Kirkby Stephen Breeding Sheep

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd, Kirkby Stephen Mart, held their annual New Fair Prize Show and Sale of Breeding outfits when 1800 head were catalogued.

Topping the sale at £148 per life and £296 per outfit was on two occasions both from Messrs Winter, Clickham Farm, Appleby in Westmorland, firstly for a pen of ten Texel cross Suffolk hoggs with Texel lambs at foot which was purchased by Messrs Slee, Street House, Kirkby Thore, then also for Black Texel hoggs and lambs selling to Messrs Wood, Ulverston.

The pre sale show was ably judged by regular consignor here at Kirkby Stephen Mr Steve Greensit, Northallerton who had a fantastic turnout of continental, Mule hoggs and Swaledale ewes with lambs at foot put in front of him.

The first placed Mule hoggs was awarded to Messrs Winter, Clickham, Appleby for their pen of ten hoggs with Suffolk lambs at foot which sold for £138 per life £276 per outfit selling Messrs J Taylor, Kendal.

1^st Mule – Steve Greensit (Judge) James Winter (Consignor)

Taking the first position in the continental cross hoggs were a pen of five Texel cross Mule hoggs with Texel lambs from Messrs Dixon, Hartley Castle, Kirkby Stephen which went on to sell for £124 per life, £248 per outfit to selling to the judge.

1^st Cont Steve Greensit (Judge) Alex Dixon (Consignor)

The first placed Swaledale ewes with lambs at foot was given to a pen of five ewes with twin Mule lambs at foot from Messrs Armstrong, Ghyll Croft, Carlisle which sold for £88 per life and £264 per outfit to Messrs Nicholson, Cockermouth.

1^st Swaledale – Steve Greensit (Judge), Barry Armstrong (Consignor) and Grace Dobson representing Laurence Pierce Wool Merchants (Sponsor)

Swaledales also sold to £108 per life £324 per outfit also from Messrs Armstrong which were purchased by Messrs Garth, Clapham. With another pen of three Swaledale ewes with twin mule lambs selling for £88 per life £264 per outfit also from this same home, also selling to Messrs Nicholson.

Miss M Newby, Park House Farm, Marwood topped the ewes with lambs at foot at £132 per life (£396 per outfit) for 4 crop Texel ewes with twin lambs at foot, with this home also topping the geld hoggs at £186 for Texel cross.

The pre sale show was kindly  sponsored by Laurence Pierce (Wool Merchants) and Pendragon Vets and the following awards were made:-

10 Mule Hoggs with Lambs
1^st     Messrs Winter Bros, Clickham Farm
2^nd    Messrs Winter Bros, Clickham Farm

5 Continental cross Hoggs with Lambs
1^st     DJ&S Dixon, Hartley Castle
2^nd    D&R Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill
3^rd     Messrs Winter Bros, Clickham Farm

5 Swaledale Ewes with Lambs
1^st     BI Armstrong, Ghyll Croft
2^nd    PG Sayer, Musgrave House
3^rd     C Bell, The Pry

Leading Prices per Life:

Geld Hoggs – Texel £186, £178 Park House Farm: Mule £149, £148 Blades Field Farm.

Hoggs with Lambs –

Texel £148(2), £138 Clickham Farm; £136, £134, £124, £120(2) Yore House; £130, £128(2), £124 Balgray Hill; £124 Hartley Castle: Mule £133 Clickham

Shearlings with Lambs –

Texel £116 (Single) Park House Farm; £90 (Twin) Low Barn; £85 (Twin) Helbeck Farm: Suffolk £105 (Twin) Low Barn: Mule ££80 (Single) Well House.

Correct Ewes with Lambs –

Texel £132 (Twin), £108 (Single) Park House Farm; £127 (Twin) Sandwick; £112 (Twin) Low Barn; £109 (Twin) Greenriggs; £109 (Single) Helbeck Farm: Beltex £114 (Single) Sandwick Farm: Swaledale £108 Ghyll Croft: Cheviot £78 (Twins) Dry How.

Correct Below Ewes with lambs –

Texel £86 (Twin) Rigg Farm; £86 (Twin) Dry How; £75 (Twin) Bollam Terrace; £65 (Twin) Prospect Farm Cottage: Mule £69 (Twin) Rigg Farm; £68 (Twin) Greenriggs; £64 (Twin) Williams House.