| 2013-10-08 |    |
2,000gns Tops Skipton Multi-Breed Rams
Texel and Bluefaced Leicester rams led the trade at 2,000gns (£2,100) at CCM Auctions’ annual multi-breed sheep show and sale of pedigree and pure-bred rams and females. (Fri, Oct 4)
Traditionally one of the busiest days of the year at Skipton Auction
Mart, there were standalone shows for seven different sheep breeds,
with four separate sales rings required to process the1,115 head
entered. All rings were packed with buyers seeking to secure the
best of rams and trade was buoyant for most classes, especially
Suffolk, Texel and Texel-Beltex crosses.
Robin Booth with the family’s 2,000gns Bluefaced Leicester ram lamb
The joint top price 2,000gns Bluefaced
Leicester ram lamb was
a home-bred from the North Craven Smearsett pedigree flock of WA&A
Booth, of Old Hall Farm, Feizor. The son of Black Tag B13, who
has bred some of the Booths’ best sheep, out of a dam by D15 Smearsett,
a former Kilnsey Show supreme champion, joined Skipton branch NEMSA
chairman Kevin Wilson in Blubberhouses.
The Booths, who landed a memorable championship double with pens
of ten and 20 Mule gimmer lambs at last month’s opening NEMSA
show at Skipton, also sold a second ram lamb by their David Lawson tup,
out of a Z4 ewe, at 1,200gns to Ken and Lynne Throup, of Silsden
Moor, who themselves sold a shearling ram son of their Otterburn
Lodge sire at 1,100gns to Stuart and Stephen Lund in Littondale.
Nidderdale’s Dick Burley, from Wath, also impressed with a home-bred
BFL shearling ram sold locally for 1,400gns to Joe and Nancy Throup
in Draughton, while the Embsay-based Oddacres pedigree flock of
John and Claire Mason again presented a solid pen of shearling
rams, with a Smearsett-sired son performing best on price when
joining A Newbould & Son in Dallowgill for 1,300gns.
Two more shearling rams each made 1,100gns. The first from E&SCL
Harker & Son, of Lofthouse, sold to V Verity & Son in West
End, with the second from Richard Mawson, of Addingham, by a Robert
Crisp ram, joining John Lancaster in Bordley. Mr Mawson also sold
a second shearling ram at 1,050gns, while Malham’s Neil Heseltine
was another four-figure performer with a 1,000gns shearling ram.
David Lodge with his Bluefaced Leicester ram lamb champion
In the BFL show classes, champion was the first prize home-bred
ram lamb from Otley’s David Lodge, like his 2009 title winner by
a Reeth-based Riddings sire. Reserve champion was the first prize
gimmer shearling by a home-bred ram, out of an Ilkley Moor ewe,
from Ashley and Rachael Caton, of Otterburn. The first prize shearling
ram was shown by Thirsk’s N Peacock.
A 96% clearance rate was achieved for Bluefaced Leicesters, reflecting
the strength of the commercial trade at this high profile annual
sale. Averages: Aged Rams £525, Shearling Rams £506, Lamb Rams
£403, Shearling Ewes, £236, Ewe Lambs £139.
Mark Ireland with his 2,000gnsTexel shearling ram
In the Texel section, shearling rams met a ready trade, which was
maintained with ram lambs. A home-bred shearling ram from the Heys
Farm pedigree flock of Whalley’s Mark Ireland became the second
2,000gns joint top price achiever.
Heys Tim Whisky, an 8,000gns son of Hull House Sam Whisky, bred
locally in Hellifield by John and Linda Mellin, and the first prize
ram lamb at last year’s Great Yorkshire Show, was bought by Hartwith’s
Nick Dalby.
Giggleswick’s John and Alison North successfully defended their
2012 Skipton multi-breeds Texel title with the first prize shearling
ram. By the renowned Garngour Patriot, who has been responsible
for multiple North title winners, out of a home-bred ewe, the victor
sold for 800gns to Long Preston’s John Mellin.
Thomas Harrison, of Clifford House Texels in Skipton, presented
the first prize ram lamb and reserve champion, which made 480gns
on joining JK&CA Bretherton in Feniscowles, Blackburn, while
Glusburn’s David Towell, who always does well with his popular
Texels at Skipton, sold seven high-priced entries, among them two
shearling rams both at 1,200gns to J Bradley, of Darley, and P
Dewhirst, of Waddington.
Scottish breeder John Green, who made the long trip down from Lilliesleaf,
Selkirk, was among the leading performers with six pure-bred Texels
that averaged £800. The top 1,000gns performer, by the 10,500gns
Ettrick Rainbow Warrior, joined Bill Turner, of Skelton-on-Ure.
The same sire was responsible for four of Mr Green’s consignment,
with the remaining two by the 7,000gns Ellen Valley Knight Rider
also selling well at 980gns and 820gns. The vendor said the journey
had been extremely worthwhile, noting: “I shall be back again next
year.”
The quality of the entries in the non-MV Texel section continued
to improve, demonstrated by flying trade in both rings at the same
time.
The annual consignment of non-MV Texel shearling rams from Anne
Robinson, of Pannal, Harrogate, once more brought many repeat customers
to the ringside, with her top-notch entries again leading the trade
and selling to a high of 980gns to GH Mellin, of Black Lane Ends.
Further shearling rams sold at 950gns and 900gns twice.
Texel averages: Shearling Rams £557.65, Lamb Rams £356.53, Shearling
Ewes £261.75.
