Ringside: Swaledale record at Bentham mart

Monday’s (27 September) annual show and sale of Swaledale draft ewes at Bentham auction mart, Lancashire, produced a new market record, with prices £20.52 a head up on the year.

The region’s first major sale of Swaledale draft ewes attracted an entry of 5179 head, all of which sold, to average £101 a head. A pen of 10 three-crop ewes from Messrs Brennand & Sons, Ellerbeck, took second prize in the show and topped the sale at a record of £500 a head.

Gimmer shearlings peaked at £165 a head for the first prize pen from Messrs Shearing, Littledale, and averaged £116.40 – £31.42 up on the year. Gimmer lambs reached £92 for the prize-winning pen from Lisa Huddleston, Over Houses, and averaged £70.30 – £16.56 higher than last year.