Hexham

Judge John Midgley, Kirkbyunderale, York, bought his choice of champion and reserve at Hexham and Northern Marts' show and sale of 2478 Mule gimmers.

The champion, a pen bred out of Blackface ewes from RW and K Telford, Branton Eastside, realised £190 per head, while the reserve, again bred from Blackie ewes from Alan and Peter Forster, Lowes Fell, made £178 also to the judge, John Midgley.

Mule gimmer averages were up by £15.47 on the corresponding year.

Included in the sale was an entry of 220 stock Mule ewes from WC Drydon and Son, West Deanraw, and 85 from TN Myers and Son, Frolar Meadows, which sold to £120 from West Deanraw.

* The firm's second sale of 1580 Mule ewe lambs saw sale averages up £9.32. They sold to £135 for a pen from Albierigg.

LEADING prices

Gimmers – Mule – £192,£190 (x2), Branton East Side; £182, Edlingham Newtown, Whitechapel (x2) and Branton East Side; £180, Tenter House and Rennington South (x2); £178, Lowes Fell; £175, Rennington South and Branton East Side; £172, Whitechapel; £170, Edlingham Newtown and Pitland Hills; £168, Edlingham Newtown, Lowes Fell and Black Callerton; £162, Black Callerton; £160, Rennington South, Broomhall, Broomhill (x2) and Croft Cottage; £158, Tenter House, Edlingham Newtown & Rennington South (x2), £155 Lowes Fell, Rennington South & Thornton Tower, £152 Newbiggin, Ouston, Light Birks, Thornton Tower (x3) and Stotsfold; £150, Coatyards, Newbiggin, Whiskershiel, Broomhill, Flotterton, Whitechapel, Thornton Tower (x2), Stotsfold, Moss Kennels, Croft Cottage and Whitchester; £148, Light Birks, Whiskershiel, Britchcombe and Greystone House; £145, Halton Red House, Light Birks, Broomhill, Camphill, Stotsfold and Britchcombe Farm.

Chev Mule – £155, West Mill Hills; £150, £146, £132, Flotterton; £130, West Mill Hills. Suffolk and X – £150, Edlingham Newtown and Flotterton; £142, Tenter House, Middle White Hill and Halton Red House; £140, £135 (x3), Flotterton; £130, Felton Demesne; £125, Middle White Hill and Flotterton. Tex X – £230, Halton Red House; £215, Lough Green; £210, Halton Red House; £195, Light Birks; £185, Lough Green; £182, Light Birks and Lough Green; £180, Penny Hill; £178, Halton Red House; £175, Light Birks, Stotsfold, Lough Green (x2) and Penny Hill; £172, Lough Green; £170, Pitland Hills, Light Birks and Lough Green; £168, Stotsfold; £165, Burn House and Halton Red House (x3); £162, Stotsfold and Penny Hill; £160, Burn House, Newbiggin, Hagdon Moor, Broomhall and Halton Red House (x3); £158, Tenter House, Thornton Tower, West Wharmley (x3) and Halton Red House; £155, Newbiggin; £152, Wallhouses; £150, Tenter House and Newbiggin; £148, Bowes House; £145, Hagdon Moor (x2) and Stotsfold. Tex – £196, £192, West Wharmley; £160, High Shipley. Belt – £190, £145, Steeley Farm; £142, Wesley House; £140, Steeley Hall and Breckon Hill (x2); £138, £135, Breckon Hill. Belt X – £200, Hagdon Moor.

Messrs WC Drydon and Son dispersal – Mule 1-crop – £120, £115. Mule 2-crop – £120, £119, £118.

Messrs TN Myers and Son dispersal – Mule 1-crop – £96. Mule 2-crop – £76. Mule 3/4-crop – £108, £103, £90, £85, £84, £80.

Ewes – Mule – £80, Greystone House; £75, East Fourstones. Tex – £120, High Shipley. Tex X – £160, £150, Halton Red House.

Ewe lambs – Mule – £135, Albierigg; £126, Whiteside; £125, Hightown; £120, Hotbank and Harsondale; £118, Chirdon, Harsondale, Nilston Rigg; £116, Camphill and Carrick; £115, Nilston Rigg; £114, The Steel; £113, Chirdon; £110, Cowden Burn and Brownsleazes; £106, Pitland Hills; £104, Hotbank and Albierigg; £103, Harsondale; £102, Hotbank and Carrick; £101 and £100 Cowden Burn; £98, Hotbank and Pitland Hills; £96, Old Police House and The Steel; £95, Harsondale; £94, Chirdon and Brownsleazes; £93, Hole Farm (x2); £92, Hightown (x2), Old Police House and Whiteside; £91, Albierigg and Whiteside; £90, Camphill, Chirdon, Brieredge, Old Police House, Harsondale and Brownsleazes; £88, Chirdon and Albierigg (x2). Chev Mule –£110, Flotterton; £106, West Mill Hills; £100, Flotterton; £98, West Mill Hills; £95, £91, £86, Whitchester. Lleyn X – £99, £87, The Deans. BF – £80, Whitchester (x2); £60, Close A Burn; £45, The Crew.

