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Last week's sale of Masham ewe lambs at Skipton saw a top price of £270/head paid for the champions from the pre-sale show, a pen of 10 lambs from Roland and David Verity, Bouthwaite, Ramsgill, with these selling to Keith Liddle, Stainburn, Otley.

The Veritys, who sold a total of 70 lambs, were also responsible for the second prize Masham pen, which sold at £135 each to Frank Tomlinson, Wigton, Cumbria. The 350 Masham lambs forward averaged £93.09, an increase of £10.61 on 2010.

John and Sarah Tennant, Low Bucker House Farm, Bordley, achieved a championship hat-trick in the Swaledale gimmer class, retaining the Craven Cattle Marts Trophy for the third year in succession.

These sold at £230 a head - the exhibitor's highest ever price at the show - to judges Mr and Mrs Bernard Simpson, Pateley Bridge.

The Simpsons also bought the second prize pen of Swaledales from Kevin Huck, Bordley at £135 each. The 1,110+ Swaledales averaged £65.24.

More than 4300 Mule gimmer lambs were sold at the season's third open show and sale, with the championship falling to Joe and Nancy Throup, Berwick Intake Farm, Draughton, who were following up on their title-winning peformance at the second annual North of England Mule Sheep Association gimmer lamb show at Skipton the previous month.

The victorious pen sold at  £145 each when joining Derbyshire buyer Matt Tomlinson, Muggington. These were just pipped for top price by a pen from John and Claire Mason, Embsay, which made £146 per head. Mules averaged £82.86 a head.

In the Continentals show class, the first and second prize pens were shown by Ken Gamble, Easingwold. Both fell to Heather Stoney, of Bewerley, Pateley Bridge at £104 and £106 respectively, the latter being top price in class. Continentals averaged £71.36 (+£7.32 on 2010). (Craven Cattle Marts).

The Alston Moor sale of Mule ewe lambs saw a strong trade at Lazonby last week, with the best of the day a £305/head sale for lambs from John Smith-Jackson, Hightown.

Second best was £280 achieved for a pen from Parson Shield, while at £250 was the second prize pen from the show from J Lee and Son which sold to Messrs Jenkinson.

Selling at £230 apiece was a pen from Keisley Farm, with a pen from Farney Shield then making £210, as did a pen from Oak Bank. And at £200/head was the first prize pen from T Bowman, Brampton Fell, which were bought by Eddie Bulman.

Average; 22,355 ewe lambs £96.08 (Harrison and Hetherington).

Top call at Tuesday's second NEMSA Mule sale at Skipton saw a top call of £205/head paid for the champions from Joe and Nancy Throup, Draughton.  These sold to Derbyshire buyer Matt Thomlinson, Muggington, Ashbourne.

Second best of the sale was a £195 bid for the second prize pen of 10 lambs from Ashley and Rachel Caton. The Catons also exhibited the winning pen of 20 lambs, with these trading at £175 apiece to T Jackson, Goosnargh, Preston.

With almost 9000 ewe lambs forward, well up on the first NEMSA fixture, a packed ringside ensured robust, level trade throughout, with plenty of running lambs selling at between £95 and £108. Strong tupping lambs started from £106, while untouched running lambs straight off the fell could be bought in the £80s. The overall selling average of £105.30/head was up £15.40 on last year's corresponding fixture. (Craven Cattle Marts).

Mule shearlings sold to a high of £178/head at Skipton last week, with this price paid for a pen from Jerry Horn, Kelbrook.

Second best was a £175/head bid for the champion pen on the day from David Coates, Coniston Cold. This was Mr Coates third successive win at the sale, and other pens from the same home sold at £172 and £171 twice.

A pen from J C and I Walton, Hellifield, then sold at £174, with a pen from J S and K M Wilson, selling at £172.

The third prize pen from David Pighills, representing J E Thwaite, Barden, then sold at £170, with the second prize pen from Margaret Wilkinson, Sessay, making £168.

Best of the Continentals was a pen of ten pure-bred Texels from Peter Longdin, Wellingley Grange, Tickhill, Doncaster. Mr Longdin was making his first appearance in the Skipton show and saw his charges sell at £200 each, a price equalled by Messrs B and A Myers and Daughters, Winksley, Ripon.

