CHANNELKIRK primary school’s Toby Dawson was the winner of St Boswells auctioneers John Swan’s first Christmas Cracker young auctioneers competition on Tuesday.
Toby was one of four finalists to each auction a lamb and the £620 proceeds were donated to Child Poverty Scotland.
John Swan Ltd’s managing director Jack Clark said: “It was a total success. The judges were more than impressed with the confidence displayed by the youngsters many of whom do not come from an agricultural background.”
Meanwhile Kelso farmer John Elliot of Roxburgh Mains took the championship at the event’s show and sale with Brawburn, an Aberdeen Angus cross bullock.
The animal, bred by Messrs Ross, Wester Middleton, Gorebridge, was champion at the St Boswells Native Breed Calf sale in September before going on to win the champion native breed ticket at the Winter Fair in Edinburgh and Smithfield Show at Peterborough last week. It was sold for £5.20kg (£3068) to leading East Lothian Butcher, John Anderson, North Berwick. The 65 cattle sold averaged 249.5p pkg
An outstanding show of lambs were led by AHC Smith, Crumhaughhill, Hawick with a pair of Texel cross lambs which sold for £380 each to Malcolm Allan Ltd, Falkirk. Once again the quality of the entry was reflected in an average price of 220.6p being returned.
Mr Clark said: “The event which was in association with The Royal Bank of Scotland attracted an outstanding entry of both sheep and cattle.”