Inner Wheel quiz teams from the Galashiels and Eastern Borders clubs, with district chairman Vi Romanis.

Vi, from the Galashiels club, had been challenged to pull together an inter-club quiz to represent the 13 clubs in the district which covers east central and southern Scotland.

The first of seven heats started with Galashiels hosting Eastern Borders. Questions ranged from “Events in 2013” to “Inside Inner Wheel” – with the visitors running out comfortable winners.

When all of the heats have been completed, two of the victorious teams will be pulled from a hat to face each other in the final at the district rally to be held June.

At Galashiels Inner Wheelers’ latest meeting, Kathryn Peden from the Citizens’ Advice Bureau spoke about the organisation’s work in the town .

President Rosemary McCosh presented member Susan Moore with a gift and birthday cake (made by a fellow member) on the occasion of her 80th birthday.

Inner Wheeler Moira Shanks will be welcomed as speaker at the next meeting. With the help of local churches, she is co-founder of the food bank in Galashiels.

Inner Wheel Day was celebrated last month and as this is a special year – the organisation’s 90th birthday – members were invited to bring 90p. They rolled the coins for bottle skittles and celebrated with an informal lunch, accompanied by Rotarians.

Proceeds will be placed in the club’s charity fund for distribution later in the year.

I’m not sure what’s more boring – the guessing games surrounding Willie Mullins’ festival runners or the monotonous drumming of heavy rain on my rooftop.

We’ll side with the latter momentarily, as this biblical weather really has left us summing up the last couple of months in one depressingly self-explanatory word – washout!

Several significant pieces from key festival jigsaw puzzles have been absent through conditions, leaving the overall picture unfinished.

Some have embraced conditions. The recent form of Venetia Williams on big Saturdays in particular has been nothing short of sensational. She’s reaped the rewards as a result. Others however, have shied away from the mud, leaving more questions than answers ahead of another blockbuster four days in March.

Cheltenham, though, is still a over fortnight away and there are still top prizes to be won in the meantime, none more so than this Saturdays BetBright Chase. Familiar with the format but not with the name, most will remember this best as the Racing Post Chase or, more recently, the Racing Plus Chase. Call it what you like, it’s always been one of my favourite pre-festival events and this year promises to be no different.

Since the early declaration stages, Paul Nicholls’ Bury Parade has proved popular in the betting and now holds clear favouritism. It’s not hard to see why – his masterful trainer is back in white hot form after a Taunton treble on Tuesday. Align that with the fact that he has a fast improving chaser on his hands that is proven going right-handed and you have the key ingredients for a Ditcheat big race special. That’s the theory anyway.

I am just a little concerned that the handicapper may have caught up with him by now though. His victory last time out was, although aesthetically pleasing, against a much weaker field than he’ll encounter here (apart from the second who re-opposes). That runner-up was Grandioso and, for one reason or another, he’s another from the yard I just can’t take to and feel may well find himself handicapped out of it. They’re both short enough in price and I’m quite happy taking them both on in this.

The top weight here, Rajdhani Express, was one I expected big things from this season. His progression last term saw him climb a considerable 26lbs following his first victory. That win came at this very course on Boxing Day in extremely impressive fashion. He went on to prove that was no fluke by adding the Novices’ Handicap Chase to his tally at last year’s festival. Although still open to improvement, I can’t help but feel that he might need the run here after not being seen since November. That was in the Paddy Power, where he finished a credible fifth, although a little bit of ring rust might catch up with him here.

There is one I’ve had my beady eye on since the entries were released for this and that’s the old boy Planet Of Sound. Fortune favours the brave in this world and that notion spilled on to me this week as I took the 25/1, despite Philip Hobbs having a fistful of entries early doors. Thankfully he’s the only one of his left in this now and, in a race that Hobbs himself has won three times since 2002 and had six of his last twelve runners make the frame, he’d have to be taken seriously. Don’t let the fact that he’s the grand old age of twelve put you off, as he showed he’s got plenty of the old gusto left when winning over course and distance last time out. He’s up a not unreasonable 4lbs that and I’m personally of the opinion that he’s potentially well treated here. He’s 10lbs lower than when finishing third in this just two years ago and I’m sure he’s in line to go even better this time around. He ticks just about every box for me and, for an in-form jockey-trainer team who both have excellent records in this race I reckon he’s the one for your money.