Longtown

Just shy of 8000 breeding sheep were forward for C and D Auction Marts' main sale where Cheviot Mule ewe lambs were up £10-£20 per head on the first sale, while Greyface Mule ewe lambs, slipped by £1.69 on the year.

Judge, Jimmy Sinclair, Crookston, Heriot, found his overall champion ewe lambs in a pen out of Blackface ewes from A Carruthers, Peela Hill, Bewcastle, which sold for £110 per head.

Gimmers were short of requirements and peaked at £220 for Texels from Searigg, while ewes met a more selective trade, and included the dispersal of 500 breeding ewes from Robin Bell, Borthwick Brae, Roberton, Hawick. His top was £116 for one-crop Texels, with the overall top in the section being £130 for Texels from Paul Gass, Aldery Terrace.

LEADING awards

Ewe lambs ex-Blackface bred 1, A Carruthers and Sons, Peela Hill, Bewcastle – £110; 2, RW and SD Flintoft, Sourhope, Hownam – £112; 3, Wanwood and Partners, Wanwood Hill, Alston – £100.

Ex Swaledale-bred – 1, JP Lee, Morley Hill, Whitfield – £128; 2, M Smith, Mount Farm, Blackford – £92; 3, WH and DA Gass, Nunscleugh, Bewcastle – £105.

Champion (J Sinclair). A Carruthers and Sons, Peela Hill – £110.

LEADING prices

Ewe lambs – GF – £115, Shitlington Hall and Hill Brae; £104, Greensburn; £100, Lawston and Barkbeth and Wanwood Hill. Tex – £120, Middle Farm. Belt – £92, Hill Brae. Suff – £94, Gospel Hall. Chev Mule – £132, £122, £118, Ranbeck; £122, £108, Thornship; £110, West Hills; £105, Broadmea.

Gimmers – Tex – £220, £160, Searigg; £190, North Sharperton; £160, £158, Uppercleugh; £155, £152, Upper Mains; £148, £142, Dunnabie; £145, Glenjaan and The Side and Mouldy Hills; £142, Thornship and Foxglove. Suff X – £122, Upper Mains. Welsh Mule – £112, High Dovecote.

Ewes – Tex – £130, £127, £124, Aldery Terrace. Chev Mule – £100, £98, New Bank: £98, West Bolton. GF – £99, Chapel Farm.

Dispersal – Tex 1-crop – £116. Tex 2-crop – £113. Tex 3-crop – £88. GF 1-crop – £100. GF 2-crop – £106. GF 3-crop – £94.

Ayr

Prices peaked at £1000 for a Texel shearling ram from Laigh Alticane at Craig Wilson's sale of 173 accredited and 115 non-accredited rams at Ayr.

LEADING prices

Accredited shearlings – Suff – £420 (x2), Laigh Drumdow. Tex – £1000, £780, £700, £650, £600, Laigh Alticane; £750, £700, Cundry Mains; £720, £600, West Glengyre; £650, High Kilphin; £580, Springfield (Arran) and West Glengyre. Belt – £650, £540, Howcommon; £650, Dykes (Auchinleck); £450, £400 (x2), Howcommon; £400, Smithston. Belt X – £620, £400 (x2), Toftcombs. Char X – £380, Mid Brockloch.

Accredited ram lambs – Suff – £500, £380, Harpercroft; £350, Mid Skeog; £300, Broomknowes; £280, Smithstone. Tex – £600, Humeston; £380, £350 (x2), North Lodge; £350, Westlands and Broomknowes.

Gimmers – £160, Burnmouth.

Non-accredited shearlings – Suff – £450, Carbello. BFL – £850, Knockgerran; £700 (x2), Fleminghill; £500 (x2), Cassington and Knockgerran. Belt – £450, Tulloch. Suff – £400, Fisherton. Tex – £750, Craig and Carbello; £600, £550 (x2), Carbello; £550, Knockdon, £520, £500, Fisherton; £500 (x2), Craig.

Non-accredited ram lambs – BFL – £280, £250, Lochhill; £250, Orchardton. Tex – £250, Valley View.

Forfar

Top price at Lawrie and Symington's sale of 2546 store and breeding sheep at Forfar, was £131 paid for Mule gimmers from Margie.

Ewe lambs peaked at £100 paid for a pen of Blackfaces from the Simpsons at Sidlaw.

