North Country Cheviot Sheep Society

Caithness Show & Sale 2025

Caithness Show & Sale – Friday 19 September 2025

The annual Show & Sale of North Country Cheviot Park-type tups and females was held on Friday 19 September 2025.

A panel of judges travelled from Northern Ireland, Wales, Yorkshire and Shetland to oversee the event.

Single Tups: Judged by Alastair Armstrong (Stragole, Northern Ireland) and John Robert Burgess (Hillwell, Shetland).
Groups of Tups & Females: Judged by Rhys Davies (Maerdy, Wales) and Brendan Drew (Gill Beck, Yorkshire).

Show Results

Single Tups

Champion: Smerlie Falcon, from Andrew Polson, sired by Upper Cornquoy Classic (purchased in 2022 for £9,500). Falcon heads to Wales with judge Rhys Davies (Maerdy Flock) for £4,000.
Reserve: Sebay Forever, from J. S. Baillie’s Orkney-based flock, a son of Gremista Classy, purchased by Allan Mackay (Balkeith, Tain) for £2,400.

Females

Champion: A gimmer from Henry Mill, Achscrabster, sired by Smerlie Dollar. She stays local, joining the Framside flock for £1,000.
Reserve: A gimmer from James Mackay, Biggins, sired by Biggins Eyecatcher, purchased for £1,800 to join Vicki Elder’s newly established flock.

Sale Highlights

Outside the show ring, the day’s top price also went to a Smerlie tup: Smerlie Foreman, a son of Smerlie Epic and full of homebred genetics. He was secured in a two-way split between Alan Smith (Upper Cornquoy) and D. N. Campbell & Sons (Bardnaclavan) for £6,000.

Overall Trade

With a strong entry forward and an excellent show, the sale met a lively trade for both breeders and commercial sheep, with buyers willing to pay strong prices for the best. More numbers sold and a higher average price on the year previous reflected this.

SHOW RESULTS - TUPS

Shearling Tups

Lot 101 A Polson, Smerlie £4000
Lot 34 JS Baillie, Sebay £2400
Lot 35 JS Baillie, Sebay £1000
Lot 48 J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy £1200
Lot 50 J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy £4800
Lot 108 A Simpson, Cairnside £4000

Group of Three Tups

J & J Smith, Upper Cornquoy (51,52,53)
J Mackay, Biggins (27,28,32)
H Mill, Achscrabster (73, 74, 75)
B & J Mackay, Emax (20, 22, 23)

Group of Five Tups

H Mill, Achscrabster (67, 69, 71, 72, 70)

Tup Lambs

Lot 122 W Campbell, Ormlie

Champion

A Polson
Smerlie Falcon
Sired by Upper Cornquoy Classic

Reserve Champion

JS Baillie
Sebay Forever
Sired by Gremist Classy

SHOW RESULTS - FEMALES

Gimmer

Lot 139 H Mill, Achscrabster
Lot 133 J mackay, Biggins
Lot 134 J Mackay, Biggins
Lot 141 E Wishart, Newbigging

Ewe Lamb

Lot 136 J Henderson, Murrayfield
Lot 137 J Henderson, Murrayfield
Lot 131 R &K Sutherland, Hilliclay

CHAMPION

H Mill
Achscrabster Gimmer
Sired by Smerlie Dollar

RESERVE CHAMPION

J Mackay
Biggins Gimmer
Sired by Biggins Eyecatcher

AVERAGES

85 Tups sold to average £1132.47

Smerlie - 4 to average £3150
Cairnside - 5 to average £2000
Upper Cornquoy - 8 to average £1787.50
Sebay - 7 to average £1285
Swinister - 6 to average £1041
Bardnaclavan - 6 to average £1100
Jacqueline Biggins - 3 to average £1033
Longoe - 4 to average £925

Top Price - A Polson, Smerlie Foreman £6000
Upper Cornquoy First- Class £4800
Champion - Smerlie Falcon £4000
Reserve Champion - Sebay Forever £2400
Judging the Single Tups - Alastair Armstrong, Stragole & John Robert Burgess, Hillwell
Judging the females - Rhys Davies, Maerdy & Brendan Drew, Gill Beck
Judges & Sponsor (Shearwell) presenting Best Group of Three Trophy to Alan Smith, Upper Cornquoy
Judges & Sponsor (Shearwell) presnting Best Group of Five Trophy to Henry Mill, Achscrabster
Judges & Sponsor (Shearwell) presenting Champion Trophy to Andrew Polson, Smerlie
Judges & Sponsor (Shearwell) presenting Best Tup Lamb Trophy to William Campbell, Ormlie
Judges & Spnsor (Shearwell) presenting Reserve Champion Trophy to Balfour Baillie, Sebay
All prizewinners, judges and sponsor