SWALEDALE females met a cracking trade at a joint show and sale of Swaledale and Herdwick females, at Hawes, last weekend, selling to a top of £4800 and £4000.
The event, which attracted an entry of 36 Swales to average £865, up £147 on the year, saw young Patrick Morris-Eyton, Hallbeck, sell two of the three highest priced lots, with the dearest at £4800 being a ewe by Patch – a Paul Hallam-bred ram – out of a draft Skidmore-bred ewe. She sold carrying a twins to Kisdon Jimmy Choo, to Thomas Brogden, Hellbeck, Brough.
Patrick who runs just 30 ewes his flock based at Millom, Cumbria, then received £3000 for a ewe by Herbie – a home-bred son of a £19,000 Stephen Raine ram – out of an in-lamb ewe bought at Kirkby Stephen, from Thomas Brogden.
The reserve champion and first prize ewe from John and Ben Richardson's Ghyll House flock from Appleby, realised £4000 to J Nattrass, Shieldhill Top, Alston, Cumbria.
Champion was a gimmer from J and SJ Bland, Thwaite Bridge, purchased by G Pears, Penistone, Sheffield.
An added attraction of the event was the sale of a complete set of Swaledale Flock Books dating from 1920 to 2013 which made £8000.
Herdwicks peaked at £520 for a ewe from TW and JR Rebanks, Racy Ghyll, Matterdale End, Cumbria.
LEADINGprices
Swaledale – Ewe hoggs – JR and A Blades, £425, £300; W Allison and Sons, £250 x 2.
Gimmers – J and SJ Bland, £2800, £650; H Harrison, £2000; A Keilly, £1600; PE and KA Sowerby, £1500; N Richardson, £1100.
Ewes – P Morris-Eyton, £4800, £3000; W Richardson and Son, £4000, £1500; JR and A Blades, £1800, £1000; PE and KA Sowerby, £800, £550.
Herdwicks – Ewes – TW and JR Rebanks, £520; A Lancaster, £400, £360; M Potter, £400, £240; S Hardisty and Son, £350, £250 x 2.
Gimmers – R and M Watson, £380; N Race, £160.
Ewe hoggs – M Potter, £180; N Race, £110.
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