It’s not just the BetBright Chase on Saturday to grab our attention with. A trip up north towards Newcastle will see the marathon that is the Betfred Eider Chase ground out in the deepest conditions imaginable. This really will be a slog and you can bet your bottom dollar that those who finish will be crawling over the line. With it being 4 miles 1 furlong in the mud is does take one who’ll stay longer than the mother in law to get it and, in my opinion, that’d mean looking towards an older horse with bottomless stamina reserves.

Enter Junior. The likeable veteran has ran some decent races without much reward this season. His recent fourth in the West Wales National has since been franked with the winner and third home that day occupying the places in the Grand National trial at Haydock. Although he’s due to go off top weight here, a drain on anyone in these conditions, he is down to a mark of 145 – that’s 8lbs lower than he was at the turn of the year. He should find conditions to his liking and shouldn’t find the trip a bother. He’s used to lugging 11st 12lbs nowadays so if he gets into a nice rhythm he could make his current price of 20/1 look laughable. So long as Tom Segal doesn’t get there first he should be a nice each-way price on the day.

SATURDAY SELECTIONS

Newcastle (2.55) Junior

Kempton (3.50) Planet Of Sound

EARLSTON’S Billy Walker has suffered from degenerative myopia since birth, a progressive eye disease that has led to his severe visual impairment.

Late last year things got a lot worse for Billy however when a freak accident at a Judo camp dislodged his corrective lens and left him completely blind.

Never-the-less the Focus Judo Club member continued to play, wearing an eye patch, and even managed to complete a grading which led to him receiving his green belt.

Following an operation Billy has now had the lens replaced and has some of his vision back. Although his confidence has been shaken by the incident he is keen to keep climbing the Judo ladder and is grateful to his fellow club members and coaches Tom Hardy, Lee Allan, James Hunt and Stuart Gordon, as well as his girlfriend and chauffeur Sandra McLeod, for their help throughout.

Read Billy’s story in next week’s Southern Reporter.

As the independence referendum date approaches, I was glad to have the chance to speak in the House of Commons recently on Scotland’s place in the UK.

The debate was an opportunity to make some key points – as part of the UK we have fantastic economic opportunities and protection, greater security and influence in the world and enjoy being part of the most successful partnership of nations in the world.

The debate over the currency in the past week has underlined key arguments.

In the Treasury advice, it was made clear that in the event of independence the UK Chancellor would not recommend a currency union to the government of the remaining parts of the UK. The Treasury paper states that while the UK is one of the most successful monetary, fiscal and political unions in history, the fiscal and financial risks of entering into a currency union with a separate Scotland would be significant.

It seems to me that a strong, stable, growing Scottish economy is best served by keeping the UK together.

We have a big choice coming up in September – whether to go it alone or remain part of the most successful family of nations the world has ever known.

Like many people across the Borders, I am proud to be Scottish and British.

More small businesses

The increased creation of new businesses in the Borders is helping to create a stronger and more competitive local economy.

Figures posted last week by the Federation of Small Businesses show that in 2013 more than 30,000 new businesses were created in Scotland – an increase of 19 per cent from 2012.

In our area, over 500 new enterprises were set up.

An ambitious and growing small-business sector is vital and in government we have taken steps to help small-to-medium enterprises, including establishing the Enterprise Finance Guarantee which has helped small and medium organisations access increased finance from banks.

Banking facilities remain a problem for many, however, so we are also setting up a £1.25billion business bank which will provide further support for SMEs (small to medium-sized enterprises) in getting funding to help them start up, grow and develop.

And from April this year, local businesses in the Borders will also enjoy a £2,000 tax cut from their National Insurance contribution bill due to our Employment Allowance scheme.

Across Scotland this will see total savings of around £100million. That is vital to help small businesses create more jobs.

The only Borders company to hold a Royal Warrant from the Queen has had it extended for four years.

Eric Gillie, specialist horse transporters based near Kelso, were successful in gaining the Royal Warrant in 2010, and this year passed the stringent criteria to have it extended.

Michael Gillie told The Southern: “It is recognition of our hard work over the years. It is a stamp of approval and gives people a lot of confidence when they give us their horses to transport.”

Speaking about the initial award of the warrant, Michael said: “We had done quite a lot of work with the Queen’s own personal riding horses, and a lady on one of her estates approached us and said we should apply for a Royal Warrant.

“We wrote to the Royal Warrant Holders Association and then had to dig out invoices and receipts to confirm we had worked for them for a number of years.

“After we submitted it we had to do interviews and had to get people from the Royal households to vouch for us. It took between six and eight months from start to finish.”

Michael added that to get the extension required an extensive review too, which even looked at where the company sources it supplies.

