA:26:06008
3rd Lot 77 D Ford, Mullaghboy UJX:26:00409
4th Lot 82 F Christie, Maidenstone WHU:26:02094
5th Lot 129 SJ Buckley, Sitlow45Z:26:06185
6th Lot 38 D Taylor, Ballynacannon KKW:26:02856
7th Lot 145 GJ Christie, Balquhain PDN:26:01973
Class 4: Gimmer
1st Lot 1 A Jackson, Topgun ZAS:25:02392
Class 6: Novice Ram Lamb
1st Lot 26 F Hunter, Sunset XFH:26:05290
2nd Lot 130 G Delves, Chaseley DX24:26:04575
3rd Lot 19 A Jackson, Topgun ZAS:26:02645
4th Lot 25 GJ Rees, Fourlans LWO:26:05497
Class 7: Open Ram Lamb
1st Lot 48 J Wallace, Claycrop NCX:26:10714
2nd Lot 109 S Lathangie, Pyeston LVL:26:01270
3rd Lot 34 D Taylor, Ballynacannon KKW:26:02919
4th Lot 96 TJ & CR Boden, Sportsmans WWZ:26:02493
5th Lot 143 GJ Christie, Balquhain PDN:26:01982
6th Lot 76 D Ford, Mullaghboy UJX:26:00398
Class 8: Agri-Images Master Ram Lamb (kindly sponsored by Agri-Images)
1st Lot 44 J Gibb, Cairnton KLR:26:01821
2nd Lot 8 J Young, Muirton K14:26:03292
3rd Lot 92 M Stuart, Birness 1W:26:04703
4th Lot 120 M Evans, Rhaeadr A12:26:02972
5th Lot 35 D Taylor, Ballynacannon KKW:26:02825
6th Lot 58 JT & JB Cannon, Redbrae JKA:26:06053
Class 9: Group of Three
1st P Poole, Salopian
Lot 103 V87:26:01381
Lot 104 V87:26:01368
Lot 105 V87:26:01352
2nd S Lathangie, Pyeston
Lot 110 LVL:26:01251
Lot 111 LVL:26:01273
Lot 113 LVL:26:01266
3rd J Wallace, Claycrop
Lot 49 NCX:26:10700
Lot 51 NCX:26:10709
Lot 52 NCX:26:10694
4th L Hutchinson, Howgillfoot
Lot 84 UTZ:26:00805
Lot 87 UTZ:26:00772
Lot 88 UTZ:26:00832
5th M Stuart, Birness
Lot 90 1W:26:04708
Lot 93 1W:26:04712
Lot 94 1W:26:04728
6th D Taylor, Ballynacannon
Lot 36 KKW:26:02899
Lot 37 KKW:26:02904
Lot 39 KKW:26:02902
Female Champion
Lot 1 (Gimmer) A Jackson, Topgun ZAS:25:02392
Male Champion
Lot 48 (Ram Lamb) J Wallace, Claycrop NCX:26:10714
Reserve Male Champion
Lot 109 (Ram Lamb) S Lathangie, Pyeston LVL:26:01270
Scottish Breed Champion
Lot 48 (Ram Lamb) J Wallace, Claycrop NCX:26:10714
Scottish Reserve Breed Champion
Lot 109 (Ram Lamb) S Lathangie, Pyeston LVL:26:01270
Overall Champion
Lot 48 (Ram Lamb) J Wallace, Claycrop NCX:26:10714
Reserve Overall Champion
Lot 109 (Ram Lamb) S Lathangie, Pyeston LVL:26:01270
Young Handlers Images
General Gallery (Images can be purchased from AgriImages)
