HEXHAM & Northern Marts at their final store sale of November offered a smaller entry of 207 store cattle, and trade for all classes was considerably increased on the week.

A small but tremendous show of quality beef bred cattle were presented and a good company were in attendance round the ringside, and from the outset, sharper demand was evident from all quarters.

Topping the sale was a super shapely black Limousin cross steer from William Patterson, Halton Red House, at 18 months of age, which quickly travelled beyond expectations to settle at a noteworthy £1,455. The same local noted purveyor of top quality Limousin cross cattle also nestled near the top of the heifer rankings on the day with an equally outstanding red sister of the bullock, which at the same age flew to £1,430 with interest from several high profile heifer finishers; all regulars around the Hexham ring.

The leading heifer was a smart black sort at 18 months from Slaley-based breeder and well-known ‘mart man’ Alan Ogle, Comb Hill, that hit £1,440 for the exceptional type that would easily fulfil a feeding or breeding destiny. Two steers and two heifers from the same home returned an average of £1,351 for the delighted Mr Ogle.

A smart show of heavy Charolais cross cattle were included and these peaked at £1,400 for a huge bullock at 20 months from Elsdon-based Dave and Stuart Hall, The Raw. The father and son team from high up on the Otterburn Army ranges sold seven steers and six heifers; which topped at £1,280 for their best ginger female, and saw the run of 13 cattle return at £1,193 throughout to complete a highly rewarding days trading for Messrs Hall.

Angus cross cattle now appear weekly at Hexham and have done for some time, and premiums for those by pedigree bulls were more than evident on the day. The breed topped at £1,370 for a hefty bullock bred from a sizeable Simmental cross cow from now noted producer Peter Findlay, Stoop Rigg, Simonburn. Within the middle-aged classes Messrs Ord, Newton Greens, Morpeth, presented a fine run of 19 bullocks by either the Angus or South Devon sire and these, at 16 months, peaked at £1,240 and £1,110 respectively to return an average of £1,105 throughout.

The same mid-age range classes also benefitted from a lift on the day which many commented could be as much as £100 up on the week and these cattle in the 11-17 month bracket topped at a worthy £1,400 for a sublime Limmy cross black bullock at 14 months from Mel Stobbs, High Dalton, Hexhamshire. The Burn Family, Grange Houses, Stamfordham, who regularly figure amongst the top prices at Hexham, sold a similar sort which changed hands at £1,380, and Mrs Heather MacDonald, West Causey Hill, Hexham, brought her annual offering at this time of year and sold the dearest Charolais steer at this age on the day for £1,355.

As we enter the festive month of December, demand shows no sign of waning at Hexham and with considerable investment in sale ring infrastructure, both consignors and purchasers can attend in safety and well within LAA guidelines under tier three restrictions.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1375 Kirkley March, £1300 Cheviot, £1170 & £1150 Kirkley March.

Charolais x steers – £1295 Kirkley March.

Angus x steers – £1370 Stoop Rigg, £1200 Catreen.

Simmental x steers – £1275 & £1180 Stoop Rigg.

Charolais x heifers – £1260 Springwell, £1085 Halfway House.

Angus x heifers – £1130 & £1040 Catreen.

Simmental x heifers – £1215, £1155 & £990 Stoop Rigg.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1455 Halton Red House, £1415 Comb Hills, £1395, £1375, £1350 & £1340 Lough Green, £1300 Kirkley March, £1295 Tarset Hall, £1270 Armond Carr, £1265 Kirkley March, £1220 Shitlington Hall, £1190 Kirkley March, £1185 The Raw, £1175 Tarset Hall, £1160 Chesterwood, £1155 Kirkley March, £1085 North Cocklake, £1060 Chesterwood, £1050, £990, £960 & £920 Tarset Hall.

Charolais x steers – £1400 The Raw, £1370 Comb Hills, £1345, £1330, £1210, £1205 & £1185 The Raw.

British Blue x steers – £1340 Lough Green, £1055 & £910 North Cocklake.

Angus x steers – £1300 Springwell, £1260 & £1250 Halton Red House, £1240 Newton Greens, £1190 West Causey Hill & Newton Greens, £1140 Catreen, £1135 Newton Greens, £1060 Springwell, £1050 & £1030 Newton Greens, £1005 Springwell.

Simmental x steers – £1160, £1150, £1130 & £1065 Newton Greens.