“They look back at everything again,” he said. “It was almost like a re-application, and they went to the various studs and spoke to the people involved with the Royals’ horses and asked them about our work, and I think it will be someone like Terry Pendry, the right hand man to the Queen in terms of horses, that gave them the nod.

“We have worked for the Royal family for the last ten years continuously, but have done work for them for the best part of 18 years.

“We always did jobs for them - moving ponies and even bikes to Balmoral for the Queen’s grandchildren, and when the Queen established a stud at Balmoral that was when it really took off and we started moving horses between the households and to shows.”

The Queen’s love of her horses has meant she has even been there to see them unloaded from the horseboxes.

The team at Eric Gillie are proud to work for the Queen, but Michael added that all their customers, and their horses, are treated in exactly the same way.

Three local organisations are celebrating the award of grants of £25,000 each from the Scottish Government’s Enterprise Ready Fund.

The fund, which aims to help maintain, develop and grow third sector groups has given the cash to Stable Life, Borders Environmental Education Services and the Duncan Mackinnon Music and Arts Trust.

Iain Coltman, director of the trust, which operates from the former St Andrew’s Church in Galashiels, said: “We are extremely grateful for this grant which will enable us to acquire some essential hardware and supplies to take Mac Arts to the next stage.”

He added: “The grant will provide us with the equipment to promote a variety of events, including workshops, gigs and theatre, giving Galashiels a facility for the arts it needs and deserves.”

Mags Powell, business development manager for Stable Life, based at Dryden, said: “The funding has allowed us to purchase ponies and much needed capital equipment along with marketing tools to help promote the organisation.

“Having this funding has given us a huge step up the ladder, as without it we would not have been able to run our service at the capacity we wish to and we would only have been able to support a reduced number of young people.”

Borders Environmental Education Services will use the money on rebranding.

Director Pete Carthy said: “We carried out a survey of around 110 people and 90 per cent thought our name meant we only delivered services in the Borders area and that we were somehow connected to council services and schools.

“Almost 80 per cent thought we were something to do with bees and bee-keeping from looking at the acronym and logo. The name has got to go, as it’s stopping us from developing as an organisation.”

Scotland’s first community woodland holds its annual general meeting on Wednesday, February 26, and hopes to set an agenda for the year.

Anyone interested in Wooplaw Community Woodland, near Stow, is invited to the meeting at the Lauderdale Hotel, Lauder from 7.30pm (and should contact the committee via www.wooplaw.org.uk)

Current chairman Bob Fleet said: “From all of the entries on the website, Facebook and people booking the cabin or enquiring about using the woods there are a lot of people who are very active at Wooplaw.

“This is a great chance to get together and exchange ideas. It would be great to see a load of new faces.”

The aim also is to set up days for maintenance and work on the woods and the current committee hopes anyone interested in organising events for children, a treasure hunt or barbecue come forward.

Bob said: “We’ve got volunteers to lead a few groups – green woodworking, bushcraft, foraging, and work parties, but we need one for the wildlife/nature watch.

“We’ve got the chance to do some work and make some benches using the fallen Scots Pines. This would also help finance the replacement of our chainsaw, get a winch and also a chainsaw course.”

Dates so far this year include willow harvesting at Gullet Wood on March 30, a greenwood working weekend and plantlife survey on May 24-25.

HAWICK’S annual walking festival weekend has announced its dates and walks for the summer.

The event featuring six good hikes in hills around the town will take place on July 5-7. Experienced ramblers lead the £5 walks and the festival base will be the St Mary’s and Old Parish Church Hall in Buccleuch Street, with free parking in the Common Haugh nearby.

Hawick Walking Festival Group chairman Andrew Farquhar said: “Teas will be available before and after walks.

“Transport will be arranged for walks at outlying locations as required.

“A ceilidh/concert is being organised to take place in the walk centre on the Saturday evening with a ranger presentation planned for the Sunday evening.”

The walks, which leave at 9am, are: Saturday, July 5 – Teviothead to Hawick (13 miles, long). Skelfhill Pen (11.5, arduous); Sunday July 6 – Nan Lyle Cairn and Chapelhill Forts (12.5. long), Slitrig Valley circuit (10.5, medium); Monday July 7 – Braidliehope to Shankend (10.5, strenuous) and Whitrope to Hawick (11.5, moderate).

Registration for all walks is at 8.15am in the festival base, where refreshments will be available before and after the walks.

For more information and booking forms, visit www.hawickwalkingweekend.co.uk

To send booking forms and cheques or request a brochure send an SAE to Hawick Walking Festival Group, Hawick Futures Office, 2 Kirk Wynd, Hawick, TD9 OAL.

The Tory party’s first open primary election of a Westminster party candidate in Scotland saw John Lamont MSP selected in Kelso on Sunday evening.

Around 300 people – party members and other Borders residents – attended the question and answer sessions, followed by ballot voting in the Tait Hall, to choose between Scottish Borders Councillor Michelle Ballantyne and the local MSP to fight the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk seat in the 2015 General Election.

Conservatives say the area is one of their target seats in Scotland and they used the new process to make candidate selection more transparent and allow others to be involved.

Mr Lamont said: “I am delighted to have won the first open primary in Scotland to become the parliamentary candidate for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

“It was overwhelming to see so many people turn out to get involved in this important process.”

Daily Telegraph journalist Alan Cochrane chaired the event, asking the candidates submitted questions along with his own, and taking questions from the audience. He spoke first to Mrs Ballantyne.

Issues covered included Scottish independence, same sex marriage, whether the candidates are career politicians, the ‘toxic’ Tory brand in Scotland, Thatcherism, Scottish Parliament powers, why there are few women in Tory politics, immigration, EU membership, whether the candidates would go against the party whip and local issues of Borders railway and town centres.

After the count, Mrs Ballantyne said: “I’m happy we have got a good candidate to run in the election and go forward and win the seat in 2015, that’s the main thing. I’m going to get on with the business of being in the council.”

Scottish Borders Conservative and Unionist Association vice chairman, Neil Stratton, said: “We see this primary as a way of opening up to voters: this is a way we can show them what we are and they can come and listen to the candidates and make up their own mind. We are only going to win the seat if we win some Liberal votes.”

His chairman Robert-Miller-Bakewell said: “It’s been an outstanding success. We’ve raised the profile (of the party locally) and ratcheted up pressure on our political opponents.”

Local MSP since 2007, Mr Lamont is also the Scottish Tories’ Chief Whip and Parliamentary Business Manager.

The 2015 General Election will be his third attempt to win the seat from Liberal Democrat MP Michael Moore – he contested in 2005 and 2010. In the 2010 election he increased his share of the vote by 6.8 per cent.

Kelso community councillors did not object to plans for a wind turbine on an industrial estate because they thought it was for a local factory.

At last week’s February meeting of Kelso Community Council, members discussed the planning application for a 67m turbine on a site close to the Border Precision Engineering factory at Pinnaclehill Industrial Estate.

Eighty jobs were saved last spring when the previous incarnation of the firm, Border Precision, was rescued from administration.

A deal saw a business angel syndicate support a management buyout of the company from administrators. 
But the application for the turbine, which is expected to be determined by Scottish Borders Council planners within the next few weeks, has been lodged on behalf of the pension fund of those who were the former directors of the now defunct Border Precision, and which retained a 1.48 acre plot of land.

But Kelso community councillors believed the application was linked to the new firm of Border Precision Engineering, and said they were unaware of the involvement of the pension fund.

And it was for this reason that the community council did not lodge any objections to the turbine plans.

Community council vice-chairman Dean Weatherston claimed Provost John Bassett had been canvassed for support of the plans by someone claiming it would help protect jobs at Border Precision Engineering – the application mentions the possible supply of discounted electricity to the factory.

But Scottish Borders councillor Alec Nicol told them: “The application has nothing to do with the present factory.”

Fellow Scottish Borders councillor Tom Weatherston explained about the pension fund’s role in the matter.

It was at this point that Harry Tomcyzk, from the community council’s planning sub-committee, said he and others had not objected to the plans because they had believed them to be connected with Border Precision Engineering.

“That is why we did not object,” he said. Mr Nicol did not think it “fair” for Mr Tomcyzk and others to have had to consider the application while under such a misconception.

Asked to comment, Border Precision Engineering Ltd said it “neither supports nor opposes” the wind turbine application and that the company had not canvassed the community council to support the application.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the approval of the wind turbine application would neither jeopardise or safeguard the jobs at Border Precision Engineering Ltd,” said the firm this week.

The UK’s biggest cycling festival, Tweedlove, launched a new ride aimed at families at Traquair House yesterday (Thursday, February 20).

Organisers say the Tweed Ride is a celebration of both the Tweed river and valley and Tweed the fabric.

The gentle 10-mile pedal on June 2 is aimed at families and participants are being encouraged to bike decked out in tweeds and other period clothing on, where possible, on old-style bicycles.

