Weekly sales reports from Hexham and Northern Marts

The company would like to extend grateful thanks to all customers; buyers and sellers alike for their steadfast support throughout what has been an unprecedented and often trying year that has seen the resolve and resilience of the auction industry and the wider farming community come to the fore, working tirelessly to ensure continuity in the food supply chain throughout the country. We look forward to welcoming our store cattle customers back to Tyne Green in the New Year, which will hopefully see a return to some sense of normality.

Trade on the day peaked at £1,460 for a big Limousin cross steer at 18 months which continued a tremendous run of form and quality for Willie Patterson, Halton Red House, who sold four outstanding steers to average £1,357 per head.

Geoff Ogle also saw the best end of the trade with another load of ‘Blackburn’ trademark bullocks that peaked at £1,440 to average a whopping £1,386 for five sold for the weekly consignor to this centre.

With fewer forward, heifers presented the female portion of the catalogue and peaked at £1,390 for a big, upstanding black Limousin cross at 20 months from Harle Oliver, Matfen White House, which was followed by a pair of well-bred sorts from Lance Robson, Sweethope, that changed hands at £1,345. The Charolais breed was well represented also and heifers by this sire peaked at £1,335 from Messrs Hall, Hallington New Houses.

Forward native breed types looked marginally easier than previously seen and were topped at £1,335 for a big Angus cross steer from Ken Sisterson, Newlands Haugh, with heifers following at £1,300 for two from Philip Tomlinson, Sunniside, Consett, and another from Dennis Burn, Aydonshields.

A good contingent of well-bred, shapely continental cattle were presented in the 11-17 month age bracket and trade for this class was animated with heifers in particular and demand peaking at £1,245 for a smart Limmy lady from noted breeders Messrs Nixon, Stotsfold, Hexhamshire. This was followed by a brace at £1,240; the first from another renowned family of bull breeders Messrs Proctor, Swarland Old Hall, then another from Tyne Valley locals Jasper and James Wardle, Brokenheugh Farms. Once again, Charolais cattle were not outdone here and sold to £1,230 for a hefty heifer from Agnes and James Sinton, White House, Birtley.

The youngest class, those at ten months and under, were represented by a small but quality offering which peaked at £1,000 for a smart bullock from Charles Nixon, Longlea, Wark, who also topped the heifer entry at this age with a nice type at £875. Messrs Bell, Woodhall, Bardon Mill, sold seven at this age, which as always, were sought after, steers peaking at £955 with heifers to £865, averaging £892 for four and three sold respectively.

We wish all our customers a happy and healthy Christmas and look forward to the first sale of store cattle in the New Year which will be held on Friday, January 8. This will be followed by the annual New Year prize show and sale on Friday15 and entries for both sales are invited.

Leading prices;

Cattle 30+ Months

British Blue x heifers – £1110 New Houses.

Hereford heifers - £900 Greenfield.

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1290 White House, £1245 Blackhalls, £1200 & £1190 White House, £1160 Low Hall.

Angus x steers – £1230 East Uppertown, £960 Springwell.

Limousin x heifers - £1390, £1330, £1290 & £1245 White House, £1120 & £1030 Greencarts, £1025 Sweethope, £1000 White House.

Charolais x heifers – £1030 New Houses.

British Blue x heifers – £1250 The Fawns.

Angus x heifers – £1300 (x2), £1160 & £1070 Sunniside, £930 Bunker Hill.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1460 Halton Red House, £1440 Blackburn, £1390 Blackburn (x2) & Sweethope, £1360 Blackburn & Comb Hills, £1355 Comb Hills, £1350 Blackburn & Sweethope, £1345 Halton Red House, £1340 Kirkley Dam, £1295 Camphill, £1290 Sweethope, £1270 Comb Hills, £1245 & £1235 Camphill, £1230 White House, £1200 Brokenheugh, £1155 & £1105 Blackhalls, £1100 Sweethope & Camphill, £1065 Sweethope, £1010 China Hall, £980 Bunker Hill, £970 Blackhalls, £965 China Hall.

Charolais x steers – £1310, £1230, £1200 & £1155 Grange Farm.

British Blue x steers – £1250, £1180 & £1100 Camphill.

Angus x steers – £1335 & £1300 Newlands Haugh, £1295 Rare Dean, £1280 Allendale Farm, £1200 Blackhalls, £1190 Blackhalls & East Uppertown, £1180 Blackhalls, £1145 East Uppertown, £1140 Blackhalls (x2), £1115 East Uppertown, £1105 Blackhalls, £1090 Grange Farm & Rare Dean, £1080 Grange Farm, £980 Rugley Walls (x2), £900 Kirkley House.

Hereford steers – £1040 Bunker Hill.

Beef Shorthorn steers – £930 Woodlands Hall.

South Devon steers - £1105 & £1040 Wingates Wholme.

