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Semen was imported in November 2022 and more will likely follow early in 2023. Many breeds are included.
North Country Cheviot semen comes from two of the breed's top flocks : Andrew Polson's Smerlie Farm, and Allanshaws Farm owned by Roderick Runciman and family.
NOVEMBER 2022
WE PARTNERED ON AN ET FLUSH WITH TIM AND JULIE REED FROM RIPLEY,WV. WE SHOULD HAVE LAMBS IN APRIL SIRED BY SEBAY XCITABLE OUT OF A HIGH ROAD BRED EWE.
TiHE REEDS BRED 18 MORE EWES TO SEBAY XCITABLE, CAIRNSIDE BRIGHTSPARK AND ALLANSHAWS XR3 ALL THESE MATINGS ARE DUE TO LAMB AROUND APRIL 23
SMERLIE WHISKEY
Sire: DURREN ROVER
SMERLIE AMBASSADOR
Sire: SMERLIE WAGON WHEEL
CAIRNSIDE BRIGHTSPARK
Sire: WEMYSS TOPPER
SMERLIE ARCHIE
4600 sale top , Lockerbie 2021
Sire: Smerlie Vince.
Smerlie bred Supreme sheep champion, Black Isle Show. Sire Durran Rover
DURRAN ROVER
Smerlie Farm foundation sire
Consigmed to Caithness and Lockerbie
2018 Sale ram. Ist in class Highland Show.
ANDREW POLSON with his Reserve Male Champion, Royal Highland Show 2022
Smerlie Brave A hiigh priced sale ram, Lockerbie 2021
2019 single . Allanshaws runs 800 NCC ewes near Galasheils in southern Scotland, and is a proven producer of successful show stock. Codon RR
Bred in Orkney by the Baillie family, sired the record setting 15.000 champion ram at Lockerbie, 2021, plus the reserve champion female at the 2021 Royal Highland Show
Codon RR
April; 2018 single, sire Bardnaclavan Victorious, Codon RR
March 2018 triplet, sired by Allanshaws Triple 20, bred by Pengroes Farm in Wales. Codon RR
Pictured after arrival at quarantine and collection station, Malvern, England, late March 2022.
Here is a fine picture of rams taken at Longoe Farm, formerly home of H M the QUEEN MOTHER on the North coast of Caithness. The background water is the Pentland Firth, separating Caithness from the Orkney Islands.
Longoe farm and the Castle of Mey was left to the county of Caithness by the Queem Mother's estate following her death in 2002 aged 101. Her first farm manager in 1958 was Sandy Swanson, a great friend of my grandfather, whose grandsons Danny and Sandy McCarthy manage the operation now, including Angus cattle and North Country Cheviot sheep. Genetics from the Longoe flock were exported to U.S. and Canada in thr 1990's.Our current flock genetics include two Longoe rams The Queen Mother would be pleased to learn that the Longoe flock is still very much alive.
Caithness is Scotland's northernmost mainland county. A rugged coastline and somewhat barren treeless landscape, surrounded by ocean, but possessing a unique charm unlike any other Scottish county, with an abundance of fine livestock farms and hardy residents.
We are excited about the prospect of breeding our ewes to Caithness rams from Andrew Polson. We never thought we would ever have the chance. We certainly must appreciate Deb for making this happen. Our current ewe flock is heavy in the Scottish genetics from the last "Park type" importation from back in the nineties - Caithness genetics from two Longoe rams, and Brotherstone Trooper from the south of Scotland flock owned by Tommy Dun,whom I knew.
Andrew grew up on a croft in Smerlie, Caithness with North Country sheep, near the village of Lybster.
I spent every summer growing up just a few miles south of Lybster on Remiggy ,my grandfather's farm, with North Country sheep and Shorthorn cattle. I soon determined that livestock breeding would be my life's work, which I am blessed to say came to pass.
Andrew and I never crossed paths, since I left for U.S.A. after college in 1965, long before his time.
Andrew is a successful engineer, involved with North Sea oil drilling off the north east coast from Aberdeen. He bought a farm near his work and brought his foundation sheep flock from his native Caithness, where the North Country breed was developed long ago.
When we first talked by phone, Andrew told me something else that I was very interested to hear. Helping Andrew make his flock selections along with his father John, was Tommy Munro, a fine stockman that I knew very well from about 60 years earlier. He used to work for my long time friends Donald and Innes Miller in the 1960's on Dale farm near Halkirk. I visited Dale often and I spent much time with the livestock and Tommy. I showed Tommy how to clip cattle for show and soon he and I convinced Donald to let us show a steer calf at the county fair, which won his division.
After Dale, in 1969, Tommy took a job with Alistair Clyne, Field of Noss, one of the premier sheep breeders, leading to great show success nationally for the next two decades. This was the opportunity Tom needed, and he became established as a leader in North Country sheep circles and a respected judge of livestock. It is reasonable to suppose that the Smerlie flock foundation was built to last.
Sadly, Donald Miller and Tommy are both now gone but we are still in touch with Innes, though he and I are both getting long in the tooth, as the saying goes.
I have enjoyed getting to know Andrew by phone, but hope some day to get back to the old country again and have a proper visit, and maybe even a dram or two.
Martin Macqueen
Above is the Caithness coast looking north near Latheron, a picture taken by my brother Robin. Andrew's old home place is located on the upper left off in the distance. Caithness is known for agriculture and formerly herring fishing.
The Vikings invaded the area centuries ago, and left their mark in Norse place names, and a distinctly different dialect from the rest of Scotland.
If I ever had my DNA evaluated, I could reasonably suppose that I have considerable Norse genetics, since the Vikings not only invaded Caithness, but also the Isle of Skye where my father's people came from. Norway lies about 500 miles east across the North Sea.