Starting off in Peebles town centre, the ride will follow traffic-free cycle paths and quiet roads, finishing up at Traquair House, where Scotland’s oldest inhabited country house will host to a

mini-festival of music and family entertainment, local food, drink and craft beer.

Tweedlove director Neil Dalgleish said: “The Tweed Ride is designed as a celebration of everything that is great about the Tweed Valley, from our fantastic cycling routes and superb food and drink, to the area’s tradition of milling and weaving Tweed. This new event brings together the best of the Borders in a day that can be enjoyed by the whole family.”

Entries for the UK’s first Enduro World Series mountain biking race in the Tweed Valley in May went on sale last night (Wednesday, February 19) and sold out in under an hour.

The 600 £65 places have attracted big names including current Enduro world champions, Jerome Clementz and Tracy Moseley as well as many former world champions and world cup competitors such as Steve Peat, Anne Caroline Chausson, Fabien Barel and Gee Atherton.

The event will see competitors complete two days of trail racing on stages around the Tweed Valley on May 31 and June 1, as part of the Tweedlove festival.

Borders MSP John Lamont says farmers could lose out because of the way the Scottish Government plans to hand out CAP cash.

He is concerned all rough grazing land will be viewed as equal under the new payment system proposed, and not take into account the amount of livestock on the land.

And he fears it could result in some Borders farmers losing more than half of the financial support they receive now.

“Handing out equal payments for hectares regardless of productivity is simply unfair, and could punish larger farms.

“When these payments are vital to the future of these farms we cannot allow them to take such a large financial hit. We should be rewarding farmers who are capable of producing more and working harder, not taking money away from them.

“The SNP need to urgently rethink these plans.”

But a spokesperson for Rural Affairs secretary Richard Lochhead said: “This is complete hypocrisy from the Tories, who negotiated Scotland right to the bottom of the CAP funding tables for both direct farm payments and rural development funding - and it is Tory UK Ministers who want to eventually see an end to direct farm payments.

“The Scottish Government is currently seeking views on our proposals for implementing the new CAP, and encourage all interested parties to respond.

“We are taking industry concerns very seriously, and are open to suggestions for workable solutions.”

With 1,426 entries, this Sunday’s annual Peebles Poultry and Bantam Club Championship Show is set to be the largest to date.

Regular exhibitors and visitors to the show at Walkershaugh community centre will notice some changes.

For the first time there will be classes for Yellow Dutch bantams, Aylesbury ducks, and Black Hamburghs. There are also new photography classes.

In addition, there will be breed club shows for Scottish Pekin Club, Hamburgh Club, Serama Club and Scottish Waterfowl Club.

Another bantam that has grown in popularity is the Sabelpoot bantam, for which the club has created a class in the rare breed section.

A new trophy this year is the Allan Challis Memorial Trophy. Allan – who ran a poultry forum – used to come up to the show every year from Cambridge.

This year’s Hydro Trophy for points will go to the light breed bantams.

The very popular egg classes will be judged by Andrew Martin, and, if you’re looking to buy birds, there’s a well-supported auction from 2.15pm.

The show has, again, received generous sponsorship from Millers Town & Country, and WCF Pet and Equestrian.

Entry to the public is from 1pm, and is free.

VISITING anglers have boosted research on the River Tweed and its tributaries by £3,000.

The fishers donated the money when they made online bookings through Stichill-based agents FishTweed, part of FishPal.

FishPal chief executive officer Mark Cockburn said: “At a time when funding is being cut it is great to be able to help out through the FishPal group of sites with angler donations.”

The foundation says it “aims to protect and enhance the economic and social value of the fishes of the Tweed and the Eye through the study, maintenance and restoration of their populations, ecosystems and habitats and the encouragement of wider participation in angling”.

The money will go to biological research, monitoring and habitat enhancement.

A FishTweed spokesperson said: “The foundation is regarded as being at the forefront of bringing a more professional, scientific approach to salmonid management.”

Mr Cockburn presented the £3,000 cheque to Tweed Foundation director Nick Yonge earlier this month.

Just a few days to go to the Oscars of the Borders poultry scene – The Peebles and District Poultry and Bantam 27th Championship Show this Sunday.

Competitors and judges from all parts of Scotland and some parts of Englandshire will converge on the community centre at Walkershaugh and shoe-horn themselves in to witness some of the finest birds around scoop some very prestigious prizes.

And it is a shoe-horn job – the community centre is, as they say, quite snug. Perhaps on non-show days it is a cavernous facility with just the odd handful of Scouts dibbing and dobbing aboot in it.

