Kirkby Stephen Breeding Sheep Sale

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd, Kirkby Stephen Mart held their catalogued sale of 3,670 Registered and Unregistered Swaledale Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings and Gimmer Lambs.

The sale topped twice at £650 firstly for a pen of five two and three crop ewes from Messrs Hutchinson, Valley Farm, Bowes which were purchased by Messrs Scott, Low House, Barnard Castle

Also reaching £650 was the first prize pen of ten shearlings and overall reserve champion pen of from the flock dispersal the Arngill House flock selling to J York.

This same home also took the overall championship with the first prize pen of ten ewes which went on to sell for £450 to Messrs Bousfield, Fieldham House, Brough.

The pre show was judging was ably carried out by Swaledale breeder Robert Wear, How Green, Hartsop.

Next selling at £550 was a pen of ten one and two crop ewes also from Arngill House, which were purchased by Messrs Spensley, Castle Gate Farm, Castle Bolton.

Next selling for £300 was a pen of ten two and three crop ewes from Messrs Beckwith, New Hall Farm, Barras selling to Messrs Mason, Odd Acres Farm, Skipton.

This home also sold a further three pens of sixteen two and three crop ewes to make £270 selling to Messrs Lawson, Parr Bank, Carnforth; Messrs Porter, Riddings Farm, Reeth and Messrs White, Postern Farm, Derby. With another pen of ten selling to £215 to Messrs Hancock, Uldale Farm, Ravenstonedale.

With this outstanding run of 81 two and three crop ewes to average a phenomenal £241.85.

Next selling at £250 was a pen of fifteen two and three crop from Messrs Hutchinson, Valley Farm selling to Messrs Emmott, Wythop Hall, Cockermouth.

Messrs Bland, Cote Gill, Gaisgill sold a pen of ten two and three crop ewes to make £230 with another pen of twelve two and three crop ewes at £220 both selling to Messrs White, Derbyshire.

Messrs Alderson, Barras Farm, Barras sold the second prize pen of ten shearlings selling at £230 to Lilburn Estates, Wooler. With another pen of two shearlings from this home selling at £200 also to Lilburn Estates.

Messrs Wilson, Arngill House sold two pens of shearlings to make £220 and £210.

Messrs Dixon, Garnthwaite sold a the third prize pen two and three crop ewes to make £215 selling to Messrs Reed, The Knarr, Slaggyford.

A packed ring side of purchasers from Biggar in the north to Cornwall in the south were present which ensured a fast and furious trade from start to finish, with an unbelievable overall ewe sale average of £176.14 up £49.24 on the year, gimmer shearlings sold to average £163.29 up £44.64 on the year. Big strong powerful well marked pens of ewes were in extreme demand with these regularly selling between £200 and £270. Twenty pens and 226 ewes sold in excess of £200 with forty three and 568 in excess of £180.

The pre sale show which was kindly sponsored by I’ansons, Eden Farm Supplies, H Pigney & Son and Stable Thompson & Briscoe Accountants

Class 1 – Pen of 10 Ewes
1^st & Champion M&EM Wilson, Arngill House - £450
2^nd DC&KL Hutchinson, Old Spital Farm - £185
3^rd  RM&AM Dixon, Garnthwaite - £215

(L-R) - Tim Davies & Chloe Chapman-Hastwell for Stable, Thompson & Brisco accountants, Andrew Woof for Pigneys, Martin Wilson(Consignor), Robert Wear (Judge)  and Catherine Raine for Iansons.

Class 2 – Pen of 10 Shearlings
1^st           M&EM Wilson, Arngill House - £650
2^nd          JA Alderson, Barras Farm - £230
3^rd           M&EM Wilson, Arngill House - £220

(L-R)  - Tim Davies for Stable, Thompson & Briscoe Accountacts, David Birbeck(Consognor) and Robert Wear (Judge).

Winning to best run of 60 or more ewes and shearlings was Messrs Beckwith, New Hall, Barras with this run of 81 ewes selling to average £241.85.

Swaledale Gimmer lambs topped at £160 for a pen of ten from Messrs Jopling, Holly Cottage Barn, Nateby and were purchased by Messrs Wilkinson, Shield Hurst, Stanhope.

Our judge Mr Wear awarded the first place pen of ten to Messrs Birbeck, The Close, Kirkby Stehen which sold for £132 to Messrs Bousfield, Cranberry.

Messrs Calvert, Hoggarths Farm sold a pen of eleven at £122 selling to Messrs Wearmouth, Middle End Farm, Stanhope.

An overall sale average of £75.57 was achieved.

The pre sale show of gimmer lambs which was kindly sponsored by I’ansons, Eden Farm Supplies, H Pigney & Son and Stable Thompson & Briscoe Accountants with the judging carried out by Mr Robert Wear, Howe Green, Hartsop and the following awards were made -

Show Results
Swaledale Gimmer Lambs (Pens of 10 or More)
1^st and receiving the Eden Farm Supplies (Brough) Trophy   D Birbeck, The Close - £132
2^nd          G Calvert & Sons, Hoggarths - £122
3^rd           G Calvert & Sons, Hoggarths - £92

LEADING PRICES
Ewes : £650, £185, £182, £180, £172 Valley Farm; £550, £450, £190, £180, £175(2), £170(2), £165 Arngill House; £300, £270(3), £250, £190 Valley Farm; £230, £220, £200, £190, £175 Cotegill; £215, £198, £188, £175, £168 Garnthwaite; £215, £200(2) New Hall; £195 (2), £185, £175(2), £162 Hoggarths Farm; £195 How Burn; £195 West Stoney Keld; £190, £170, £160(2) Helbeck Farm; £190(2), £180, £175 Gatehouse; £185 Whitelees Farm; £185, £165, £160 Old Spital Farm; £180 Quarry Farm; £180, £178, £168 High Stennerskeugh; £175 Applegarth; £170 Rudd Hills; £170 Bridge Farm House; £165 Walburn Hall; £162, £160 Ellergill.

Gimmer Shearlings : £650, £220, £210, £170, £160, £150, £142, £140, £132 Arngill House; £230, £200 Barras Farm; £195 Brystone; £180, £162(2), £142 Hoggarths Farm; £120 Hesket Demain:

Gimmer Lambs: £160 Holly Cottage Barn; £132, £105, £90 The Close; £122, £92 Hoggarths; £118, £85, £80 New Hall; £100 Woolpits Hill; £94 Gatehouse Farm; £90 Helbeck Farm; £80 High Stennerskeugh: