HARRISON & Hetherington's December sale attracts some of the UK's top pedigree breeders for this year's final pedigree fling.

The main pedigree weekend of the year will include the sale of Beltex, Dutch Spotted, Blue and Badger Face Texels, Limousin Cattle, and for the first time ever the Carlisle Crackers Sale of Texels.

Taking place on Thursday, December 8 and 9 December at Borderway Mart in Carlisle, the weekend will see 1,200 head sheep and cattle go under the hammer.

This year’s sale will also include the addition of The Christmas Cracker Pedigree Texel sheep sale on Friday, December 9 beginning at 7:00pm.

This new sale will see stock from a number of renowned top breeders including the Rhaeadr flock which sold the top priced ram lamb at Lanark this year at 160,000gns and the Okehall flock which sold the top priced ram at the Solway & Tyne Sale this year for 50,000gns.

The weekend will begin with the sale of 82 Kerryhills, 156 Blue Texels, 40 Badger Face Texels and 100 Dutch Spotted, as well as the Clary Beltex Dispersal Sale including 29 ewes, 27 gimmers and 19 pregnancies, plus 36 gimmers from Matthew Burleigh’s flock.

Also taking place that evening is the ‘selection box’ sale of 125 head from Sunnybank and 80 Emslie heifers.

Going under the hammer on Friday, December 9 will be 132 head of Beltex; 100 head of continentals including the annual Tercrosset consignment (22 head); Limousin Red Ladies (56 head) & Weaned Calves (59 head); 100 head in the Carlisle Crackers Texel Sale; 70 head in the Kelso Crackers Texel Sale; 40 head in the Texel Collective Sale; and the Dispersal Sale of Roussin sheep from the Ballylinney flock for Derek Steen (58 head)

Commenting ahead of the show and sale, Auctioneer James Little said: “This is one of our pinnacle sales and rounds up the year, which from a pedigree perspective has been excellent. We have hosted several new sales which includes the pedigree Texel sale as part of this weekend which is a fantastic addition.

“We have received a huge amount of interest and the quality of stock across all the breeds is exceptional and will without question generate a huge amount of interest from buyers throughout the UK. The standard of this sale just proves that Borderway has become the ideal stage to achieve maximum returns for all pedigree stock, which is something I am very proud of.”

Also taking place on the evening of Thursday, December 8 is a production sale for Henry Jewitt and a Beltex Dispersal sale for JL McMillan.

“Each year this show goes from strength to strength, and it has become one of the most highly anticipated weekends in the calendar. I am expecting a fantastic trade this year considering the incredible line-up of stock we have going under the hammer.” concludes James.

Harrison & Hetherington is the appointed auctioneers for all major beef, dairy and sheep breed societies throughout the UK. The farmstock business is well known and respected by pedigree / commercial farmers nationwide and in specialist fields worldwide. Borderway is UK’s largest and leading livestock sale centre, handling 800,000 head of cattle and sheep annually and providing a service to sellers/buyers from all geographic locations, including Europe. Aside from Borderway the company operates eight other auction marts.