IT was a good day for the Blackface breed when more than 300 shearlings and ram lambs changed hands at the north of England branch sale at Hexham on Monday, where tops of £12,500 and £12,000 were followed by a large number of shearlings trading at £2000 and above.
It was certainly a good outing for the W Walton partnership of Joe and Philip Walton together with Stuart Robson, when their pen secured the three leading price tags.
It was their winning trio from the class of three shearlings at the pre-sale show which topped and it was their second through the ring that sold to the Murray family at Sewingshields, and JRF Pattinson and Son, Hot Bank, for the top price of £12,500.
The breeding behind this lad includes a home-bred son of the £6000 Williamhope on to a ewe by a £4000 High Staward.
Following close behind on £12,000 for the flock that numbers 980 Blackie females, was the dearest sold to date by the £8500 Kirkstead, a tup that sired this year’s show ewe lamb team. Selling to the Steel and Carrick flocks of Andrew and Caroline Hunter, he is out of a ewe by the aforementioned son of the £6000 Williamhope ram.
Another the same way bred then equalled the third best price when the hammer fell at £6000 to George Famelton, Horseholme, with the eight shearlings from Toft House cashing in to level at £4137.
There were further celebrations for Stuart and his father Robert, when their shepherd’s shearling from the Toft House flock sold to Horseholme for £5000. Used as a lamb, he is out of a £20,000 Toft House-sired High Staward ewe bought as a gimmer at a charity sale for £750 and sired by the £8500 Kirkstead.

Auctioneers: Hexham and Northern Marts