Weekly sales reports from Hexham and Northern Marts

Prior to the sale, the pre-show was conducted and kindly sponsored by Hodgson Toyota (Newcastle) Ltd. Presiding as master judges were David & Richard Thirlwell, Nunwick Estates. The brothers were faced with a Shearling class of 22 exhibitors that many commented was by far the best Texel class seen at Hexham since the breed was introduced to the sale.

Working swiftly and diligently together, the judges first halved the entry then selected their preferred half dozen; one of which the most discerning of purchasers would have been happy to take home.

After close inspection, David & Richard made their awards as follows

Prize List

1st Prize-Lot 150- S & A Reed, Lands Farm

2nd Prize-Lot 204-R Thornton, Cornhills

3rd Prize-Lot 411-K & A Young, Harbottle Grange

4th Prize-Lot 35-Messrs Harrison & Kellet, Errington

5th Prize-lot 90-Mrs A Hunter, Brinkburn New Houses

6th Prize-Lot 162-J Davison, Lough Green

The only exhibitor of Ram lambs on the day, Mrs Katy Carr, Highwood, was rewarded for her efforts in the lamb classes with both first and second prize rosettes for her lots 26 and 27 respectively. After swift deliberation, the judges awarded the overall championship of the Arthur Iveson memorial trophy, to the outstanding Shearling from Messrs Reed and the reserve champion awarded to Messrs Thornton.

The champion which would have figured equally as high in any show classes across the country, then went on to sell for a centre breed record breaking price of £7,500 in a three-way split between Messrs Scott, Low Leam, Messrs Hunter, The Steel, and Messrs Charlton, Tenter House, all of whom were ecstatic with their new acquisition.

The Lough Green trophy for the best pen of three Shearlings was equally hard fought and no easy task for the judges who, from ten pens presented, made their selection as follows,

1st Prize-Cornhills (207,209,210)

2nd Prize-Errington (34,35, 37)

3rd Prize-Harbottle Grange (411,412,415)

The company would like to congratulate all prize winners and sincerely thank all exhibitors, our judge and sponsors.

As well as the top price champion Ram, the sale saw great prices from start to finish with many flock exceeding previous top prices and best averages. Several rams sold in excess of £2,000 which included Lot 206 from Cornhills at £2,600 and a trio from The Lands at £2,300 and £2,100 twice. Mrs Anne Hunter Brinkburn, Newhouses, brought out a sparking pen of rams this year and also saw £2,100 for her leader No.92.

Leading Flock Averages

Flock

Quantity

Top Price

Average

Lands

9

£7500

£2050

A Hunter-New Houses

8

£2100

£1456

Edlingham Demense

5

£1800

£1290

Errington

4

£1900

£1287

Cornhills

24

£2600

£1279

Townfoot

11

£2000

£986

Flotterton

6

£1400

£993

Lough Green

13

£1150

£911

J Clark- New Houses

12

£1100

£883

Whitton

11

£1200

£876

Leading Prices;

£7500 Lands, £2600 Cornhills, £2300 Lands, £2100 Brinkburn, £2100 (x2) Lands, £2000 Townfoot, Brinkburn & Cornhills, £1900 Errington & Cornhills, £1800 Cornhills & Edlingham, £1700 Cornhills & Butterknowes, £1600 Brinkburn & Cornhills, £1500 Juries House, Brinkburn, (x3) Edlingham, £1400 Townfoot, Flotterton & Cornhills, £1300 (x2) Juries House, Brinkburn & Butterknowes.

Continental & Crossbred

Hexham and Northern Marts held its opening sale of Crossbred and any other Continental Shearlings and Ram Lambs which saw 40 more entries than last year.

Trade this year was a little selective with the top end of tups getting away well. Size and power was wanted with a premium paid for these sorts.

Pre-sale show was kindly judged by Mr D Milburn, Wallend, who tapped out a Dutch Texel Shearling from Mr B Storey, Woodhead. Second prize went to the same home. This was some achievement with 25 tups out for the judge.

The first prize winner went on to realise £1,500 and finds his new home in North Wales. The Storeys went on to sell an impressive 16 shearlings to an average of £948.12. Well Done Brian, Mick and Will!