The sale also included a show of Blackface wedder lambs, judged in pens of 20, by D Bartlet, Newton of Coldwells, who found his first prize winners in a pen from DH Amory, Glenfernate which went on to sell at £51 per head; second prize from J and J Gibb, Glenisla, £51, with Rickarton Farms taking third and selling at £49.

The firm's multi-breed ram sale on Monday was topped at £1100 by the first prize Texel shearling from R McNee, Over Finlarg.

LEADING prices

Feeding ewes – Zwar – £42, Hillside. Cont – £30, Newbigging House. BF – £26, Lednathie.

Stock rams – Zwar – £52, Hillside. Jac – £30, W Pilmore.

Breeding gimmers – BF – £102, Chamberwells; £94, £91, Glenfernate; £88, Cairnton of Balbegno. Mule – £131, Margie; £128, £120, Middlehill; £111, Newmill of Inshewan; £108, Glenfernate. Chev – £90, Newton. Tex – £136, Minard.

Breeding ewes – BF – £70 (f.w.), Glenfernate; £66 (1-crop), Roman Road; £52 (1-2-crop), Cairnton of Balbegno. Mule – £80 (1-crop), Roman Rd; £60, £56 (c.b.), Afflochie. Tex – £67 (c.b.), Afflochie. Chev – £82 (1-crop), Largie; £62 (c.b.), Afflochie.

Ewe lambs – BF – £100, Sidlaw; £90, Cairnton of Balbegno. Mule – £76, Balnamnoch; £64, Neilston Cottage. Tex – £64, Gallowshade Rd; £56, Invereddrie. Chev Mule – £66, Wester Bleaton. Tex X Chev – £60, £55, Neilston Cottage. Zwar – £62, Hillside.

Wedder lambs – BF – £51, Glenisla and Glencally and Glenfernate; £49.50, £49 Rickarton; £47, Kinrive, Old Spittal and Dullator; £46, Rottal; £45, Laighwood, Rickarton, Gannochy, Old Spittal and Rottal; £44, Glensaugh; £43, Laighwood; £42, Nether Drumheads; £41, £40.50, Kinrive; £40, Glen Prosen Est., Rottal and Sidlaw.

Store lambs – Tex – £70, Newbigging Ho.and Sidlaw; £59, Clachnabrain, Rottal, West Bogton and Invereddrie; £58.50, Clachnabrain; £58, Pitairlie; £57.50, Sidlaw; £56, Auchleish. Suff – £55, £49, Laighwood. Belt – £65, Kirkton of Kingoldrum. Chev – £53, Pitairlie. Cont X – £58.50, Nether Drumheads.

Breeding rams – MV accredited – Shearling rams – Tex – £1100 Over Finlarg; £1000 Dalchrila Farms; £880 Over Finlarg; £750, £720 Dalchirla Farms; £700 Dalchirla Farms and Over Finlarg; £680 (x2) The Green; £650, £620 Dalchirla and The Green (x2); £600 Dalchirla Farms and Kerry Cott. Suff – £400, £380, £360, £300 Southfield; £280 East Ingliston. BFL – £740, £600 Kerry Cott; £420 Over Finlarg; £400 Over Finlarg and Kerry Cott. Belt – £300, £250, Balbrydie; £300 (x2 Horn. Tex X Char – £520, £480, Southfield. Suff X Belt – £420, £350, £300 (x3) Torrax. Lln – £400 Nr Toucks. Suff X Tex – £460 Westhall

Ram lambs – Tex – £450, £320 Hatton of Carse. Suff – £320 East Ingliston and Southfield (x2); £300, £220 East Ingliston. BFL – £180, Easter Dounie. Tex X Suff – £220 East Ingliston.

Non MV shearling rams – Belt X Suff – £250, Carroch. Suff – £650, Newton. Tex – £520, Newton. Belt – £450, Newton. Belt X Rough – £450, Scobshaugh.

Thainstone

Ewe lambs topped the trade at £115 per head for Mules from Glenisla House, Glenisla at Aberdeen and Northern Marts' sale of 5317 breeding sheep and store lambs.

Store lambs (905) sold to £72 for Suffolks from Achnahannet, Grantown on Spey, whilst island lambs (3175) hit £67 for Suffolks from Clairbrae, Levenick.

Island sheep (375) peaked at £80 for Texels from Virse, Haroldswick, with breeding gimmers and ewes (217) to £100 for Cheviot gimmers and Cheviot Mule gmmers from An Airidh, Cuminestown.

OTHERLEADING prices

Ewe lambs – Mule – £110, Mains of Glenbuchat, Strathdon. Mule – £108, Glenisla House. Tex X – £74, Speylea, The Quarters. Tex – £71, Todholes, Lower Cabrach.

