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The village of Lairg, Sutherland wakes up for a day to count sheep
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The village of Lairg, Sutherland wakes up for a day to count sheep
The village of Lairg, Sutherland wakes up for a day to count sheep. On 364 days of the year this is a quiet village of 1, 046 people. The only excitement is the catching of a large salmon or the weekly visit of a mobile cinema. But once a year the lambs come to town and Lairg wakes up. The lambs come down from the Sutherland hills. Its estimated that 27, 000 of them have come down for the sale, the biggest one-day lamb sale in the country. Farmers and buyers from all over Scotland and the Border country attend. And the lambs are sold in eight hours for anything from £ 3 to £ 5 a head. Every cottage becomes a boarding-house for buyers and farmers. There is talk of fat ewes and wethers and " guid" prices and the shepherds are dressed in their best clothes. In the sale ring five auctioneers, working in relays, are taking bids at machine-gun-like speed. There are American tourists, children waving sticks and getting in the way, farmers with cheque books from the big estates and crofters with only the price of a couple of ewes in their pockets. Down from Invercasely Farm on the highest mountain in Sutherland Ben More Assynt, 3, 700 ft, have come three shepherds, Don Denoon, James McLeod and Duncan Cameron. They walked their flock of 550 across the purple heather for ten miles. And when asked if they had any trouble on the way their only comment was, " Sheep are no trouble. Its the traffic that gets in they way." Tonight by rail wagon, cattle lorry and float the sheep will be carried away the their breeders marked in black tar changed to those of their new owners. And Lairg goes to sleep until the next August 16 comes around. Shepherds John McNares (left) and Bob Ross rest their flock during the journey to Lairg. August 1950 P004140
WATFORD
Mirrorpix
Scotland
Media ID 21321501
© Mirrorpix
Farmers Livestock Scotland Sheep Sheep Dog Hill Farming Shepherds
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The Village of Lairg, Sutherland - A Day of Sheep and Excitement
EDITORS COMMENTS
. In the quiet village of Lairg, Sutherland, life moves at a leisurely pace for its 1,046 residents. The occasional thrill comes from catching a large salmon or the weekly visit of a mobile cinema. However, once a year, this tranquil village awakens to an extraordinary event - the arrival of thousands of lambs. Descending from the majestic Sutherland hills, approximately 27,000 lambs gather for the country's largest one-day lamb sale. Farmers and buyers from all over Scotland and the Border country flock to Lairg in search of these prized animals. For eight hours straight, bids fly like bullets in the sale ring as five auctioneers work tirelessly to facilitate transactions. Every cottage transforms into a boarding-house for eager buyers and farmers who engage in lively discussions about fat ewes and wethers while dressed in their finest attire. American tourists marvel at this unique spectacle while children wave sticks with excitement. Meanwhile, three shepherds named Don Denoon, James McLeod, and Duncan Cameron lead their flock on an arduous ten-mile journey across purple heather from Invercasely Farm on Ben More Assynt mountain. When asked about any challenges they faced along the way, their response was simple yet profound - "Sheep are no trouble; it's the traffic that gets in their way". As night falls upon Lairg after an exhilarating day filled with commerce and camaraderie among shepherds and buyers alike, rail wagons transport these valuable sheep back to their breeders marked with new owners' names written in black tar. Lairg settles back into its peaceful slumber until August 16 arrives once again when it will awaken to count sheep anew.
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