Kirkby Stephen Prime Sheep Sale

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd, Kirkby Stephen Mart held their annual Christmas Show & Sale of prime sheep on Tuesday night, when 2892 sheep were forward consisting of 2229 prime lambs and 663 cast sheep.

Our Christmas show witnessed the best show of lambs ever seen here at Kirkby Stephen, with many saying you’d have to go along way to see better, for an impressive 380 show lambs forward, which were a credit to all exhibitors.

Taking the overall championship and topping the sale at £320 and 640p/kg were the first prize pair of heavier weighted Beltex cross lambs at 50kg which were consigned by Messrs Burbridge, Stamford, Lincolnshire and were bought by A Wright & Son, Boston.

Champion (L-R) Chris Wright (Judge & Purchaser) Robert West for JF Burbridge & Sons (Consignor)

Great thanks goes to our show judge Mr C Wright, Boston for carrying out the judging of such great quality and volume of lambs in such an efficient and able manner,

Mr Wright awarded the overall reserve championship to the to the first placed lighter weighted Beltex cross lambs weighing 42kg and selling for £210 (500p/kg) which were shown by Messrs Dinsdale, Highfield, Penrith with Messrs Wright again backing his judgment and successfully purchasing these also.

Reserve Champion Harry Dinsdale (Consignor) Chris Wright (Judge) & Ian Dinsdale (Consignor)

Christmas definitely came early for our sellers here at Kirkby Stephen with a SQQ average of 312.3p/kg and an overall sale average of 304.6p/kg and £132.39 per head being achieved which included 776 Mules and hill bred lambs.

Messrs Sowerby, Terrys Farm, Ormside sold a pair of 65kg Beltex cross lambs to make £190.

Messrs Hunter, Upper Brydekirk, Annan sold a pair of 42kg Beltex cross lambs to make £181 (431p/kg).

Messrs Dinsdale High Field, Penrith sold a pair of 33kg Beltex cross lambs to male £141 (427.3p/kg).

Messrs Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm, Macclesfield sold a pair of 42kg Beltex cross lambs to make £179 (426.2p/kg).

Messrs Simpson, Highside Farm, Wigglesworth was very last through the ring and topped at 422.7p/kg for a pair of six 44kg Beltex cross lambs which made £186 selling to Messrs Wright.

14 pens of lambs sold between 400-640p/kg

60 pens & 221 lambs sold between 370-640p/kg

90 pens & 375 lambs sold between 350-640p/kg

23 pens & 65 lambs sold between £170 - £320

119 pens & 368 lambs sold between £150 - £320

721 Beltex cross lambs sold to average £150.03 & 3.50p/kg

Mule lambs topped at £150 for a pen of ten 58kg from Messrs Lawson, Hundith House, Wigton.

Mule lambs also sold to 288.5p/kg for a pen of ten 48kg lambs which made £138.50 from Messrs McCune, Farewell Grange, Wigton.

Blackface lambs topped at £134 and 297.8p/kg for a pen of ten 45kg lambs from Messrs Porteous, Richmond.

Swaledale lambs topped at 256.1p/kg for a pen of fifty 41kg lambs from Messrs Iceton, High Birk Hatt, Barnard Castle.

Cast sheep were also a flying trade with many being a further £10-£15 up once again.

Taking the first prize pen of lowland ewes was a pen of five Beltex cross which sold for £180 and were consigned by Messrs Hunter, Upper Brydekirk, Annan.

The first prize pen of hill ewes went to a pen of five Swaledales which made £116 and were shown byy Messrs Lawson, Hundith House, Wigton.

Mule ewes sold to £140 from Messrs Atkinson, Abbey Park, Bleatarn.

Scotch Blackface ewes sold to £100 for a pen of six from Messrs Barker, Middle Bank End Farm.

Five pens of Swaledale ewes sold between £100-£160 with a pen of twelve making £100.50 from Messrs Gargett, Barnard Castle.

Show Results

2 Lambs sired by a Texel Ram (Lightweight)         
1^st        HG Jackson, Littlebeck – 41 kg £137   
2^nd        C Wills, Fawcett Park – 41 kg £166
3^rd        JS&JO Dodd, Skylin – 40 kg £160

2 Lambs sired by a Beltex Ram (Lightweight)
1^st        W&J&I Dinsdale, High Field – 42 kg £210
2^nd       W&J&I Dinsdale, High Field – 33 kg £141
3^rd        P Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm – 41 kg £167

2 Lambs Any other breed, Not shown in class 1 or 2 (Lightweight)
1^st        P Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm – 42 kg £179
2^nd        P Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm – 42 kg £167
3^rd        S&RE Williamson, Littleburn – 38 kg £148.50

2 Lambs sired by a Texel Ram (Heavyweight)
1^st        TW Hunter, Upper Brydekirk – 47kg £175
2^nd       MH Elliott, Espland – 54kg £165
3^rd        C Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm – 47kg £165

2 Lambs sired by a Beltex Ram (Heavyweight)
1^st        JF Burbridge & Sons, Park Farm – 50kg £320
2^nd       TW Hunter, Upper Brydekirk – 43kg £178
3^rd        JF Burbridge & Sons, Park Farm – 47kg £164