Store lambs – Tex – £71.50, Todholes. Suff X – £68.50, Prony Farm, Ballater. Tex X – £67, Todholes. Cont – £64, Tullochcoy, Crathie. Cont X – £63, Hewitts Farm, Kennethmont. Suff – £62, Achnahannet. Chev – £60, Achnahannet. Down – £59.50, Prony Farm. Down X – £56, Cormalet, Cairnie. Belt – £56, Rhynaclach, Port of Menteith.

Island lambs – Tex – £66, Aithsetter, Cunningsburgh. Suff – £65.50, Seabreeze, Scalloway. Tex X – £64, Ringesta, Quendale. Cont – £63.50, Aesha, Levenwick. Suff X – £63.50, Foraness, Braewick. Cont X – £63, Greenside, Baltasound. Down X – £62.50, Swona, Crookataing.

Island sheep – Suff – £63, North Gardie, Aith. Chev – £58, Skelberry, Dunrossness. Chev X – £58, Foraness. Shc – £56, Norde Brek, Gluss.

Breeding gimmers and ewes – Chev 3y ewe – £84, An Airidh. Chev Mule 3y ewe – £81, An Airidh. Mule 3y ewe – £79, An Airidh. Mule Gimmer – £78, Backhill of Clackriach, Maud. Chev Mule 4y ewe – £75, An Airidh. Chev Mule ewe – £70, An Airidh. Chev ewe – £70, An Airidh.

Kintyre

A Bluefaced Leicester from J and M Turner, Kildaloig, topped C and D Auction Marts' sale of 100 rams and 600 breeding and store sheep in Kintyre, selling for £600 to J Armour and Co, Brennanlea. Shearling rams averaged £305.

LEADING prices

Shearling rams – BFL ­– £600, Kildaloig; £450 (x2), Dalbrhaddan. NCC – £600, Ballywilline. Suff – £520, £450, Glenahervie; £500, £450, Gartvaigh. Tex – £520 (x2), Macrihanish and Low Tirfergus; £480, High Dalrioch. Belt – £450 (x2), Killacraw. Char – £400, Inverae Cottage.

Ram lambs – Tex – £320, Low Tirfergus

Gimmers – Mule – £115, £112, Skernish; £112, Low Ranachan. BF – £115, Brennanlea. Belt X – £120, Kildaloig. Blue Tex – £130, Low Ranachan.

Ewe lambs – Blue Tex – £95, Low Ranachan. Tex – £75, £62, Ifferdale. Belt – £75, £62, Ifferdale. Mule – £62, Auchaleek; £60, Low Tirfergus. BF – £52, Coulinlongart.

Store lambs – £51, Kildaloig.

Cockermouth

Most vendors were relatively happy with the trade at Mitchells Auction Mart's Lakeland prize show and sale of 10,415 Mule ewe lambs, where Lanarkshire breeders, Jimmy and Wendy Bell, Highfield, Auchengray, came up trumps to win the small breeders' section and the trophy for the best run of lambs.

Their lambs later sold for £150.

Top price was £350 paid for the first prize pen in the large breeders' section from Messrs Allan and Sons, Greenhow followed by £330 for the third prize pen from AG and KF Nicholson, Swinside End. The second prize pen from Messrs Folder, Wescoe, made £3000

The sale average was £77.60.

The firm's sale of 5490 store lambs and continental cross ewe lambs peaked at £102 for Texel cross Mules from Messrs Fearon, Kirkland House, Kirkland.

Beltex ewe lambs sold to £93 for JW and VI Naylor, Hill Green, Drigg and wedder lambs hit £68 for Texels from W Rothery, Far Bank, Waberthwaite.

LEADING prices

Ewe lambs – Mule – £350, Greenhow Farm; £330, £155, £125, Swinside End Farm; £300, £200, Wescoe Farm; £180, Peter House; £150, Highfield; £143, Stockhow Hall; £135, Low Kinmont; £130 (x2) High Side Farm; £130, Beechcroft; £125, Baggra Yeat; £125 Chapel House. Tex – £102 Kirkland House, £80 Lonscale Farm, £76 Rietfontein. Belt – £93, £88, £83 Hill Green.

Store lambs – Suff – £65.50 Far Bank; £63, Low Garth. Mule – £58.50, £57 Low Priorscales; £57.50 Lake View. Tex X Herd – £57 Main Street; £56, Sword House. Char – £56, £52 Whitekeld Farm. Chev – £53 Cragg House Farm; £52.50 Lanefoot.

Mains of Airies

Prices peaked at £780 at the JS Douglas' on-farm sale of Airies Texel shearling rams and Romney cross ewe lambs at Mains of Airies, Kirkcolm, Stranraer.

The sale, conducted by C and D Auctions, was led by a shearling ram purchased by local farmer, J Baillie, Low Glasnick. Shearlings averaged £464.33.

LEADING prices

Shearling rams – £680 (x2), £600 (x2), £620, £650, £550 (x3), £520 (x2).

Ewe lambs – £70.