South Devon x steers – £1110, £1105 & £1080 Newton Greens.

Limousin x heifers - £1440 Comb Hills, £1430 & £1390 Halton Red House, £1350 & £1270 Shitlington Hall, £1265 Low Middleton, £1260 Armond Carr, £1220 Wydon, £1180 Comb Hills & Tarset Hall, £1175 Shitlington Hall, £1160 High Dalton & Beacon Rigg, £1130 Armond Carr, £1110 Midgeholme, £1080 South Farm, £1070 China Hall, £1060 Cheviot, £1055 China Hall, £1050 North Cocklake, £1040, £1015, £1000 (x2), £990, £955 & £940 (x2) Midgeholme, £900 South Farm (x2)

Charolais x heifers – £1280, £1120, £1100, £1070, £1055 & £1030 The Raw, £920 Cheviot.

Angus x heifers – £1230, £1220, £1050 & £1045 East Uppertown.

Simmental x heifers – £1280 Stoop Rigg.

Hereford x heifers – £1080 Wydon.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1400 High Dalton, £1380 & £1345 Grange House, £1280 High Dalton, £1255 (x2) & £1220 Grange House, £1200 Low Middleton, £1140 Tarset Hall, £1110 Low Middleton, £1040, £995 (x2), £955, £940 & £910 Tarset Hall.

Charolais x steers – £1355 & £900 West Causey Hill.

British Blue x steers – £1330 Halfway House.

Angus x steers – £1210 Springwell, £980 Newton Greens.

Simmental x steers – £1040 Newton Greens.

Limousin x heifers - £1040 Tedcastle, £1020 Low Middleton, £1000 Tedcastle, £990 Beacon Rigg, £920 Beacon Rigg & The Tofts.

Charolais x heifers – £1190 Low Middleton, £995 Tedcastle.

Angus x heifers – £930 Wydon.

Cattle 10 months and under

Charolais x steers – £865 Tedcastle.

Once again, over 1,000 Cast Ewes and Rams met spirited bidding with all classes again dearer on last week’s extreme rates.

Topping the sale at £144 was a grand Beltex x ewe, from M/s P&EB Robson, Middle Horsleyhope, whose run of ewes averaged £122.91.

Tups again met strong demand selling to £124 on two occasions from M/s J & SM Ivison, Cooper House Farm.

Mules sold to £94 for a pen of seven from regular supporters, M/s G & EA Herdman, Lunns House. Mr PC Charlton, Little Harle, sold a pen of 26 at £92.

Blackface ewes sold to £88 from M/s H & L Morshead, Harsondale.

Texel – £124 (x2) Cooper House (Tups)

Texel x – £130 East Matfen, £128 Middle Horsleyhope, £124 High Baulk & Rusheylaw, £120 Middle Horsleyhope & Rusheylaw, £116 High Baulk & Chesters, £115 Waterford & Brinkburn Newhouses, £114 Waterford, Billerley & Gofton Field Head, £113 Billerley, £112 Rusheylaw, £110 Partridge Nest, £109 Laburnum Cottage, £108 Embley, West Wharmley & Low West House, £107 East Matfen, £105 Billerley, £101 Errington, East Matfen (x2) & Birkside, £99 East Farm, £97 Normans Riding, £96 High Baulk, Fallowfield & Cooper House.

Suffolk x – £124 Middle Horsleyhope, £117 & £105 Brinkburn Newhouses, £94 West Wharmley, £92 Felton Demesne, Middle Horsleyhope & Temperley Grange.

Beltex x - £144, £140, £120 & £116 Middle Horsleyhope.

Leicester - £112 & £110 Agars Hill, £100 Little Harle, £99 Thornley Hall Farm, £97 Little Harle, £92 Townfoot & Farneyshield.

Cheviot – £122 Springhill, £121 Springhill, £109 Embley.

Mule – £94 Lunns House, £92 Little Harle & Brinkburn Newhouses, £91 Fairley & Black Hedley, £90 West Wharmley, £89 Lunns House, £88 East Matfen, Chesters & East Farm, £87 High Baulk & Normans Riding, £86 Little Harle, £85 Fairley & Lunns House, £84 Nettlesworth West & Bingfield, £83 Colwell Hill.

Blackface – £110 Rusheylaw (Tup), £88 Harsondale, £78 Embley, £74