On show days it is hot and stuffy, packed with around 1,000 birds of every shape, size and breed. If you are even slightly feather-phobic, steer well clear. Ditto if you have sensitive hearing. There is cackling, squawking, quacking, clucking, gobbling and lots and lots of crowing.

The noise of the constantly competing cockerels’ crows (ooh, get me, full fathom five thy father lies) is something else – something else to drive you demented in amongst the general racket.

If you have never experienced the crow of a bantam cockerel, it can be ear-splittingly loud and high-pitched. Like an ordinary-sized cockerel crowing while sucking helium and using a microphone when it’s throat’s sore. Incredible. That’s one reason we don’t have bantams. And it’s a very good one.

We usually just enter the egg classes. Our eggs do well, but the hens which lay them, bless, are such mongrels and misfits that they wouldn’t even win a raffle. So eggs it is.

We have spent the last couple of weeks selecting the eggs for the 12 egg classes we’ve entered. Yes, 12. As many as that I hear you say, dear (handful of) readers. Well, in fact, dear readers, there are 36 egg classes in total. Yes sir-ee, 36.

By jiminee! Crivvens! (or a similar, perhaps less innocent, exclamation) I hear you say. That many? But surely, Mrs E, an egg’s an egg? It’s kind of ovoid, kind of brown-y, and has stuff inside it. End of story. But no!

There are pink eggs, blue eggs, khaki eggs, green eggs, cream eggs, white eggs (auld yins will remember these, they were what you got before someone in the Ministry of Egg Colour decided that broon looked healthier), speckled eggs and eggs of various shades of browns from (here’s one for the younger readers) latte broon to (and for you auld yins) Bourneville chocolate broon. You display them on paper plates (provided) on beds of wood shavings (provided) in a circle with their pointy ends in the way. Sorted. I’m sure there must be more prep and tickling you could do, but I am no expert.

And each year for the past few years we have won three or four firsts, a couple of seconds and a couple of thirds.

And so the Young Master is able, confidently, to design labels for our sales egg boxes which bear those magic words: ‘award-winning’. As I said, just like the Oscars.

Eat your heart out, Meryl Streep.

Another AED (automated external defibrillator) unit has been handed over to a Borders community group by the Scottish HART.

It came just a week after similar life-saving equipment was presented to Selkirk Ladies’ hockey team at Philiphaugh by the charity.

In the latest handover, Wilma Gunn, pictured left, of Scottish HART, was in Galashiels to present an AED unit to Langlee Community Centre chair Dot Ramage, right.

Several groups meet regularly for learning and leisure activities at the centre and would be encouraged to provide volunteers for training on the unit so that whatever group was in the premises at any given time, someone would be available to help anyone who had suffered cardiac arrest.

After the presentation, there was supper and musical entertainment which involved members of organisations which use the centre.

wooler

At their weekly primestock sale last Wednesday John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 643 hoggs and 260 ewes.

Hogg numbers similar, all classes tentatively bid for showing a slight ease on the week, tail end lots arriving.

Leading prices per head:- Suff.x:- £92 Mindrum Farming Co, £88 Lamberton. Tex.x:- £90 Lorbottle, £87 Doune Brae, £85 Ladykirk and Yetlington Lane, £84 Hoppen Hall, £82.50 Yetlington Lane. Chev:- £84 South Charlton. Bel:- £82 Lorbottle. CM:- £82 South Charlton.

Leading prices per kilo:- Bel:- 210.3p Lorbottle, 205.1p, 200p Ladykirk. Tex.x:- 205.6p Yetlington Lane, 205.1p Mindrum Farming Co, 202.6p Lamberton, 201.3p Shotton. Suff.x:- 197.5p Mindrum Farming Co. Chev:- 197.3p Shotton.

Ewe numbers similar, with an increase in returns, hill bred ewes showing the most improvement on week.

Leading prices:- Tex.x:- £92.50, £80 Clarence House, £84 Barmoor Red House. Suff.x:- £83 Clarence House, £80 Branton Eastside. BFL:- £83 Branton Eastside, £80 Titlington Mount. HB:- £77, £75 Brandon. CHM:- £77 (2) South Charlton. Chev:- £75, £67.50, £64.50 South Charlton. Mule:- £69.50 Shawdon Woodhouse, £69 Barmoor Red House, £67 Shotton and Branton Eastside, £65 Ladykirk. BF:- £63.50 Linhope Farming (Hartside), £63 Branton Eastside.

Rams: Tex.x:- £93 Titlington Mount, £85 Clarence House. Suf:- £82 Titlington Mount.

