Winter Texel highlight for Procters Farm
Procters Farm in Slaidburn was responsible for the supreme champion shearling ewe, one of its two joint top 1,600gns (£1,680) achievers at the 21st annual Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders’ winter show and sale of pedigree in-lamb females at Skipton Auction Mart on Saturday.
The reserve champion shearling ewe from Mark and William Keighley, of Leathley, Otley, was third best on price at 1,350gns (£1,417.50), with all three of the leading four-figure performers joining the same buyer, 14-year-old William Watson, of Hellifield.

Pictured at the Skipton winter Texel females highlight are, from left, Mark Keighley and the reserve champion, joined by son Jack, Jeff Aiken and the supreme champion, and judge Philip Makin.
The February, 2012-born title winner, Procters PFD1201888, was by shown Procters Farm flock manager Jeff Aiken. She is by the 50,000gns Haddo Ringleader, acquired three years ago and also responsible the same breeder’s 2012 Great Yorkshire Show shearling ewe champion.
Out of a Callerton Nomad-bred Ewe, the Skipton title winner was sold expecting a single lamb to Scholars Twenty Twelve, bred in Cheshire by William McCaffrey.
The Procters Farm pen was also responsible for the fourth prize and top price-equalling 1,600gns shearling ewe, Procters PFD 1201997, born in March last year to the 12,000gns ram Sportsman Scania, out of a Clynnog Joe Tex ewe. She was sold carrying twins to Tophill Union Jack.
While Procters Farm secured its first-ever championship success at the annual fixture, the Keighleys’ Manderlea flock had won the Skipton winter title no less than six times in the previous seven years.
They again arrived with a top-notch pen of shearlings, many of which were the last draft available by their successful Scottish-bred sire Corrie Rocker, bought as a lamb in 2010 and who produced four shearling ewes that sold for over 1,000gns at Skipton’s annual Texel highlight in September last year.
Their 2013 pen included the second prize shearling ewe and reserve supreme champion, Manderlea KAM1201325, one of their Corrie Rocker-sired entries, out of a Tophill Protatype ewe. The runner-up’s breeding lines go back to the formidable Strathbogie Knock Out, also responsible for two former Skipton Texel winter show champions. She has been scanned in-lamb with twins to the Keighleys’ own Manderlea Turn On.
The same vendors were also responsible for the fifth prize shearling ewe, Manderlea Kam 1201347, this one by Stonehills Rockstar, out of a Greenwood Priapus-sired dam and in-lamb to the Corrie Rocker son Manderlea Tommy.
This too joined William Watson, who made a fifth acquisition with the second prize ewe from Thomas Harrison, of Skipton-based Clifford House Texels, at 300gns.
William (whose father Paul buys prime sheep on a weekly basis at Skipton) only started breeding Texels when he made his first acquisition at the corresponding winter fixture three years ago and has bought regularly at the sale in ensuing years, including last year’s victor and the 2011 champion and reserve.
A pupil at Settle College, William’s latest Skipton acquisitions boost his growing flock to around the 60 mark. He has already tasted success in show circles, this year finishing third in both the Northern Texel and North-West Texel flock competitions, as well as winning first prize in the novice class in the latter. He is looking forward to further success on the 2014 show circuit.
The Heyworth Lodge flock of Jennifer Lodge in Moss, Doncaster, provided the next highest price of 1,250gns for LSH1200176, the third prize Allanfauld Rockafella-sired shearling ewe, out of a Haddo Neptune dam. She sold in-lamb to the 11,000gns Sportsmans Tremendous 11 to Ian Graham of Plumpton, Penrith.
Mrs Lodge was also responsible for the first prize ewe, the 2009-born Heyworth Lodge LSH09493, by the Scottish-bred Castlecairn Osstar, out of a Templand Megane-sired dam, and scanned in-lamb with twins to Hull House Union Jack, bred by John Mellin in Hellifield. She sold for 400gns to CH Foxton in York.
Mr Mellin himself presented the third prize and top price 450gns ewe, the 2009-born Hull House MJH094330, by Castleknowe Matchmaker, who has sold daughters to 13,000gns, out of a Claybury Jedmond-sired dam and in-lamb to Knock Turbo. The buyer was J Bulmer, of Malton.
Another notable sale at 900gns fell to the first prize ewe lamb, RKS1300734, from Chris Riby’s Stonehills flock at Fraisthorpe, Bridlington. Sired by the Sportsman Pasternak son, Beautry Taz, bred by Stuart Currie in Rathmell, out of a Humeston Pride of Kings-sired dam, the February- born red rosette winner returned to Mr Currie’s Beautry flock.
With 130 head of pedigree Texel females forward, shearling gimmers averaged £390 each (£463 in 2012), aged ewes £287 (£341) and gimmer lambs £280 (£261). Full results, buyers and selling prices are at www.ccmauctions.com
Judge was former Northern Area Texel Skipton champion Philip Makin, of Chopgate, between Stokesley and Helmsley, with the show sponsored by Skipton-based Harrison Agricultural Supplies.
CCM Auctions