Longtown Great Annual Ram Fair Report

The Great Annual Ram Fair of 743 catalogued rams were forward at Longtown on Wednesday 10th October 2018, with a tremendous show of commercial rams forward all classes were well bid for, especially Texels and Suffolks.

The sale topped at £2,000 for an outstanding Texel shearling, one of the best seen for some time, from Alistair Bell, Kirkton, Hawick selling to local supporters Messes Dean, Kirk House, Brampton. Followed by another great shearling from the same home at £1,200 which sold to Messrs Halliday, Crawthat, Lockerbie.

Credit must be given to vendors of Texel ram lambs who brought forward a great show as far as quality and size was concerned, selling to a top of £680 for the days Champion from John Tough, Easterseat to regular purchaser Neil Hamilton, Earlside, with numerous other lambs selling between £350-£550.

A slightly smaller show of 105 Suffolk rams were sold to an animated trade with many buyers being volume purchasers taking 10-15 rams each. Shearlings topped at £800 twice for huge rams from Messrs Rutherford, Guards and lambs to £500 twice from The Land and Burgh Head.

Crossbred and other continental rams sold well for big shapey sorts with good skins, however there was any amount of ordinary crossbred tups forward as with most centres, however most found new homes although at a steadier trade.

The judging was ably carried out by Mr David Douglas, Catslackburn, Selkirk, who’s awards were as follows:

PRIZE LISTS:

Texel shearlings

1^st & Reserve - Wilkinson, Arkleby Hall - £650

2^nd - Smith, Crumhaughhill - £550

3^rd - Elliot, Duke Street - £480

Texel ram lambs

1^st & Champion - Tough, Easterseat - £680

2^nd - Wilkinson, Arkleby Hall - £520

3^rd - Haston, Dearham Hall - £380

Suffolk shearlings

1^st & Champion – Young, Flex - £620

2^nd – Beattie, Guardsmill - £550

3^rd – Bell, Kinninghall - £600

Suffolk ram lambs

1^st & Reserve – Hewson, Burgh Head - £500

2^nd – Martindale, Lands - £500

3^rd – Crozier, Faugh Beeches - £300

Crossbred shearlings

1^st & Champion – Dunlop, Corstane - £380

2^nd & Reserve – Runciman, Allanshaws - £600

3^rd - Hird, Broomhill - £350

The Tucker Armstrong Memorial Cup was presented by Aiden Braithwaite to Mrs M Dunlop, Corstane, Biggar for her Champion Texel x Beltex shearling ram, which later sold at £380 to the judge. The Solway & Tyne Cup was awarded to the Champion Texel which was a ram lamb shown by J & M Tough, Easterseat, Carluke which sold at £680 to Messrs Hamilton & Som, Earlside, Hawick. This show was also kindly sponsored by Trojan 4x4, Linstock.

PRINCIPAL PRICES:

Ram Lambs:

Texel - £680, £550 (x2) Easterseat, £520 Arkleby House, £500 Woodhead & Easterseat, £480 Heathery Knowe & Auchenbart, £420 Auchenbart & Arkleby House, £400 Auchenbart & Easterseat, £380 Dearham Hall & Parkview.

Suffolk - £500 The Land & Burgh Head, £420 The Land & Burgh Head, £380 The Land, £360 Callees Cottage, £350 The Land, £320 Callees Cottage & Burgh Head, £300 Faugh Beeches.

Charollais - £300, £260 Springfield.

Shearlings:

Texel - £2,000, £1,200, £1,000 Kirkton, £1,000 Pilmuir, £950 Kirkton, £780 Catslackburn, £750 Pilmuir, £680 Duke Street, £650 Catslackburn, Becks, Arkleby House & Kirkton, £620 Catslackburn & Duke Street, £600 Kirkton.

Suffolk - £800 (x2) Guards, £700, £680 Kinninghall, £650 Guards, £620 Flex Farm & Kinnnghall, £600 North House & Kinninghall, £580 The Land, £550 Kinninghall, North House, Romanvale & Guardsmill.

Beltex - £750, £500 Inamay, £500 Flex Farm, £480, £450 (x2), £420, £400, £350 (x2) Rue Castle Cottage, £350 Inamay & Corstane.

Texel x Suffolk - £600 Allanshaws, £550 Romanvale, £320 Upper Mains, £260 Kingside.

Texel x Beltex - £580, £550 (x2), £500 (x3), £480 (x2), £450 (x2), £420, £400 (x2), £380 Middle Farm, £380 Corstane.

Suffolk x Beltex - £500, £420, £350, £250 Flex Farm.

Texel x BFL - £500, £350 Kinninghall, £350 Burgh Head, £300, £250 Kings Cottage.

Charollais x Beltex - £380, £350, £300 Paddockhole, £300 Lessonhall & Thackwood, £280 Thackwood & Paddockhole.

Charollais - £380 Hunderlee Pastoral, £360 Moor Road, £350 Thackwood, Hunderlee Pastoral & Lessonhall, £300 Lessonhall & Thackwood.

Aged Rams:

Texel - £520 Blakehopeburnhaugh, £400 (x2) Dormansteads.

The Annual Show and Sale of Bluefaced Leicester’s saw a good entry with plenty of buyers to the fore. All classes met a good commercial trade ranging from £250-£500 and to a top £750 for a shearling from W C Anderson & Son, Parkhill, Roberton followed at £500 Tappit Lane, £410 Parkhill, £400 Albierigg, Burgh Head, Borthwick Brae, Peela Hill and Old Police House. Ram lambs to £180 from The Throp with ages rams to £320 Clarilaw Farming and ewes £200 Westhills.

North Country Cheviot rams to £350 and £320 from Nisbet Mill. Valais Blacknose to £140 for rams and ram lambs from Blackwoodridgehouse.

At the pre-sale show of Leicesters, judging was ably carried out by Mr Kevin McGimpsey, Harelawhill Cottage, Canonbie, who awards were as follows:

Leicester shearlings

1^st & Champion – Hope, Albierigg - £400

2^nd – Nicholson, Old Police House - £400

Leicester ram lambs

1^st – Murray, The Throp - £180

2^nd – Murray, The Throp - £180

The Champion also received the G Carter & Son, Silver Challenge Trophy.

The first prize ram lamb also received the Robert Telford Memorial Trophy.

Click images to enlarge