With a number of new buyers at the ringside, shearling trade was buoyant, with Continentals also meeting much improved trade.

Mule shearlings averaged nigh on £152 per head (+ £26 on 2010) and Texels £138 (+ £20) (Craven Cattle Marts).

Carlisle's annual Latter Fair show and sale of Mule gimmer lambs saw an entry of 5775 forward and a top price and new centre record of £420 paid for the reserve champion pen from John Smith-Jackson, Hightown. These sold to Robert Carter, Parcelstown, Longtown.

Second best at £240 was the fifth prize pen from Messrs Scott, Thirwall Castle, while the third prize pen from Messrs James, Mid Todhills. And making £220 was the champion pen from Messrs Moore, Highside, which sold to Messrs Jenkinson, Clifton Moor.

The sale levelled out at £116.74, a rise on the year of £16.50, leaving all vendors highly delighted with the day's trading, report the auctioneers, Harrison and Hetherington.

Tuesday's sale at Middleton in Teesdale saw a top call of £200 paid for lambs from J and S E Bainbridge, Dousgill, with these selling to C L Morris, while second best was a £182/head bid for a pen from M W and E Dent, Wythes Hill.

Selling for £170/head was another pen from Messrs Dent which had been placed second in the pre-sale show, while at £155 was a pen from Beck Head.

The 3340 lambs sold averaged £106.15, up more than £18 on last year's sale. (Harrrison and Hetherington).

It's been a hectic week of Mule ewe lamb trading in the North of England, with some impressive prices paid, particularly at the bumper two day sale at Hawes on Monday and Tuesday which saw a top of £880 on Monday and £800 on Tuesday.

Setting the standard on Monday was the the day's champion pen from R A Busby and Son, Marrick. Second best on Monday was £500/head for the second prize pen from G and H R Shields, Revenstonedale.

Also collecting big money on he first day were E Fairburn and Sons when selling at £400, W C Porter and Son at £370, W and D Lawson and Son at £320 and A V Caton at £300.

Then on Tuesday the best call was £800/head for the day's champion pen from Messrs Lord, North Stainmore, with a second top of £480 paid for the second prize pen from G P Taylor and Son, Swarthburn.

Other top prices included £390 for lambs from C T and J E Willoughy, Redmire, N White, selling at £360, W A and A Booth selling at £330, J Nelson and Son at £320 and S H Sutcliffe making £300.

Monday's entry of 14,211 lambs levelled the day at £115.29, while the 12,829 sold on Tuesday averaged £114.01. (Hawes Farmers Mart).

Monday's sale of Mules on behalf of the Highland Mule Breeders Association saw trade hit a high of £180/head for ewe lambs, with shearlings hitting a top of £200. 

Leading the shearlings was the champion pen from J and B McCallum, Mountrich Fam, Dingwall, which sold to the judge J Brims, Thuster Mains, Caithness.

With a second top of £190/head was achieved for three vendors, with pens from Mains of Clunas, Cawdor, Milton Farm, Farr and Coxton, Cornhill all reaching this mark.

Overall the 1029 Highland Mule shearlings traded on the day levelled at £169.53, a rise of £7.83 on the corresponding sale last year.

The overall average for the lambs sold saw a rise too, albeit a much less marked one with 3095 lambs selling to average £106.21, up £2.66 on the 2010 sale.

Leading these prices at £180 were the champion pen of lambs from the MacPherson family, Blackford, Croy.

Second best here was a pen from Flichity Mains at £150/head, with a pen from Milton Farm next in line at £145/head.

The buoyant sheep trade was certainly in evidence at Kirkby Stephen on Friday for the annual show and sale of Mule ewe lambs for NEMSA members, with a new centre record set for the champion pen from W M Hutchinson and Sons, Redgate.

These sold at £520/head to Raymond Heigh, Bentham. Then £400/head was a pen from Low Dowgill, while at £390/head was the third prize pen from Messrs Hayton, Asby Grange which went to Messrs Jenkinson.

Another pen from Messrs Hutchinson then went at £370,while a fifth prize pen from Messrs Alderson, Howgill Grange, sold to Martin and Val Brown at £345 and another pen from Low Dowgill made £340/head.

Overall the 10,344 lambs forward sold on a flying trade to average £115.01, up by £23.60 on last year (Harrison and Hetherington).