A standalone class for Blue Texels produced keen demand, notably for an annual consignment from Scottish breeders David and Jennifer Alexander, of Galston in Ayrshire, who successfully sold nine entries from 450gns to a class-topping 750gns twice. Their leading performers joined EC McDonald, of Chesterfield, and W Pinder, of Newton-in-Bowland.
Averages: Shearling Rams £698, Lamb Rams £391, Shearling Ewes
£332, Ewe Lambs £469.
The annual consignment of Beltex-x-Texel and full Dutch Texel shearling
rams from Cumbrian vendors James and Thomas Whiteford, of Tercrosset,
Brampton, again generated a ringside full to capacity, producing
a top price of 840gns, along with nine shearling rams in excess
of 700gns, among them three consecutive lots at 800gns.
The Whitefords were also responsible for the four top price Beltex-x-Texel
class entries with shearling rams from 700gns to a high of 840gns,
while Skipton’s Chris Windle sold three shearling rams, one the
third prize winner, to a top of 560gns.
The non-MV Continental sheep section achieved a 98% clearance rate.
Beltex show champion was Robert Garth, of Burton-in-Lonsdale, with
his home-bred first prize shearling ram, sold for 400gns. The second
in class from G&SE Parker & Son, of Slaidburn, was awarded
the reserve championship. Averages: Shearling Rams £435, Ram Lambs
£154.
Trade in the Suffolk section was buoyant throughout, with local
breeders providing the highlights. Bolton Abbey’s Stephen Bolland
made 700gns with his first prize shearling ram and reserve champion,
with the same price also achieved by shearling rams from Matt Reeday,
of Hetton, and Skipton’s G&A Lawn. Mr Bolland also sold ram
lambs at 650gns and 600gns.
Suffolk show champion was the first prize ram lamb from Steeton’s
Mark Evans. Home-bred by a Strathisla ram acquired last year, the
victor sold for 450gns to RJ&R Greenbank, of Boroughbridge.
Mr Evans also sold two further ram lambs at 550gns. Averages: Aged
Rams £264, Shearling Rams £396, Lamb Rams £311.
Championship honours in the Charollais show classes fell to a home-bred
shearling ram from Deborah Whitcher, who runs the Galtres pedigree
flock near York. The son of Galtres Highlander also achieved top
price in show when falling for 920gns to O Whitely, of Harrogate,
who also paid 520gns for a second shearling ram from the same pen,
which was also responsible for the second top price with a further
shearling ram bought for 700gns by John Mellin, of Long Preston.
Deborah’s parents, Charles and Valerie Marwood, of Whenby, York,
sold shearling rams at 460gns and 380gns to regular customer Denton
Park Estate in Ilkley, and were also responsible for the first
and third prize ram lambs, the former awarded the reserve championship
and selling for 440gns to J Mares, of Darwen. The third prize winner
made 390gns, while Leyburn’s Kenton Foster also sold a ram lamb
at 360gns. Averages: Shearling Rams £369, Lamb Rams £263.
Zwartbles again had their own show class, in which Margaret Watkinson,
of Sessay, Thirsk, landed the championship with her home-bred first
prize ram lamb, out of an Irish-sired dam acquired from Kath Hewitt,
of Giggleswick. Mrs Watkinson, who is better known as a Masham
sheep breeder and only started with Zwartbles two years ago, saw
her victor progress to achieve top price in show at 155gns when
falling to JM Swales, of Ripon.
Reserve champion was the first prize ewe lamb from MJ Beckwith,
of Gargrave, which made £100. C Braithwaite, of Colne, sold five
entries to a high of £130. Averages: Shearling Rams £126, Lamb
Rams £120, Aged Ewes £74.55, Shearling Ewes £126, Ewe Lambs £83.62.
Of the remaining breeds, leading prices and averages were as follows:
Lleyn - P Knowles, Kendal, £210 (av £154), Rouge - P Strickland,
Eldroth, £231 (av £231), Berrichon – K Watson, Barnoldswick, £336
(av £217).
Show judges were: Suffolk - GT Carr, Texel - Mick Verity, Blue
Faced Leicester - P Webster, Beltex and Charollais – John Mellin,
and Zwartbles – Ryan Middleton. Sponsors were JG Animal Feeds,
Dudgale Nutrition, Carrs Billington and Craggs Energy.
Repeat successes at Hampshire Down highlight
In
a standalone official annual show and sale staged by the North
East region of the Hampshire
Downs Sheep Breeders’ Association,
both the 2012 champion and reserve champion retained their titles
at this year’s renewal.
The victor was the first prize shearling ewe from the Graylen flock
of Graham and Judith Galbraith, of Endmoor, Kendal. The February,
2012-born daughter of Graylen D’Artagnan, who was also responsible
for last year’s victor, went on to achieve top price in show of
700gns when bought by G Mountain, of North Rigton, who also paid
320gns for the Galbraiths’ first prize ewe lamb, again by the same
sire.
Standing reserve once more with the first prize shearling ram were
Irish breeders KP&A E McCarthy, whose Ballycreelly flock is
based in Comber, County Down. Their Yarcombe Topper son achieved
top price in class at 600gns, with the McCarthys also selling second
entry at 600gns, plus a third at 500gns.
Females were sought after, though ram trade was more selective
than last year, with a dispersal sale on behalf of the Highlander
flock in Tetford, Lincolnshire, achieving trade much in line with
expectations. Averages: Shearling Rams £288, Lamb Rams £207, Aged
Ewes £286, Shearling Ewes £365, Ewe Lambs £345.