ST BOSWELLS

At their weekly primestock sale on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 93 clean cattle, 39 OTM cattle, 1,669 old season lambs and 835 ewes.

Bullocks (35) averaged 217p per kg and sold to 249p (+8p on week), heifers (57) averaged 214.6p per kg and sold to 250p (-2p on week) and 39 beef type OTM cattle averaged 131p per kg and sold to 148p (-4p on the week). One young bull sold to 148p.

Old season SQQ lambs averaged 203.6p per kg (n/c on week) and sold to £108 and ewes averaged £57.56, and sold to £91 for ewes and tups. Heavy ewes £68.23, light ewes £51.64.

Principal prices per head: £1683.60; Holybush £1534.30; Bee Edge £1512.80; Grahamslaw £1508; Longnewton £1493.30; Thirlestane £1492.25.

Principal prices per kg: Bee Edge 2.50 Robert Wilson Butchers Edinburgh, 2.48(2) Malone of Edinburgh and M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, 2.46 M/s Black and Sons Ltd, 2.38 Malone of Edinburgh; Lennoxlove 2.49 M/s JP Mason and Sons, 2.38 Malone of Edinburgh; Inland Pastures 2.44 M/s JP Mason and Sons; Traprain 2.41 Malone of Edinburgh; Humebyres 2.41 M/s Fitton Butchers; Caverton Mill 2.40 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd; Upper Nisbet 2.37 M/s JA Waters and Sons.

Cows per head: Thirlestane £1235.10, £1222.65; Ransfield £1203.50, £1190.70, £1177.50, £976.50; Stoneypath £1112; Grahamslaw £1105.05; Humebyres £108780; Priesthaugh £1081.50; Borthwickshiels £1032.75; Muircleugh £979.55; Mosstower £972.70; Marchcleugh £962.50, £962.

Cows per kg: Marchcleugh 1.85, 1.79, 1.75, 1.68, 1.59; Thirlestane 1.79, 1.43; Skelfhill 1.61; Ransfield 1.57, 1.55, 1.47, 1.45; Humebyres 1.47; Stoneypath 1.45, 1.43; Grahamslaw 1.39.

Bulls: Huntington £1418.75(1.25); Priesthaugh £1081.50(1.03).

Hoggs per head: Bel.x;- £108, £104.50, £103, £102 Clochnahill, Tex.x;- £102.50 Edrom Mains, £102 Headshaw. L, £100 The Lee, Suff.x;- £99, £98.50 Headshaw. L, £97.50 Edrom Mains, Suff £97.50 New Channelkirk, Chev;- £89.50, £89 Saughtree, £88 North Synton, BF;- £89.50 Williamhope, £85 Hartside, £83 Longcroft, HB;- £89, £88 Stobshiel Mains, Mule;- £87.50, £85 Toxside, £84 Longcroft.

Hoggs per kg: Bel;- 221.6 Wester Deans, 220 Clochnahill, 215.8 Lylestane, Tex;- £221.4 Eildon Mains, 221.1 Bedrule, 216.7 Halidean Mill, Chev;- 211.3 Kirklands, 208.1 Lylestane, 207 Saughtree, Suff.x;- 208.1 Threepwood, 207.7 Broomilees, 207.5 Bedrule, CM;- 205.3 Halidean Mill, 201.3 Lylestane, BF;- 203.8, 198.5 Longcroft .

Ewes: Tex;- £91 Wedderlie, £87 Holydean, £85 Shoestanes, Suff.x;- £80 Hermiston and Nisbethill, £76, £75 Headshaw. L, Bel;- £80 Wester Deans, Suff;- £77, £75 New Channelkirk, BFL;- £76 Hartside, £70 Upper Chatto, GF;- £71 Nisbethill, £70 Slegden and Howford Crossing, Lleyn;- £71 Ruchlaw Produce, £67 Dolphinston, HB;- £70 Bonjedward Mill, Chev;- £70 Shoestanes, CM;- £70 Maidenhall, BF;- £63 Stoneypath, £60 Hartside and Falside.

Rams: Tex;- £91 Bonjedward Mill, £85 Burnhouse Mains, Char;- £85 Burnhouse Mains, Bel;- £83 Burnhouse Mains, BFL;- £77, £72 Burnhouse Mains, Wen;- £77 Eckford House, Chev;- £75 Upper Chatto, Suff.x;- £73 Faughhill, Rye;- £70 Eckford House, Suff;- £69 Faughhill and Broomiebank, Rom;- £65 Towford, BF;- £60 Holylee, £59 Broomiebank.

border livestock

Last week Border Livestock Exchange sold 187 prime cattle including 43 cows and 1,461 prime sheep including 329 ewes.

