Kirkby Stephen Breeding Female Sheep Sale

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd Kirkby Stephen held their annual sale of Continental, Mule Ewes, Shearlings and Gimmer lambs when an increased catalogued entry of 2863 sheep were on offer.

Topping the female section at £540 on two different occasions was firstly and second in the ring a pure Texel ewe from Messrs Law, Raven Cottage, Newbiggin on Lune which sold to Dowson & Sartin, Battle Hill Farm, Barnard Castle. With another Texel ewe from this home selling to £500 to the same buyer.

Also achieving £540 was a pure Texel shearling from Messrs Teward, New View Farm, Darlington selling to Messrs Batty, Flimby Hall, with this home also selling other pure Texel shearlings for £500 selling to Messrs Raine & Davidson, Thorney Gale, Stainmore.

Beltex cross shearlings sold to £400 on two occasions from Messrs Skidmore Needless Hall Farm, Toronto which were bought by Messrs Dent, Elm House, Bolton, and Messrs Batty, Flimby Hall, Maryport.

Also selling for £370 were Beltex cross gimmer shearlings from this same home also selling to Messrs Dent.

The pre sale show saw the strongest entry of top quality continental cross female seen here at Kirkby Stephen put in front of our judge, local quality prime lamb producers Andrew Jackson, Little Beck, Kings Meaburn. After a difficult task Mr Jackson awarded the overall championship to a super pen of five Beltex cross shearlings from Messrs Skidmore, Needless Hall Farm which went on to sell for £300 to Messrs Jackson.

Messrs Skidmore also sold pen of five shearlings to make £295, £275, £255, £250, £235 and £230, with a whopping overall average of £271.31 for 50 shearlings being achieved.

Messrs Stoddart, Hillside, Wigton sold a pen of Beltex cross shearlings to make £240 bought by Messrs Richardson, Low Garth, Cockermouth.

Beltex cross gimmers shearlings sold to average £174.94.

Messrs Dixon, Hartley Castle, Kirkby Stephen sold a pen of ten homebred Texel cross Mules shearling gimmers to make £190 with other pens from this home selling for £185 and £180 for a pen f eleven, with this consignment of first cross Texel gimmers averaging £184.78.

Messrs Jackson also awarded first place to a pen of five Beltex cross gimmer lambs from Messrs Elliott, Espland House, Penrith which sold for £172 to Messrs Dent, Elm House.

Gimmer lambs topped at £255 for Beltex crosses from Messrs Chester, Grassgill Lodge, Soulby which sold to Rachael Bainbridge, Red House, Barnard Castle.

Messrs Armstrong, Moor Riggs, Penrith also sold Beltex cross gimmer lambs to make £175 selling to Messrs Skidmore, Toronto.

The pre sale show was kindly sponsored by Peter Horn Mobile Sheep Dipping and Westmorland Accountants.

Show Results (Five Shearlings or Ewes)
1^st        CA&JG Skirdmore, Needless Hall - £300
2^nd       SJ Stoddart, Hillside - £200
3^rd        MH Elliott, Espland House - £200

Five Gimmer Lambs
1^st        MH Elliott, Espland House - £172
2^nd       S Armstrong, Moor Riggs - £145
3^rd        MH Elliott, Espland House

1st prize gimmer lambs

Leading Consignments

Breeding Ewes
5        @      £326           JA Law, Raven Cottage

Shearlings
4        @      £440           M/s Teward, New View Farm
42      @      £271.31      CA&JG Skidmore, Needless Hall Farm
8        @      £222.50      MH Elliott, Espland House
15      @      £207           N&A Bainbridge, Laneside
15      @      £195.73      JM&AM Morland, Starrah
28      @      £185.78      DJ&S Dixon, Hartley Castle

Gimmer Lambs
5        @      £172           MH Elliott, Espland House
16      @      £157.50      P&E Chester, Grassgill Lodge
14      @      £146.93      S Armstrong & Sons, Moor Riggs
26      @      £140.23      LC&D Wearmouth, Parkside

Leading Prices:

Ewes –

Texel £540, £500, £210, £190(2), £160 Raven Cottage; £215 Red House Farm(Bainbridge); £142(2), £140(2) Breaks Hall; £140 Prospect Farm Cottage: Beltex £260, £200 Espland House: Mule £142, £130 Haithwaite; £122 Holebeck Farm; £120 Prospect Farm: Zwartble £135 Mount Pleasant Farm: Suffolk £132 Nixon Terrace: Cheviot £130 School House.

Gimmer Shearlings –

Texel £540, £500, £360(2) New View; £235, £202, £200, £185, £170(2) Bankdale Farm; £225(2), £210 Laneside; £202, £170 Barrowmoor Road; £200, £190, £185, £180, £170 Hartley Castle; £188, £182 Landrigg House; £185 Starrah; £182, £180(2), £170(2) Skylin; £172, £170(2) Ladying Farm; £170 Trovato: Beltex £400(2), £370, £300, £295, £290, £275, £255, £250, £245, £235, £230 Needless Hall Farm; £240 Hillside; £220, £212, £210, £205, £195, £190 Starrah; £205 The Bungalow; £200, £180 Hillside; £200, £195 High Field: Mule £165 East Todholes; £152 Skylin; £150(4) Hole House; £150 Holebeck Farm: Cheviot £162, £155 Skylin.

Gimmer Lambs –

Beltex £255, £160(2), £145(2) Grassgill Lodge; £175, £152, £145(3), £142 Moor Riggs; £172 Espland House; £155, £150 Parkside; £150 Town Foot: Texel £145, £135, £122(2) Amos Hill Farm; £142, £122 Haithwaite; £138, £132(2) High Stennerskeugh; £122 Fair View: Blue du maine £138, £132, £125 Bonny Rigg: Dutch Texel £122 Starrah.