October 26, 2007: A Day Out at the Tup (Ram) Sale.
Yesterday we were up before the crack of dawn to attend the Annual sale of Scottish Blackface Rams ("Tups") and ram lambs put on by the Blackface Sheep Breeders Association. The tups we were selling were duly loaded onto the trailer, along with a big wooden chest full of all sorts of things from rags to brushes to "goop." Off we went in the dark along the narrow and twisty roads, picking up Richard along the way. The auction was an hour and a half away from home although the trip seemed short with the bantering and 'blethering' that went on. Sometimes Hugh and Richard spoke in the thickest of Scottish accents so it was hard to catch the jokes.

The auction market at Lanark is a brand spanking new building with all the mod-cons an auction mart could want and need. The building was huge - and cold! Our tups were unloaded quickly, and Richard and Hugh started grooming the big boys for their day in the sales ring. Grooming involves a good brushing of the wool, a smearing of "goop" on the face to make it sparkle, a good clean of the legs and neck to bring up the whiteness, and a quick oiling of the horns. The big boys were ready. Angie went off in search of the best tup on sale. Her job was to mark the ones she liked and, when the sale started, record the prices for those tups. It was a good test of being able to tell a good tup from a not-so-good one.

The obligatory breakfast was had - bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans, toast, hash browns, mushrooms and black pudding (of course!) all washed down with coffee. The Scots know how to eat breakfast.

On the dot of 10 the bell tolled to signal the start of sales in the first ring. Our boys drew the short straw and were first up in the second sales ring starting at 10.30 so there was some running between rings.

Crooks in hand, people - mainly men - streamed into the gallery of Ring 1. Crooks seemed to be a mandatory item - it gave an air of authenticity to those who are 'real' sheep people. Was it coincidental that Hugh, Richard, Andy, Gwen, Stewart and Angie had not one crook between them this day? (Hugh quickly found a crook in time for the showing of his tups in the ring.) Some of the men looked quite dabber in their plaid jackets, white shirts, ties and caps. This was obviously an occasion for which to be well-dressed. A number of women arrived early and were already seated. They came with cushions in hand. Wish we had thought of that! The bench seats quickly became uncomfortable. The men gathered around the ring, up the stairs, and around the pens where sheep were being let into and out of the ring. The auctioneer arrived, took a quick swig of what looked like water (could just as well have been something stronger) and then the fun began.

There was something like 927 tups for sale this day. They came from all over; from farms with names like Crimp Cramp, Cramalt Meggat, Hartside Lammermoor, Nunnerie, Mitchellslacks (we even know where that is), Beoch Loch Doon, Craigdarroch Glenwhern and Soonhope. My picks were from Bothwell, Connachan, Dyke and Midlock Farms.

One-by-one the tups entered the sales ring and bidding started. The auctioneers spoke so fast it was hard to decipher anything except the price (and even then sometimes it was hard). They also, at times, imitated go-go dancers with hands flailing in the air as bids were made from various places around the ring. It seemed that every tup was introduced with a "look at the skin on this boy" or "a strong looking boy - look at the weight of him." As the tup pranced around the ring, moved by the waving crooks of the shepherds, farmers, and ring assistants, the bidding went back and forth until the strike of the auctioneer's hammer. Angie's picks of tups reached prices of £12,000, £6,500, £4,600 and £500. Not bad for a rookie. Richard said he was impressed - that is very high praise indeed! Top price for the day was £12,000.

The sale lasted all day long with no break for lunch although Angie stopped for lunch with neighbours, Gwen and Stewart. Macaroni cheese, peas and chips. Who would have thought one would eat chips with macaroni cheese? But then again, it was chips with everything. Bellies full, it was back to see more tups. Not having stopped at the bar for lunch, Angie was quickly nominated the designated driver for Hugh and Richard, who were, at this point, in danger of being propped up by the bar. Angie was about to get a crash course in driving a Range Rover with a stock trailer attached. At least our tups were not coming back with us.

By 4pm, Angie was all tupped out with still 40-odd tups to go under the auctioneer's hammer. The brushing and primping of tups by the shepherds and farmers would go on for some time yet. The only thing left to do was drag two very salubrious boys out of the bar, bundle them into the truck and chauffeur them home. Mission accomplished - and home before dark (just). Amazing!

(NB: Top price paid for a tup lamb on day 2 of the sale was £42,000).



Archives:

October 22, 2007: Pheasant Shooters.

October 15, 2007: Trials, Trials and more Trials.

October 2, 2007: Back to Work.

September 17, 2007: The International Sheepdog Trial, Ireland

September 12, 2007: Foot and Mouth Again

September 4, 2007: Blackies go to the Beauty Salon

August 25, 2007: Sheep Spa and Nationals

August 14, 2007: Roy goes Gathering for the First Time

August 7, 2007 Foot and Mouth Scare

August 3, 2007 Country bumpkins go to London

July 28, 2007 Whales and Wales

July 21, 2007 Blood sampling ewes.

July 16, 2007 A week of gathering sheep