Longtown Annual Ram Fair Sale Report

C & D Auction Marts Limited had forward 938 head at their Annual Ram Fair at Longtown on Wednesday 7th October 2015.

The Ram Sale of 150 Suffolk, 113 Charollais & Charollais x, 137 Beltex & other Crossbred and 351 Texels saw a full ring of local and distant buyers present, ensuring a good trade throughout with a healthy clearance rate. Best quality rams were keenly sought after and realised premium prices with 5 Texel shearlings realising over the £1,000 mark. Other rams met a realistic demand with only the bottom end hard to cash.

Also included were the annual shows for both Texel and Suffolk rams, kindly sponsored by Trojan 4x4.

The sale topped at £1,800 by regular sale topper Mr A. Bell, Kirkton, Hawick to D. & D. Aitken, Uppercleuch, followed at £1,250 from the same home to J. Baty, Broomhills. Mr Bell’s pen of 14 shearlings averaged an impressive £782.86.

The Texel judging was ably carried out by Mr J. Warnock MBE, Sandilands, Lanark, who awarded the Championship to a shearling from Messrs Douglas, Catslackburn, from a massive class of 23 sheep, which realised £450 to J.N. Hall, Harelawhill, Canonbie. The reserve champion was awarded to the ram lamb from Archie Hamilton’s Smyllum Flock, which went on to realise £400 to Mr Hird, Westend, Dovenby.

Prize list:-

Shearling ram:-

1^st Prize and Champion – Messrs Douglas, Catslackburn, £450 to J.N. Hall, Harelawhill.

2^nd Prize – J. Robertson, Becks, £650 to A. Reid & Co, Glendearg.

3^rd Prize – G. Cakebread, Commonside, £450 H. McLeish, West Skelston.

Ram lamb:-

1^st Prize and Reserve – A. Hamilton, Smyllum, £400 J. H. Hird, West End.

2^nd Prize – Messrs J. Cullen, Craighead, £300 to J. Woodburn, Haas Grove.

3^rd Prize – C. Toy, West Woodlane, £140 to J. Lamb, Whitslade.

Principal prices:-

Shearlings - £1,800, £1,250 Kirkton, £1,100 Chesters Place, £1,050, £1,000 Kirkton, £880 Commonside and Kirkton, £820 Crumhaughhill, £700 (x2), £680 Kirkton, £650 (x2) Becks, £650 Commonside.

Ram lambs - £450, £420 Easterseat, £400 Roxburgh Mill, Easterseat and Smyllum, £350 Easterseat, £300 Dearham Hall, Easterseat and Craighead.

The Suffolk rams were ably judged by Mr K. Denby, Riddings Hill, Longtown who awarded the Championship to a ram lamb from Messrs Sisson, Fenton Farm, which realised £350 to Messrs Blaylock, Hallburn. The reserve champion went to the shearling from regular consignor Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, Ecclefechan, which realised £500 to Messrs Gair, Low House, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Prize list:-

Shearling ram:-

1^st Prize and Reserve – Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, £500 to Messrs Gair, Low House.

2^nd Prize– W.J. & J.G. Bell, Kinning Hall, £520 to J. Warnock & Sons, Dreva.

3^rd Prize – Messrs Douglas, Catslackburn, £350 to H. McLeish, West Skelston.

Ram lamb:-

1^st Prize and Champion – Messrs Sisson, Fenton Farm, £350 to Messrs Blaylock, Hallburn.

2^nd Prize – Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, £300 to Messrs Blaylock, Hallburn.

3^rd Prize – B. & S.R. Stobbart, Hullerbank, £240 to J. Hall, Lankaber.

Principal prices:-

Shearlings - £600 Langshaw, £580 Castslackburn, £520 Kinning Hall, £500, £480 Land Farm, £480, £450 Kinning Hall, £420 Middle House, £400 Guards Mill, Langshaw and Land Farm.

Ram lambs - £350 Fenton, £300 The Land and Burgh Head, £280 (x2) The Land.

In the Charollais ram section the trade was mixed with only the better end easy to cash.

Principal prices:-

Shearlings - £380 Loaning Foot, £340 Wester Parkgate, £300 Thackwood, Kinning Hall, Dearham Hall and Fowrass.

Ram lambs - £280 (x2) Loaningfoot, £220, £200 Springfield.

In the other Continental and Crossbred section the same applied with the best end of the rams easily sold whilst the plainer end were hard to cash.

Principal prices:-

Shearlings –

Beltex - £580, £550, £450 Upper Auchenlay, £450 Walkerdyke, £400 Upper Auchenlay.

Beltex x Texel - £500 Whitstonehill, £480, £450 Sorbie, £450 Dormansteads, £420 (x2) Sorbie.

Suffolk x Texel - £450 Kinning Hall.

Beltex x Charollais - £350 (x2) Upper Auchenlay, £280 Great Tosson and Wester Parkgate, £220.

Ram lambs –

Beltex x Texel - £320, £250 Waterside.

The Annual Show & Sale of non-registered Bluefaced Leicester Rams, Ram Lambs and Females saw a catalogue entry of 187 mostly commercial crossing sheep. Buyers attended from Islay in Scotland down to Wales. Trade was buoyant all day with buyers selective with what they bought.

Pre-sale judging was in the very capable hands of Mr Ted Telford, High Parkfoot, Roadhead, whose awards were as follows:-

Shearling Ram –

1^st & Champion (awarded the G.E. Carter Silver Challenge Trophy) Messrs Murray, Stell Green, Haydon Bridge and sold at £320 to Mr Fell of Wales.

2^nd & Reserve Champion – Borthwick Brae Farms, Roberton, Hawick and sold at £380.

Ram Lamb –

1^st (awarded the Robert Telford Memorial Trophy) Messrs Telford, Hole of Lyne, Roadhead sold at £280 to McGill Smith, Islay.

2^nd – Messrs Hewson, Burgh Head, Burgh by Sands, sold at £300.

Top price of the day was £400 Borthwick Brae Farms and Colmslie, others £380 Tushielaw and Borthwick Brae, £370 (x2) Shielsknowe, £360 (x2) Terrona and Foulshiels. Ram lambs £320, £300 Burgh Head, £280 Hole of Lyne. Aged rams £400 The Side. Ewes £180 Shielsknowe.

Leicester x Texel rams to £290 Foulshiels. Lleyn to £140 Croft Heads. Kerry Hills to £80 Grassknop. Zwartbles to £80 Viewfields.