AVERAGES improved across the boards at the sale of individual Swaledale females at Hawes, where a shared top price of £4800 pushed the ewe average to £1284, a rise of £171 on the year, while gimmers averaged £958 (+£201) and ewe hoggs levelled at £583 (+£320). 

First of two ewes to make £4800 was an entry from Paul and Sue Hallam, and Robbie and Megan, of Arnfield Farm, Tintwhistle, Hadfield. Sired by the £10,000 Ghyll House Dad’s Lad bought a few years back, which has sired tups to £12,000, this two-crop ewe is out of a dam by a Mossdale sire and sold to CR Raine and Sons, Stanhope Gate, carrying twins to Icon – a tup bought from Robin Booth. 

Matching that £4800 was an entry from John and Dorne Richardson, and son Ben, of Ghyll House, Dufton. Another two-shear, with this one scanned for twins to a Richard Harker tup, she is by a £24,000 Helbeck sire, of which a number of sons were retained. Bred from a daughter of a £4000 Glencoyne, she sold to J Nattress, Garrigill. 

The Richardsons sold another two-shear to J Nattress, again scanned with twins to the Richard Harker sire, for £3800. This lass is by an £11,000 Bull and Cave while the dam is by a £5500 Paul Hallam ram. 

Next in the trade stakes at £4000 was the reserve champion, a gimmer from Patrick and Kirsty Sowerby, Oakbank, Barras. Selling to Frank Brennand, Chapel le Dale, she is by a £15,000 Parkinson ram and out of a ewe by the privately purchased Mossdale Interceptor, the sire of the £42,000 Oakbank sold a couple years ago. She changed hands carrying a single to the £38,000 Oakbank Delboy. 

Notably, the Sowerbys sold two six-shear ewes for £900 apiece to Robin Booth, both of which were sired by the £14,000 Aygill Bonanza. 

Following on at £3500 was a gimmer from Neil Richardson, Big Fernyford. Selling to Jack and Adam Lawson, Kendal, she is by the £46,000 Eric Coates, out of a ewe by the £28,000 Clive Owen ram that was champion at Hawes, and was carrying a pair to an Andrew Marston sire.