Sale leader was an outstanding Texel Tup from James Herdman, Edlingham Newtown. This powerful and stylish tup went on to realise £2,100 selling to Mr Ellis, Mold, North Wales.

Three Shearlings went on to sell for £1,600. The first coming from Mrs A Walby, West Side, with her pure Dutch Texel. Second was a Beltex x tup from regular vendors Messrs W R Sparke & Son, Little Swinburn. Third was one of the last tups in the ring, third prize winner from Messrs J & A Moralee, Hard Riding, which was well turned out by sons Jack and Ben.

Pure Beltex-£1200 & £1150 Steeley, £1100 Morven, £1000 (x2) Yatesfield, £900 (x20 Dotland Park.

Beltex x-£1600 Little Swinburn, £1100 Low West House & Little Swinburn, £1000 & £820 Little Swinburn, £800 Barracks Farm.

Bleu du Maine-£260 Butterknowes.

Charolais x-£780 Slealands, £550 & £500 (x2) Great Tosson.

Suffolk x-£800 & £720 Rosebrough.

Texel x-£2100 Edlingham Newtown, £1300, £1000, £920 (x4) High Castle Dene Farm, £900 Edlingham Newtown, £900 High Castle Dene.

Suffolk

A great show of Suffolk Rams sold to a flying trade. Mr N Brown, EWH, judged the strong classes tapping his champion out from Mr A Lee, Goatstones.

Reserve champion went to Master Ridley Craig, South Hanging.

Topping the trade was the second prize shearling at £1,700 heading to the judge from Mr A Lee, Goatstones.

The champion went to sell for £1,450.

F T Walton, Flotterton, sold tups up to a top of £1,320 selling to a returning customer.

Suffolk Shearling-£1700 & £1450 Goatstones, £1320 Flotterton, £1150 Goatstones & Flotterton, £1120 Flotterton, £1100 (x2) Goatstones, £1050 Flotterton & Goatstones, £1000 High Dalton & Edlingham Newtown.

Suffolk Ram Lamb-£580 Salmonfield.

Bluefaced Leicester

A strong show of Bluefaced Leicester Tups sold to a steadier trade, however, still topping at £1,600 from Messrs T L Foster & Son, Low Fells.

Miss Helen Donald judged the classes placing a traditional Bluefaced Leicester Tup, from Clarilaw Farming Partnership, champion.

Reserve championship went to Shand & AR Carter, selling to £1,200 into the Otterburn countryside.

1st Prize-Shand & A R Carter

Leicester Shearling-£1600 Lowes Fell, £1200 Street House, £1000 Lowes Fell.

Hexham and Northern Marts held their annual sale of the traditional “Tow Law” Gimmer lambs on behalf of the Weardale branch of NEMSA with a catalogue of 5,110.

The sale was, once again, kindly sponsored by Baldwins Accountants and Peter Monkhouse Haulage.

This year judging the pens of 10 was Mr Stephen Kirby, Barston Hall Farm, Northallerton, who had 13 pens in front of him. After tough examination of all pens, Mr Kirby awarded the G W Robinson, Rosebowl and NEMSA rosette for an impressive fourth year running to an outstanding pen from John, Steven and Andrew Reed, Lands Farm, which went on to sell for a new record of £450 to an undisclosed buyer from the South of England.

The Reed family also went on to win the William Reed Perpetual Trophy for the best run of 100 lambs.

Standing reserve was a powerful pen from Rede Valley producers W S Scott Ltd, Low Leam, which went on to sell to £222.00 selling to the judge. The Low Leam team went on to sell a fantastic run of 390 lambs to an average of £146.35.

On the whole, a better show of lambs forward this year. Producers were rewarded with a strong trade throughout especially the running lambs being in high demand.

The sale average is up a buoyant £23.28 on last year’s trade.