2 Lambs Any other breed, not shown in class 4 or 5 (Heavyweight)
1^st        P Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm – 47 kg £173
2^nd        W&J&I Dinsdale, High Field– 46 kg £166
3^rd        P Slater, Whiteley Hey Farm – 53 kg £172

10 Cheviot Lambs
1^st        JJ&E Lawson, Hundith House – 48 kg £136
2^nd       E Hird & Son, Amersber Cottage – 39 kg £116
3^rd        L Williamson, Littleburn – 43kg £127.50

10 Mule Lambs
1^st        Kilnstown Farms Ltd – 50 kg £137.50
2^nd       MTP&SD Wills, Fawcett Park – 54 kg £144
3^rd        MTP&SD Wills, Fawcett Park – 54 kg £144

10 Swaledale, Rough Fell Blackface or Herdwick Lambs
1^st        K Porteous, Bolton Road – 45 kg £134
2^nd       Messrs Buckle, Buckles Farm – 38kg £99
3^rd        Kilnstown Farms Ltd- 49 kg £125

5 or more Polled or Lowland Ewes
1^st        TW Hunter, Upper Brydekirk(Beltex) - £180
2^nd         JJ&E Lawson, Hundith House (Mule) - £119
3^rd        NJ&C Barker, Middle Bank End (Mule) - £124

5 or more Horned Ewes
1^st           JJ&E Lawson, Hundith House (Swaledale) - £106
2^nd         NJ&C Barker, Middle Bank End (Scotch Blackface)- £100
3^rd        Kilnstown Farms Ltd (Swaledale) - £94

Champion and winning the Croglin Castle Perpetual Cup – JF Burbridge & Sons, Park Farm

Reserve Champion – W&J&I Dinsdale, High Field

Thanks goes to our Christmas show sponsors Bridgedales Nutrition, Dugdale Nutrition, H&H Insurance Brokers, Eden Farm Supplies & CL&C Steadman Butchers.

Leading Lamb Averages
No.        Weight      p/kg       Head          From
27    @    44.8kg    393p      £176.44     PW Simpson, Wigglesworth
25    @    54.2kg    375.5p    £169.76    TW Hunter, Annan
16    @    52.6kg    312.1p    £164.44    MH Elliott, Newton Reigny
16    @    46.1kg    352.9p    £162.81    HG Jackson, Kings Meaburn
8      @    53.6kg    296.1p    £158.81    JW Watson, Asby
12    @    41.3kg    375p       £155.00    JS&JO Dodd, Temple Sowerby
50    @    43.1kg    356.9p    £154.12    JF Burbridge, Stamford
14    @    46.2kg    331.1p    £153.25    P McCune, Aspatria
59    @    44.8kg    341.3p    £153.07    W&J&I Dinsdale, Morland
51    @    52.3kg    284.7p    £149.03    WT Jackson, Lamonby
24    @    52.4kg    281.7p    £147.67    MTP & SD Wills, Dufton
163  @    39.7kg    370.9p    £147.48    GE&VH Slater, Macclesfield
15    @    42kg       347.5p    £146.20    EM & C Longstaff, Murton
26    @    52.1kg    280.2p    £146.13    DE&AM Hodgson, Shap

Leading Prices –

Prime Lambs

Price Per kilo –

Beltex 640p, 397.6p, 392.9p, 392.7p, 385.7p Park Farm (Burbridge); 500p, 427.3p, 389.5p, 380.7p, 380.2p, 372.2p High Field; 431p, 414p, 378.3p, 374.4p Upper Brydekirk; 426.2p, 407.3p, 397.6p, 397.4p, 386.4p, 383.7p, 383.3p (3), 382.4p, 378p, 376.3p (2), 376.1p, 372.9p, 372.7p, 372.5p, 371.1p, 370p Whiteley Hey Farm;422.7p, 395.6p, 387.8p, 385.6p Highscale; 414.6p Marriforth; 404.9p Fawcett Park (C Wills); 403.7p, 383.8p, 375p Farewell Grange; 400p Town End Farm (Sayer); 397.7p, Fawcett Park Farm; 390.8p, 372.7p Littleburn Farm; 382.9p, 377.3p, 374.3p Skylin; 380.7p, 373.3p Littlebeck (Jackson); 378.8p Ascot House; 375p Wharton Hall; 373.3p Wodencroft Farm; 372.2p Black Syke; 372.1p Castle Hill;371.7p Terrys Farm (S Sowerby ): Texel 400p Skylin; 372.3p Upper Brydekirk; 343.8p Whiteley Hey Farm; 343.3p Green Farm; 340.2p, 330.2p, 317.3p Thorney Gale; 333.3p Castle Hill; 316.3p Amersber Cottage; 315.9p Meadow Bank; 314.5p Waters Farm; 313.8p Wharton Hall; 311.7p Green Farm; 310p Scar Top: Rouge 360.9p High Field (Dinsdale): Suffolk 306.4p, 298.8p Waters Farm; 297.8p Littleburn Farm; 297.6p Wharton Hall; 290.2p Town Head (Richardson) Blackfaced 297.8p Bolton Road; 260.5p Buckles Farm: Charollais 297.8p High Field (Dinsdale): Cheviot 297.4p Amersber Cottage; 296.5p Littleburn Farm; 292.3p (2), 291.5p Buckles Farm: Blue Texel 295.8p, 295p Kirkland Fold; 294.3p Park Farm: Mule 288.5p Farewell Grange; 286.4p Asby Grange; 286.2p Castle Hill; 283.7p Thorney Gale; 283.3p Grains O Beck; 280.7p High Stennerskeugh: Hampshire 271.4p Buckles Farm: Herdwick 267.4p Starrah: Swaledale 256.1p High Birk Hatt; 255.1p Kilnstown.

