A packed ringside in Dalmally saw a record turnover for the annual blackface ram sale.

Buyers travelled from across the UK for this annual sale.

Demand was high from buyers throughout the day, with 193 ram lambs sold, averaging a very impressive £2,775 (€3,325), and 476 aged and shearling rams sold to average £1,691 (€2,026).

The sale was topped at 70,000gns (€88,060) on two occasions. The first came from the Dalchirla flock for a ram lamb sired by a 23,000gns (€28,937) Dalchirla.

He sold to the Elmscleugh flock, with a share retained by the Dalchirla flock.

The next lot to hit 70,000gns (€88,060) was another ram lamb, this time from the Upper Wellwood flock.

This lamb was sired by a 22,000gns (€27,681) Dyke ram and sold in a three-way split to Merkland, Clonrae and the Glen.

Undisclosed buyer

Following close behind these leading lambs was a Midlock lamb that went on to sell for 60,000gns (€75,468) to an undisclosed buyer.

It was a Crossflat ram lamb that took the next-top price, selling for 50,000gns (€74,869) to Blackhouse and Whelphill.

A total of eight ram lambs sold for more than 10,000gns (€12,583) and 20 ram lambs sold over 5,000gns (€6,292).

Shearling trade

Leading the shearling ram trade was the Burnhead flock that sold their shearling ram for 35,000gns (€44,030). This shearling, sired by a 12,000gns (€15,096) Dyke, sold in a two-way split to Nunnerie and Dalchirla.

Following closely behind was a shearling from the Midlock pen. This impressive ram was sired by a 75,000gns (€94,366) Dyke ram and sold to Merkins, Upper Wellwood and Dalblair for 30,000gns (€37,750).

The 30,000gns (€37,750) mark was hit again later in the day by the Gass flock for another strong shearling ram. He sold to the Elmscleugh flock.

The next top price in the shearling ram section was 22,000gns (€27,683) for a Dalchirla shearling. It was by the Livet and Dunruchan flocks for this strong son of the 100,000gns (€125,822) Midlock.

In the shearling and aged ram section, 16 lots sold for 10,000gns (€12,583) or greater and 30 sold for 5,000gns (€6,292) or greater.