All vendors must be complimented for the way they turned lambs out and thanks to all who supported the chosen charity and donated lambs with proceeds going to the ‘My name’5 Doddie Foundation’

Prize Show

Pens of 10

1st Prize-WM Reed & Sons, Lands

2nd Prize-WJ Scott Ltd, Low Leam

3rd Prize-R & MJ Lee, Harwoodshield

4th Prize-K & HA Ridley, Allenshields

Runs of 100

1st Prize-WM Reed & Sons, Lands

2nd Prize-WJ Scott Ltd, Low Leam

3rd Prize- I Potts, Redburn

Flock

Quantity

Average

Low Leam

390

£146.35

Redburn

357

£141.55

Rosehill

43

£139.67

Intake

82

£137.95

Lands

415

£137.87

Allenshields

171

£136.97

West Biggens

251

£136.08

Harwood Shield

229

£135.54

Stewartshield Meadows

135

£133.53

Brownchesters

80

£129.81

Spittalshield

135

£129.06

Ouston

116

£128.69

Agars Hill

122

£128.41

East Greenridge

131

£128.30

Wolsingham Park

223

£128.12

Woodhall

438

£127.28

Softley

40

£125.50

West Newlandside (Ex Allergill)

395

£124.13

Ambling Gate

298

£122.40

Beacon Rigg

380

£111.63

Merryknowe

46

£107.04

East Plenmeller

200

£97.80

Leading prices;

£450 Lands, £230 Redburn, £222 Low Leam, £210 Woodbine, £195 Allenshields, £175 Harwood, £170 Redburn, £168 Ambling, £165 Stewartshield & West Biggens, £160 Stewartshield, Low Leam & Woodhall, £158 Intake Farm, £156 Low Leam (x2) & Harwood, £155 & £154 Low Leam, £152 West Biggens, £150 Low Leam (x2), Rosehill, Woodhall & Wolsingham Park Farms, £148 Lands Farm (x2), Harwood Shield, Agars Hill & Allenshields, £147 Rosehill, £145 Low Leam, Spittalshield & Redburn (x2), £144 Allenshields, £142 Harwood Shield, Redburn, Intake, West Biggens, & West Greenridge, £140 Ambling Gate, Low Leam, Agars Hill, Redburn (x4), £139 Woodhall, £135 Lands Farm, Brownchesters, Low Leam, East Greenridge, Redburn, Intake, Allenshields, Beacon Rigg, Ouston, West Newlandside, West Biggens (x2) & West Greenridge, £137 Woodhall, £136 Low Leam, East Greenridge, Wolsingham Park(x2), Redburn (x3), Intake, Allenshields (x2), West Biggens (x2) & West Greenridge, £135 Ambling Gate (x2), Lands Farm, Stewartshield Meadows (x2), Low Leam, Woodhall & West Biggens.

Store Cattle

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Angus steers-£1320 East Kildarroch, £1315 Whitelees.

Angus x steers-£1420, £1400, £1380 & £1290 Moorgair.

British Blue steers –£1350 Middle Moor.

Galloway steer-£1300 & £1130 Wayn Riggs.

Charolais heifers –£1360 Low Eshells & Old Deanham, £1280 & £1110 Church Farm, £1110 East Kildarroch.

Simmental x heifers –£1200 Peddar Hill.

British Blue x heifers –£1035 East Kildarroch.

Angus heifers –£1200 & £1120 Whitelees.

Angus x heifers –£1360 & £1305 Sunniside.

Beef Shorthorn heifers –£1360 woodlands Hall.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers –£1350 Old Deanham, £1340 New Houses, £1330 East Kildarroch, £1250 Old Deanham, £1180 East Kildarroch, £1155 Yatesfield.

Charolais steers –£1150 East Kildarroch.

Charolais x steers –£1070 Middle Moor.

Simmental x steers –£1470, £1430, £1420, £1410 High Fotherley.

British Blue x steers – £1230 & £1170 Middle Moor, £1000 Old Deanham.

Angus steers –£1290 East Kildarroch, £1185 Whitelees.

Angus x steers –£1470 Aydonshields, £1420 Blueburn, £1390 Aydonshields, £1380 Holystone, £1360 East Kildarroch, £1330 Demesne, £1325 Highwood, £1310 East Kildarroch & Blueburn, £1290 Holystone & Blueburn, £1280 Holystone, £1260 Snape Farm & Holystone, £1250 Highwood, £1245 Middle Moor, £1240 Blueburn, Wittonshields & High Fotherley, £1230 Lynnshields & Wittonshields, £1220 East Kildarroch, £1215 High Fotherley, £1210 & £1205 Highwood.

Hereford x steers –£1130 Nookton, £1115 (x2) Watergate.

Luing steers –£1230 Blueburn, £1150 & £1060 Hawksnest, £1050 Blueburn.