Mule ewe lambs sold to an exceptional trade at the first sale of the season at Skipton, with the 6235 lambs sold averaging £120.51, a rise of £29 on last year and a total of £49 up on the sale in 2009.

Prices peaked at £245/head for the second prize pen of 10 lambs from Ashley and Rachel Caton, Otterburn. With these selling to Joe Jackson, Lancashire.

Other leading prices included sales at £222 for the champion pen of 10 lambs on the day, a pen from Geoff Walker, Brennand Farm, Dunsop Bridge. These sold to Martin and Val Brown, of Beechwood House Farm, Newton-le-Willows, Bedale.

Topping the pens of 20 was a pen from the Catons which sold at £185/head having been the champion pen in the section, these sold to Clare Morris, Barnard Castle.

A total of 26 pens sold at £150 each or more. General trade for tupping lambs was £130 to £150, medium lambs £120 to £130 and running lambs £108 to £120.

Just six pens of lambs sold for under £100 a head throughout the entire day, though Skipton Auction Mart's livestock sales manager and auctioneer Ted Ogden pointed out: "Buyers were able to source sheep to fit their budgets, with many of the high priced pens remaining in the local area, reflected by all livestock being loaded and away from the mart by 5.30pm."

Skipton branch NEMSA chairman Jeff Throup, of Silsden Moor, said: "Selling prices were above and beyond what we expected as breeders. We were highly delighted. I have never seen a show with so much quality right down the line and I can't recall seeing the Skipton ringside so busy since our inaugural sale at the new mart in 1990.

Leading flock averages;
100 lambs or more - AV Caton, Otterburn, 141 lambs at an average  £141.72, WA&A Booth, Feizor, 140 av £135.56, KA&HL Fawcett & Son, Barden, 114 av £134.25, AJ Mason, Embsay, 203 av £128.77, JA Throup, Silsden Moor, 103 av £128.08, KM&L Throup, Silsden Moor, 277 av £127.44.

Under 100 lambs - I&M Lancaster, Pendleton, 20 av £158.50, JC&N Throup, Draughton, 72 av £136.22, JC Walker & Son, Dunsop Bridge, 80 av £132.88, R Berry, Cowling, 49 av £129.25, N Heseltine, Malhamdale, 42 av £129.24, ASE Crisp & Son, Calton, 80 av £128.45.

And outstanding level of demand for all classes of breeding sheep saw a massive jump in the average at Bentham Mart's annual mule shearling dales with the entry levelling the day at £169.45, up £29.95 on last year.

Topping the sale were a pair of £280 bids, with both pens at this price coming from Ron and Fran Wilson. Next best at £240 was a pen from G E Jackson, while R J Heigh and R M and W P Heigh and Son also sold at this price on a flying trade. A total of 16 pens sold at £210 or more.

Meanwhile the Continental shearlings on offer sold on an even more impressive trade, peaking at £420 for a pen from J S Robinson, with this entry averaging £145.49, up by £13.47 on last year.

Other leading Continental prices included pens at £380, £320 and £300 from J S Robinson, with another £300 bid claiming a pen from H and J Priestley.

The Mashams forward were also in demand, selling to a top of £148 and averaging £140.94, up £28.75 on last year. (Bentham and District Farmers Mart).

Last week's annual sale of shearling ewes at Skipton saw an entry of more than 5000 sheep, up by more than 1700 on 2010 and achieved an overall average selling price of £146.41/head, a rise of £11.83 on the year.

Mule shearlings were notably strong, with the 3272 entry averaging £155.97, up £18.73 on 2010. These sold to a high of £218 for the second prize pen from the Littondale sheep farming family headed by James Hall, of Darnbrook Farm, Darnbrook. They were bought by Craven Cattle Marts' chairman Anthony Hewetson, Bank Newton.

Their Halls also took the pre-sale championship with a pen which sold at £212/head to Angus Dean, Threshfield.

East coast sheep farmer Mike Allen, Borrowby Grange, Staithes, presented the first prize pen of Masham gimmer shearlings, with these heading the Masham prices at £155/head  to Michael and David Wilson, Beckwithshaw. Masham shearlings averaged £133.59, up £10.77 on 2010.

First prize in the Continentals class fell to a pen of pure-bred Texels from Tim Jackson, of Raygill Farm, Goosnargh, Preston. Mr Jackson sold these at the top price of the day of £195 apiece when joining William Warren, Cleckheaton. Texel shearlings averaged £128.20.

 A brace of Scotch Mule sales in three days saw tremendous prices at Castle Douglas on Saturday and Monday, with Saturday's sale of shearling ewes selling to a top of £240 for the champion pen from H J Paterson, East Dykes, Strathaven. This pen set a new centre record when selling to the pre-sale judge Robert Somerville, New Abbey.

Selling at £180 was a pen from Balker Farms, with the reserve champions from J and M Kerr, Craigskean, Maybole, selling at £176/head to H R and C Dalrymple, Kings Arms, Ballantrae.

The auctioneers report an animated trade throughout the sale with the overall entry of 3615 levelling the day at £154.68, up by £24.60 on last year.

Monday's sale of ewe lambs also saw centre records tumble, with a top price of £165 paid for the pre-sale champions from J A Brown Macqueston, Tynron. These sold to the pre-sale judge H J Paterson, East Dykes, Strathaven.

Then at £158 were the reserve champion pen came from Messrs Shennan, Farden which sold again to the judge. The average for the ewe lambs also climbed heavily on the year, with the entry levelling at £113.84, up by £11.89 on 2010 (Wallets Marts).

As expected the first major breeding sheep sale of the season saw a big jump on the trade of a year ago, with last Friday's Thame with Bicester Sheep Fair  recording a rise in the Mule average of about £30/head.

According to auctioneer Rob Lea of Thame Farmers Mart, the trade was above expectations for the Mules with the entire Mule shearling entry levelling the day at £145.86. "We had some great runs of sheep forward and the buyers were prepared to pay a bit more for the quality sheep.

"With prime lamb and cull trade being so strong this year there has been a desire to reinvest in young sheep and this did impact a little on the older ewe trade which wouldn't have been as sharp as perhaps we thought it might be."

Strongest price of the sale was a £232 bid for a pen of pure Texels from R J and B E Kimber, Christian Malford, with the Texel sired shearlings averaging £146.22 for 1731 sold. In the Beltex sired shearlings the best price of £226 for a pen from Gore Farms, with 360 head averaging £148.08, up some £18 on last year.

And in the Charollais sired shearlings the best price was £180/head for ewes from G Forsyth, Leighton Buzzard, with these levelling at £140.

The biggest entry of the day was the North Country Mules, with 6686 shearling ewes sold to a top of £190 for G E Haynes, Winslow, these sold to Bramdon Richardson, Penshurst. This section saw the biggest rise in average, jumping by £31 on the 2010 sale.

In the Suffolk x Mule shearlings the best of the 6051 sold was a pen from Eddie Bulman, Thornborough, which made £202, with another pen from the same vendor making £200, this section averaged £146.14, a rise of £5 on 2010. "These could well look the best value on the year."

One lamb ewes were also in demand, with the Texel sired entry topping at £142 and averaging £139 for 86 forward, explains Mr Lea. "The Suffolk crosses sold to a top of £158 and averaged £135.43, with Mules selling to £151 and levelling at £142.83."

The strong trade continued in the ewe lambs and store lambs too, with an exceptional average of £93.53 achieved for the 560 sold. "Top here was a pen of Beltex x Texel crosses from B Blandford and Sons, Eastnor, which sold for £140, with another pen of the same making £126. The average would be up a good £20 on last year."

In the 1564 store lambs on offer a top of £75/head was backed up by an average of £63, up £12-13 on 2010.
 
Ram trade was strong too and the best call here was £865 for a Charollais shearling from Messrs Seahawes.com, Little Chesterton, with the shearling rams averaging £420. "Suffolk ram lambs sold to £555 for Merrick and Julie Pinny, with the ram lambs forward averaging £366. Older tups were a good trade too, selling to £650."

The sale also hosted the inaugural sale of Beltex for the Central Beltex Club and top call here in the females was a £472.50 bid for a ewe from Messrs Walker and Taylor, Witney, adds Mr Lea.

Mr Lea expects a much larger store lamb entry for the second sale in a month's time. "But I'd expect our shearling trade to be back a bit then as we get in to the second and third draw sheep. There are already several thousand sheep entered for next time and we hope for the near 100% clearance we saw this time, with only eight-10 pens unsold this time round." (Thame Farmers Mart).