The company also sold 148 store cattle and 249 store lambs.

For the third week prime cattle returns remain level with top prices going to B.J.C. Smalley and Co, West Kyloe, Berwick, at 395p per kg and £1,636 for their Angus steers.

Continental steers sold to 387p per kg for Scottish product and 375p per kg for British.

Limousin cross young bulls from Bowsden Moor, Berwick, sold to £1,718 per head for a 12 month old bull. Cull cows sold to £1,218 from Sandyknowes, St Boswells.

Hill cows from Hallrule, Hawick, sold to an impressive £1,022 per head.

Prime lambs continued to firm with export weights selling to 425p per kg for a Continental cross from Great Tosson, Rothbury and Humbleton, Wooler. Heavy weight Texel crosses sold to £110 from Middle Moor, Alnwick. Ewe trade perked up with a pen of Half-bred ewes from Whitehouse, Alnwick, selling at £85 each.

A marvellous pen of 24 strong Charolais store bullocks sold at £1,365 per head off our very active web-site and a pen of 17 Limousin bulling heifers sold at £1,325 from Upper Nisbet, Jedburgh.

longtown

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart PLC had forward 75 prime cattle, six young bulls, 22 over 30 month cattle, 4,537 prime hoggs and 4,738 cast ewes and rams at their weekly sale at Longtown last Thursday.

A large show of 75 forward at the weekly sale of prime cattle saw a plain show sell to recent rates. Top price to 230.5p for a Limousin heifer shown by Messrs A. and W.J. Taylor and Son, Dashwellgreen, others to 223.5p (x2) also from Messrs Taylor and all being purchased by Border Meats Wholesale Butchers, Lockerbie.

OTM’s were a very mixed show of quality and saw the sale top at 177.5p for a British Blue sold by Messrs Rome, Shawhead.

Another excellent show of 4,537 prime hoggs (811 lightweights) were forward to the usual full ringside of buyers, best quality export weights dearer on the week with heavy hoggs also in stronger demand, more lightweight hoggs could have been sold to advantage. The overall sale average was 196.7p per kilo (SQQ 200.2p per kilo). Top was £117 per head for Texels from Muircleugh with a top per kilo of 277p from West Meiklethwaite.

A much larger show of 4,738 cast ewes and rams were forward to a fuller ring of purchasers. All classes of ewes again £2 to £3 sharper on the week. Plain ewes and hill ewes short of buyers requirements and far sharper on the week. Many more could have been sold to advantage. Tups yet again another £10 firmer on the week.

Do sheep carry measles? Just one of the whimsical questions posed in the book, “A Doctor Remembers”, by Dr Arthur Bethune, who was GP in Newcastleton for four decades.

He describes his career, from student days in Edinburgh during the war, through spells in south-west Scotland, the Outer Hebrides and Leicestershire, to his work in Copshaw.

The book is dedicated to Newcastleton Community First Responders and social work carers in Newcastleton.

Since publication in July last year, around 600 books have been sold, with all the profit going to support the village’s first responders in Newcastleton. And so it was that last Saturday Dr Bethune and his son, David, who lives in Selkirk, and designed and published the book, were able to hand over an initial cheque for £2,300 to Fraser McLean, treasurer of the first responders, at a reception held in Newcastleton health centre.

The book is on on sale in Selkirk Post Office or can be ordered direct from David (01750 21703, david@dbethune.com, or www.dbethune.com/publishing).

Members of the public are being invited to get involved in the Wilton Lodge Park regeneration project.

Two volunteer introductory events are to be held at Hawick Museum within the park on Wednesday, February 26 (1pm to 3pm) and Sunday, March 2 (2pm to 4pm) to give locals the chance to find out more.

The events have been put together by the project’s recently appointed volunteer co-ordinator Lisa Brydon, as Wilton Lodge Park and Hawick Museum go through a £3.64 million regeneration programme supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Borders Council (SBC).

Ms Brydon said: “We’re excited about the possibilities that the regeneration project for the park will bring.

“From the walled garden to events in the park, we hope there will be a number of ways in which people can invest their time and talents. Hopefully this project will offer some varied experiences to those taking part.”

Councillor David Paterson, SBC’s executive member for environmental services, said: “The Wilton Lodge Park project requires the help of volunteers and I encourage anyone interested to come along to one of these events.”

For more information contact Lisa Brydon on 07580 788617 or email at lisa.brydon@scotborders.gov.uk