Luing x steers –£1220, £1200 (x2) Hallbankgate.

Beef Shorthorn steers –£1335 Yatesfield, £1240 Blueburn.

South Devon steers-£1200, £1190, £1150 & £1080 Wingates.

Limousin x heifers –£1305 Old Deanham, £1200 New Houses, £1170 East Kildarroch, £1150 Yatesfield, £1110 Heatheridge, £1085 East Newham.

Charolais x heifers –£1080 & £1060 Shillafield, £1050 Heatheridge, £1050 & £1020 (x2) Shillafield.

British Blue heifers –£1130 East Newham, £1020 & £960 Camp Hill, £960 Woodwell House.

Angus heifers –£1190 Demesne.

Angus x heifers –£1260 New Houses, £1250 & £1230 Snape Farm, £1215 Wittonshields, £1210 Yatesfield, £1200 New Houses, £1160 High Fotherley, £1150 Lynnshield, £1140 & £1120 Snape Farm, £1120 & £1110 Wittonshields, £1090 Hedley Park & Wittonshields, £1060 Church Farm.

Hereford heifers –£1220, £1155 & £1150 High Wooley.

Beef Shorthorn heifers –£1320 Yatesfield, £1300 & £1250 Woodlands Hall, £1210, £1160 & £1140 Yatesfield.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers –£1140 & £1100 Tedcastle, £1055 (x2) Beacon Rigg, £1045 Dyke Nook, £1020 Burnbank.

Limousin x heifers –£1065 Beacon Rigg, £1040 East Newham, £1030 Shillafield, £1000 & £920 Tedcastle.

Charolais x steers –£1235, £1095, £1060 & £1015 East Plenmellor.

Angus steers – £1190 & £1170 Highwood, £1150 Demesne, £1090 (x2) & £1050 Highwood.

Angus x steers –£1340 Demesne, £1260 Yatesfield, £1240 New Houses & Rosebrough, £1215 Rawfoot, £1210 (x2) Rosebrough, £1200 Rawfoot, £1190 Partridge Nest & (x2) Flotterton, £1170 Flotterton & High Yarridge, £1155 & £1150 Lynnshield, £1150 Flotterton, £1145 Rawfoot, £1125 Flotterton, £1120 Rosebrough & Rawfoot, £1115 Partridge Nest, £1105 (x2) Flotterton, £1100 (x4) Flotterton & Hedley Park.

Hereford steers –£1130 The Tofts, £1060 Watergate, £1050 The Tofts, £990 Nookton.

British Blue steers –£920 Woodwell House, £910 East Plenmellor.

Beef Shorthorn steers –£1100 Sherburn Tower.

Charolais x heifers –£990 Shillafield, £960 East Fourstones, £952 East Plenmellor.

British Blue heifers –£890 & £870 Woodcroft.

Angus heifers –£1015 Fell House, £960 Demesne.

Angus x heifers –£1225 Demesne, £1055 Hedley Park, £1045 Snape Farm, £1025 Rosebrough, £1000 Lynnshield & Rosebrough, £960 Rawfoot.

Beef Shorthorn heifers-£890 Yatesfield.

Hereford x heifers-£985 & £930 Nookton.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers –£1060 Tedcastle, £1030 Dyke Nook, £1025 East Plenmellor.

Limousin x heifers -£980 Burnbank.

Angus x heifers –£995 Demesne.

Cast Ewes

Another very large show of 1,654 mainly Hill ewes sold to another strong trade.

Topping the trade at £190 were a trio of Texel ewes from Messrs W H Davison & Son, Lough Green. Lough Green also sold a pair at £170 , not far behind at £162 was a pair of Texel Tups from Messrs G H Walton & Son, Greyside.

Suffolk x ewes topped at £144 for a pen from Messrs J & M T Aynsley, Prior Hall.

Hill Ewes sold to £96 for Blackfaces from J R F Pattinson & Son, Hotbank.

Texel -£190 & £170 Lough Green.

Texel x -£158 Spenside Farm, £155 & £146 Greyside, £142 Little Bavington, £140 Tedcastle, St Oswalds & Crescent Farm, £138 Broomhall, £136 St Oswalds & Linacres, £132 Broomhall.

Texel Tup -£162 Greyside.