Limousin x heifers - £1345 Sweethope, £1300 Comb Hills, £1295 Sweethope, £1280 Halton Red House, £1275 Kirkley Dam, £1100 Sweethope, £1000 Spittalshield, £990 Mickley Moor, £985 Brokenheugh & Lowfield, £980 Camphill (x2) & Lowfield, £940 Lowfield.

Charolais x heifers – £1335 New Houses, £1250 & £1200 Newlands Haugh, £1135 Springwell, £1125 Newlands Haugh, £1105 & £1060 Grange Farm, £1055 Rare Dean & Newlands Haugh, £1010 Raggetsyke, £990 Grange Farm.

British Blue x heifers – £1000 Camphill, £900 Mickley Moor.

Angus x heifers – £1300 Aydonshields, £1270 New Houses & Allendale Farm, £1110 New Houses & Bollihope Shield, £1100 & £1060 Aydonshields, £1040 Allendale Farm & Kirkley Dam, £1010 Allendale Farm, £990 New Houses & Newlands Haugh, £980 Hill Head & Bunker Hill, £960 New Houses (x2), £950 Lowfield.

Hereford heifers – £920 & £910 Greenfield, £880 Chattlehope.

Beef Shorthorn heifers – £980, £950 & £910 Blueburn.

South Devon x heifers - £1240, £1140, £1105, £1000 & £960 Wingates Wholme.

Luing heifers - £900 (x2), £880 & £860 Blueburn.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1160 & £1135 Woodhead, £1100 Brokenheugh, £1060 Woodhead, £1055 Longlea, £1020 Woodhead & Spittalshield, £950 Woodhead.

Charolais x steers – £1105 Raggetsyke, £1075 Wydon, £1010 Harewalls, £1005, £970 & £925 Wydon.

Angus x steers – £1080 Springwell, £1030 Bollihope Shield, £1010 Springwell, £1000 Rugley Walls, £995 Buildings Farm, £980 Spittalshield.

Hereford steers – £1000 Chattlehope.

Beef Shorthorn steers – £920 Woodlands Hall.

Limousin x heifers – 1245 Stotsfold, £1240 Swarland Old Hall & Brokenheugh, £1150 Swarland Old Hall, £1140 Brokenheugh, £1130 & £1110 Stotsfold, £1090 Swarland Old Hall, £1085 White House, £1075 & £1070 Stotsfold, £1065 Swarland Old Hall, £1060 White House, £1055 Stotsfold, £1020 & £1010 Brokenheugh, £1005 Stotsfold, £1000 White House & Brokenheugh, £940 Longlea, £910 Brokenheugh, £900 Spittalshield.

Charolais x heifers – £1230 & £1105 White House, £995 Wydon, £990 Raggetsyke (x2), £935 Harewalls.

British Blue x heifers – £1010 Camphill.

Angus x heifers – £1040 Newlands Haugh, £910 Spittalshield.

Hereford x heifers - £930 (x2) & £890 Brackenthwaite, £875 Greenfield.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers – £1000 Longlea, £955, £940 & £920 Woodhall, £900 & £875 Baal Hill, £870 Woodhall.

Limousin x heifers - £875 Longlea, £865 & £860 Woodhall.

The penultimate Cast Ewe and Ram sale of 2020 met an animated trade with 1,121 going under the hammer.

Two extreme Texel’s from M/s R Thornton & Son, Cornhills, sold to £182 to regular Yorkshire purchasers.

Two Charollais x Beltex tups from M/s AJ&T Snaith, Great Tosson, sold to £149.

M/s J Reed & Son, High Eshells, sold a pen of 20 Mules to £108 with his entry of 43 ewes averaging £116.79.

A powerful pen of four Suffolk x ewes sold to £126 from M/s RH Thompson & Son, Fitches Grange, and averaged £113.60 for 20.

A tremendous run of 51 ewes from M/s K Smith & Son, East Greenridge, averaged £110.61.

A pen of 19 Swale ewes from new vendor M/s Watson, West Newlands, sold to £77.

We continue to be able to sell all types of cast ewes and rams here at Hexham with a competitive ring full of buyers.

Our next, and last, Store Ewe of 2020 will be on Tuesday, December 29. Contact Jack for entries on 07739440457.

Texel - £182 Cornhills, £160 West Wharmley £140 Cornhills.

Texel x –£154 East Greenridge, £148 Tuthill, £144 & £142 Quarry House, £132 Bank Top House, High Eshells & East Greenridge, £130 Tuthill, £125 High Eshells, £124 Ingoe Low Hall, Steel Hall & High Baulk, £122 Tuthill, £120 Willimoteswick, Harewalls & Shaftoe Moor, £119 Houselope Grange, £118 Quarry House (x2), Peel Flatt & Springwell Cottage, £117 Springwell Cottage & West Raw, £116 Halton Red House, Harewalls & Watch Hill, £115 East Greenridge, £114 Ingoe Low Hall & Cornhills, £112 Ingoe Low Hall, Cornhills & Ewesley, £110 Little Harle, Girsonfield & Willimoteswick (x2), £109 Willimoteswick & East Greenridge, £108 Comb Hills, £107 East Greenridge, £106 Cornhills & Shaftoe Moor (x2) £105 Bank Top House & Springwell Cottage, £104 Little Whittington & Springwell Cottage, £101 High Baulk, £100 Elrington Hall.

Suffolk - £113 Steel Hall.

Suffolk x – £126 Houselope Grange & Whins Farm, £113 West Wharmley & Whins Farm, £109 Whins Farm, £108 Settlingstones.

Charollais x- £149 Great Tosson.

Leicester - £127 Shitlington Hall, £120 West Newlands, £98 Cornhills, £96 Ottercops.

Ryeland - £67 Felton Demesne.

Cheviot – £115 Barrasford Green£110 Girsonfield, £103, £88 & £87 Barrasford Green £78 Flotterton.

Cheviot Mule – £80 Bingfield Combe.

Mule – £108 High Eshells, £107 Tuthill, £100 Springwell Cottage, £98 West Newlands, £93 Houselope Grange, £90 Brinkburnhope, £88 New Dotland, £86 Halton Red House, Tuthill, Willimoteswick & West Raw, £85 West Wharmley.

Blackface – £84 Brinkburnhope, £82 Little Harle, £79 West Raw, £76 & £75 Great Tosson, £70 Quarry House (x2), £68 Stoop Rigg, £67 Flotterton, £66 Featherwood & West Raw.

Swaledale – £80 Hammershield, £77 West Newlands, £68 & £67 Hammershield.

Hebridean - £31 Craigshield.

Hexham held its final Friday Store Lamb sale of 2020 with 3,444 catalogued lambs this week.

Another cracking entry of sheep for the time of year. The quality of lambs can only be described as something like a Spaghetti Western, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!" Something for everyone.

The confidence was still there this week for all classes of lambs, once again, as trade maintained last week’s rates. Some classes would even be dearer for the quality on offer!

Dutch Texel lambs sold to £128.00 for a panful from Mr B Storey, Woodhead Farm. Texel lambs from Mrs BD Milburn, Butterknowes, sold to a high of £113.

Suffolk x lambs in real demand again at Hexham, selling to £93.00 from Mr N Forster, Causey Burn. The Suffolk section went on to average £82.32.

A fabulous show of Swaledale lambs this week which went on to sell to £70.50 for a pen of 42 from Mr M Wallace, Farneyshield. This class went on to average £54.09!

On behalf of the company, I would like to thank all the vendors and purchasers for their continued support throughout the year making 2020 the largest throughput of Store Lambs at Hexham for many, many years.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas.

Texel - £113 & £104 Butterknowes.

Texel x – £100 Butterknowes, £96 Barrasford Green (Robert Conley), £95 Partridge Nest, £94.50 Bensons Fell, £94 Riding Farm, £93.50 Girsonfield, £92 China Hall & High Baulk, £90.50 Corby Gates & Bank Top House, £90 Girsonfield, Glendue, Watch Hill & Normans Riding, £89.50 Holystone, £89 Low West House & High Baulk (x2), £88 Barrasford Green, Haggwood, Rowley, Bank Top House & Butterknowes.

Dutch Texel x - £128, £110, £86 & £84 Woodhead.

Suffolk x – £93 Causey Burn, £88 Cooper House & Rowley, £87.50 The Bridges, £87 Holystone, £85 Felton Demesne (x2), Causey Burn & Nettlesworth West.

Charollais x – £80 Blackhill.

Beltex - £100 & £94 Craigshield.

Beltex x - £106 Low West House, £104 Craigshield, £102 Middle Horsleyhope, £101 & £100 Great Tosson, £99 & £97.50 Low West House, £94 Craigshield, £92 Middle Horsleyhope, £90 Hagdon Moor & Low West House.

Hampshire - £69.50 Broom House, £67 Pilmuir.

Leicester - £82 Shitlington Hall, £73 Holystone.

Cheviot - £83 Holystone, £78 Rock, £77 & £76.50 Barrasford Green.

Cheviot x - £77.50 & £69 Morley Hill.

Cheviot Mule - £89.50 & £79.50 Holystone.

Mule – £87 Redburn, £85 Agars Hill, £84.50 Hammershield, £82 Great Tosson Cottage, £81 Woodhall, £80 Redburn, £79.50 Great Tosson Cottage, £79 Piatroon & Holystone.

Blackface – £74 Great Tosson Cottage, £66.50 Bridgeford, £66 Hepple Whitefield.

Swaledale - £70.50 & £69.50 Farneyshield, £65.50 Glenwhelt, £64 & £63.50 Farneyshield, £63 The Brigg, £61, £60 & £59 Woodhall.

Crossbred – £86 Rookhope, £79 Craigshield, £72.50 & £72 Pilmuir, £68 Portgate.