 

Friday's Thame with Bicester Sheep Fair saw a jump in trade for shearling ewes of about £30/head on the year, with the best Suffolk x Mules selling to £202/head and Mules making up to £190/head.According to auctioneer Rob Lea of Thame Farmers Mart, the trade was above expectations for the Mules with the entire Mule shearling entry levelling the day at £145. "We had some great runs of sheep forward and the buyers were prepared to pay a bit more for the quality sheep.

"With prime lamb and cull trade being so strong this year there has been a desire to reinvest in young sheep and this did impact a little on the older ewe trade which wouldn't have been as sharp as perhaps we thought it might be."

In the store lambs on offer a top of £75/head was backed up by an average of £63 and Mr Lea expects a much larger store lamb entry for the second sale in a month's time. "But I'd expect our shearling trade to be back a bit then as we get in to the second and third draw sheep."

Best price of the day was a £232/head bid for the first pen of sheep in the ring, a pen of pure Beltex ewes. "This really set the trend for the day and buyers dug deep to get the sheep they wanted, with six or eight pens at £200 or more."

Full report to follow later.....

It's been a hectic morning here at Ingliston with the sheep breed classes continuing apace and the dairy breed and interbreed being completed too.

In the Texel ring the champion was a one-crop ewe from Thomas McTaggart, with a ram lamb from Robert Laird in reserve.Then in the Hampshire Downs the winner was a shearling ewe from E, B and S A Jones, with a shearling tup from R and J McFarlane standing reserve.Swaledale champion was W Watson with a shearling tup and reserve to it was a shearling ewe from Arthur Slack.Taking the honours in the Bluefaced Leicster ring was a tup lamb from D L and S Currie and reserve was K Smith with a ewe lamb.At the top of the Charollais lines were Angus and Susan Howie with a ram lamb, while reserve was a shearling ewe from the same home.

The North of England Mule champion was a ewe lamb from Colin Dent and reserve was a hogg from R and F Wilson.

Last week's New Fair sale of 1500 breeding sheep at Kirkby Stephen saw one of the biggest ringsides of buyers for many years, with a top price of £140 a life paid for a pen of 10 mule hoggs with Suffolk lambs consigned by Messrs Winter Bros, Clickham. These were purchased by J G Stackhouse, Ward Field Farm.

Other leading prices included a pen of 10 Mule hoggs with lambs from Messrs G Sowerby selling at £135 a life to T I Wetherall and Son and a pen of five Swaledale ewes with lambs from J A Alderson making £90 a life to S Allan and Sons.
 
The overall average was £15.59 a life up on the year with hoggs and lambs being £23.31 up on the year (Harrison and Hetherington).
 

The annual Alston Moor sale of Mule ewe lambs at Lazonby yesterday saw the best trade many could remember, with the average for the 19,545 lambs forward rising by £19.55 to level at £95.53.

Topping the trade were the second prize pen from the NEMSA show from Messrs J Lee and Son, Parson Shield. These sold to Messrs Jenkinson.

Also selling at this money were a pen from Morley Hill, while making £205 was a pen from W D and B Thompson, East Unthank which again sold to Messrs Jenkinson. At £200 was a pen from Gapshield.

Then making £180 apiece was the champion pen from the pre-sale show, a pen from G R Wharton and Sons which went to show judge P Elliot.

Mule ewe lambs sold to a high of £150 at yesterday's second NEMSA sale at Skipton, with this top price claimed by the Throup family with their second prize pen from the pre-sale show.

Next best was a £140 bid for the pre-sale champions from Ashley and Rachel Caton. Selling at £140 were the first pen of 20 from A Lodge Malham Moor.

The entry ,890 lambs forward produced an overall selling average of just over £90, an increase of £18.05 on the corresponding sale last year.(Craven Cattle Marts).

Trade for Mules at Wigton on Wednesday saw a jump in the average price of £16 on trade last year, with the 5000 lambs selling to level at £88.09.

Heading the trade was a £165 call for the first prize winners from the pre-sale show from Messrs W Ridley of Wood Hall, Hesket New Market. Second best was £130 paid for the second prize winners from the same home, while making £128 were the third prize pen from the show from J Lee and sons, Morley Hill, Whitfield.