Texel x Tup -£132 Waterloo.

Suffolk –£144 & £128 Prior Hall.

Suffolk x –£138 St Oswalds & Whittingham Grange, £133 Greyside & Low Eshells.

Beltex -£122 Greyside.

Cheviot –£90 Demesne Cottage.

Cheviot Mule –£118 Burntongues.

Mule –£118 & £116 Little Bavington, £114 Low Eshells, £112 Tedcastle, £110 Prior Hall, £109 Little Bavington, £108 Greyside, £107Whittingham Grange, £106 Low Eshells & Prior Hall, £105 Buckshot.

Leicester-£130 Hackford.

Blackface –£96 Hotbank, £95 Hareshaw, £88 Hole Farm, £87 Hareshaw, £85 Rusheylaw.

Blackface Tup –£88 & £80 Greyside.

Swaledale –£68 Buckshot, £66 Hackford.

Zwartbles-£112 Greyside.

Cross-£90 Middle Coldcotes.

Store Lambs

A catalogued entry of 5,818 store lambs sold to another excellent tarde.

Incorporating within the sale was the annual prize show and sale of Hill lambs, kindly sponsored by Rycroft Glenton & the Blackfaced Breeders Association.

The classes were excellently judged by Mr Phil Stubbs, Cheshire, awarding the champion pen to Messrs R G & C A Grieve & Son, Whiteside.

Prize List

Champion-Whiteside

Reserve Champion-The Brigg

Mule

1st Prize-Whiteside

2nd Prize-West End

Blackface

1st Prize- The Brigg

2nd Prize-Burnbank

3rd Prize-Burdonside

Swaledale

1st Prize-Ouston

2nd Prize-Ouston

3rd Prize- East Plenmeller

Cheviot

1st Prize-Cottonshope

2nd Prize-North Churchlands

Outwith the show, the trade soared to £152 for a pen of Messrs W H Davison & Son, Lough Green.

Dutch Texel x lambs topped at £145.50 for a pen of 12 wether lambs from Mr B Storey, Woodhead Farm. Not far behind at £141 were a pair of Beltex x lambs from Mr R H Walton, Linacres.

Blackface lambs sold to a top of £93.50 for a pen of 22 from Messrs J A I & D J Scott, The Brigg.

Mule lambs sold to a top of £84 for a pen of 50 from Messrs A & C L Bell, Woodhall Farm.

Texel-£152 & £140 Lough Green.

Texel x-£113 Greenchesters, £109 Woodlands Place, £107 Sherburn Tower, £106.50 Errington Red House, £106 Hareshaw Allotment & Lough Green, £105 Edlingham, £104.50 Whiteside, £104 Loanend & Greenchesters, £102.50 & £101 Errington Red House, £100.50 Birchcraig, £100 Broom House, Carrycoats, Moorlaws & Finely Farm.

Dutch Texel x-£149.50 & £139 Woodhead, £134.50 Agars Hill, £130.50 Woodhead, £128.50 & £126 Agars Hill, £125 Woodhead, £124 High Oldshield, £121 Wallend, £120 High Oldshield, £119 Agars Hill, £118 Low Houses, £116 Agars Hill, £113 Agars Hill & Willimoteswick.

Suffolk x –£96.50 Woodhall, £93 Laburnum, £88 Low Huntwell, £87.50 Bellshiel, £86 Errington Red House.

Beltex x –£141 Linacres, £138 Loanend, £124 Linacres.

Cheviot-£94 Demesne Cottage, £90 Willimoteswick.

Cheviot x-£79 Bellshiel.

Charollais x –£82.50 Thornley.

Bleu de Maine-£90 Thornley.

Mule –£84 Woodhall, £81.50 Embley, £77.50 Milescott, £77 Low Chesterhope, £76 Harsondale, £75.50 Carrycoats, £75 Whiteside, £74.50 Burnbank, £74 Carrycoats & Buckshot.

Blackface-£93.50 The Brigg, £76 Low Greenley, £71 Harsondale & West End Town, £70 Burnbank, £69 Burdonside, £68.50 Low Greenley, Hepple Whitefield & Davyshiel.

Swaledale -£57 Linshiels, £56.50 Ouston Farm, £55.50 Low Acton, £54 East Plenmeller.

Crossbred-£86.50 Broom House.