Price per head –

Beltex £320 , £177, £165, £164, £163, £162, £161 (2), £160 (2) Park Farm (Burbridge); £210, £167.50 (3), £163.50, £160 High Field (Dinsdale); £190, £184 , £171, £168 Terrys Farm; £186, £178, £174.50, £173.50 Highscale Farm;£181, £178, £174, £166, £161 Upper Brydekirk; £180, £170, £165.50, £161.50 Farewell Grange; £179, £173 (2), £172, £170, £167 (3), £166, £165, £164, £161 Whiteley Hey Farm; £170, £164 Marriforth; £169, £168, £167.50, £166.50, £163.50 Little Beck: £175 Fawcett Park Farm; £168 Wodencroft; £168 Town End Farm:  £168 Green Farm (Hodgson); £167.50 Black Syke; £166 Espland House; £166 Fawcett Park Farm (C Wills); £166, £160 Skylin; £165.50 Highscale Farm; £162.50 (2), £162 Espland House; £162.50 Hill Top Farm: Texel £175 Upper Brydekirk; £167, £165 Espland House; £165, £158.50, £156.50 Thorney Gale; £165 Whiteley Hey Farm; £161, £153, £152.50, £146.50 Clarks Farm; £161, £158.50 Whygill Head; £160 Skylin; £160 Jardines; £155Towers Farm; £154.50 Green Farm (Hodgson); £152.50 Low Farm; £150.50 New View Farm; £150 The Grange; £148.50 High Toft Hill; £147.50 Woodfoot;; £146.50, £143.50 Green Farm (Atkinson); £143.50 New View Farm; £143 Towers Farm; ££143, £140.50 The Grange; £140 Black Syke; £140 Steely Farm;£140 Jardines; £140 Castle Hill: Rouge £166 High Field (Dinsdale); Bluefaced Leicester £160, £140 Kilnstown: Blue Texel £156 Park Farm; £142 Kirkland Fold: Mule £150 Hundith House; £146 Green Farm; £144 (2) Fawcett Park Farm; £139, £135 Green Farm (Hodgson); £138.50 Farewell Grange; £137.50 Greenriggs; £137.50 Kilnstown; £136.50 Stotley Hall; £136 Haber; £135 Manor Farm: Suffolk £152 Clarks Farm ;£140 Black Syke; £134 Littleburn Farm: Charollais £137 High Field (Dinsdale): Cheviot  £136, £126.50 Hundith House; £131.50 Ambersber Cottage; £130 Castle Hill; £127.50 Littleburn Farm: Blackfaced £134 Bolton Road:  Swaledale £125 Kilnstown’ £105 High Birk Hatt; £104.50 West End Farm: Herdwick £115 Starrah: Hampshire £114 Buckles Farm.

Cast Ewes

Texel £180, £160 Powis House; £180 Hill Top Farm; £160, £146.50, £142  Middle Bank End; £155 Westwick Farm; £150 Fountain Head; £150 Scar Top (Calvert); £146.50 Smardale Mill; £140.50, £140 Highscale Farm: Beltex £180 Upper Brydekirk; £144.50 Wodencroft; £40 Highscale Farm: Bluefaced Leicester £146.50 Greenriggs: Mule £140 Abbey Park; £128 Raygill Farm; £124 Middle Bank End: £119 Westwick Farm; £119 Hundith House; £114.50 West Hindon Farm; £112 Abbey Park: Zwartble 132.50 Powis House: Suffolk: £120 Middle Bank End: Swaledale £116, £106.50 Hundith House; £103.50, £94, £86.50 Kilnstown; £100.50 Westwick Farm; £100 The Croft; £86 Low House: Cheviot £105 Westwick Farm; £96.50 Bents Farm; £92.50 Townhead New Farm; £87.50 Low House; £83.50 Middle Bank End: Blackfaced £100 Middle Bank End Farm; £78 Low House; £75.50 Townhead New Farm: Lleyn £90.50 Bank Hall: Rough Fell £90 Lockholme Hall; £86.50 Dalefoot Farm: Herdwick £72.50 Low House.

Cast Rams

Bluefaced Leicester £170.50 Wythes Hill; £148 Harbour Flatt: Texel £170 Whiteley Hey Farm: £162.50, £150 Middle Bank End Farm: Cheviot £130 Middle Bank End Farm; Swaledale £96.50 Gilts.