Longtown Store & Breeding Sheep Sale Report

Longtown Auction Mart held their annual prize show and sale of 10,628 Cheviot Mules on Tuesday 23rd August 2022.

Congratulations must go to all of Longtown Auction's loyal vendors as it was clear to see that a lot of time and effort had been put into the presentation of their sheep. Once again, after a trying spring and a dry summer they still managed to produce the goods as today the quality of sheep on offer was second to none, which in turn was well rewarded with another great sale, with all classes of Cheviot Mule sheep being dearer on last year’s record rates of return, simply outstanding, well done. The Board of Directors, auctioneers and all the staff at Longtown thank all purchasers and vendors alike, who travelled to Longtown from as far afield as Caithness, Aberdeen, Devon, Cornwall, Cheshire, Wales and Northern Ireland and stood all day to purchase the finest Cheviot Mule sheep in the country.

First prize pen of shearlings Over Finlarg

Cheviot Mule gimmer shearlings were first to enter the ring, with a reduced entry of 2,332 which sold to an absolute flyer, averaging a colossal £201.12p (+£19.78 on 2021). All classes of shearlings proved very good to sell. Topping the sale on two separate occasions were two pens of seriously well bred Cheviot Mule shearlings consigned by regular vendors Messrs R McNee, Over Finlarg, Dundee which went on to realise £260, which for the third year running smashed the centre record. 

PRIZE LIST

GIMMER SHEARLINGS

1st – R McNee, Over Finlarg, Dundee, £232 to RW & SC Porter, Dunfell View, Kirby Thore.

2nd– L McIvor, Hartree Mill, Biggar, £240 to J & JF Nimmo, Bogside, Lanarkshire

3rd – IHG Warden, Skelfhill, Hawick, £210 to RBT Reid, Bengall, Lockerbie.

LEADING AVERAGES:

CHEVIOT MULE GIMMER SHEARINGS

McNee, Over Finlarg                  180 @ £246

Warden, Skelfhill                       128 @ £233

McIvor, Hartree Mill                  47 @ £222

Murray, Capeverde                   35  @ £222

Knox, Balloch                                  40 @ £216

Smith, Low Arkland                        37 @ £215

Wilson, High House                   121 @ £214

Osbourne, Castlehill                  148 @ £209

D Wilson & Son, Marwhirn          277 @ £207

TOP PRICES:

Cheviot Mule Shearlings - £260 x 2, £255, £252 Over Finlarg, £250, Skelfhill, £245, Over Finlarg, £240 Hartree Mill, £238, Skelfhill, £235, Over Finlarg, £235 x 2, Skelfhill, £232 Over Finlarg, £232, Skelfhill, £230, Hartree Mill, £228, £225 x 2, £222 Marwhirn, £220 Todhillmuir, £220 x 2, £218 x 2 High House, £218, North Balloch.

Longtown Auctioneer Nick Woodmass

Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs sold to a blistering trade averaging a staggering £144.72 (+£2.89p on 2021). The quality of lambs put before a stacked ring of purchasers was of serious quality and a testament to the producers who took great pride in showing their sheep. Topping the sale was the pre-sale show winners and overall champions, a very stylish pen of 20 realising £210 consigned by Messrs Nisbet Mill, Ancrum, Borders. Sharing the spoils for the highest flock average was firstly PW Hedley, Swinside who had a fantastic run of 178 lambs forward which topped at £190 with this run  of very well-bred lambs levelling at £175, and secondly Firm of Nesbit who were sold late in the day yet still managed to achieve the same average of £175 for 129, this is testament to the quality of the sheep as purchasers waited for the lambs and bid freely as they entered the Colosseum topping at £210.

Well done and many thanks to all involved for another great days trading at Longtown Auction Mart.

Champion pen of ewe lambs Nisbet Mill Farm

PRIZE LIST:

EWE LAMBS

1st – Firm of Nisbett, Nisbet Mill, £210 to Gall, Mains of Auchnaghatt, Aberdeen

2nd – Ridley, Ranbeck, £195 to JT & I Steel & Son, Steeley Farm, Co Durham

3rd – Cockburn, Kingside, £190 to Gall, Mains of Auchnaghatt   

LEADING AVERAGES:

CHEVIOT MULE EWE LAMBS

Hedley, Swinside Townfoot       178 @ £175

Firm of Nesbit, Nesbit               129 @175

Ridley, Ranbeck                        168 @ £168

McQuat, Brockhouse                 171@ £163

Carr, Highwood                         50 @ £164

Cockburn, Kingside                    102 @ £160

Ivinson, Skelling                        264 @ £157

Reid, Boreland                          150 @ £157

Osborne, Chapel                       116 @ £157

Blair, Dodgsonstown                 198 @ £156

Ferrie, Douglas Square              44 @ £156

Dean, Kirkhouse                        50 @ £152

Loder, Upper Chatto                  90 @ £150

Beard, Dormansteads                87 @ £148

Bridgewater & Wood, Potholm  109 @ £147

Cornthwaite, Balgray                 79   @ £146

Hewitt, Bankhead                     32 @ £145

Purvis, Shepherds Cottage         16 @ £144

TOP PRICES:

Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs –

£210 Nisbet Mill, £205 Skelling, £200 Swinside Townfoot, £195 Dodgsonstown and Ranbeck, £190 Kingside, £188 High Wood, £185 Dormansteads and Swinside Townfoot, £180 Ranbeck and Skelling, £178 Brockhouse, £175 Skelling, £172 Nisbet Mill and Swinside Townfoot, £170 Brockhouse, Swinside Townfoot and Nisbet Mill.

Texel x Cheviot Mule shearlings again met an animated trade with demand for top end sheep completely outstripping supply, sale average £19.11 up on the year.  The sale topped at £270 from GG & MA Harrison, Aldermanseat, Gretna.

LEADING AVERAGES:

TEXEL X CHEVIOT MULE SHEARLINGS

Harrison, Aldermanseat             106 @ £251

Graham, Upper Mains               210 @ £240

Courthill Farming Co                 36 @ £229

TOP PRICES:

Texel x Cheviot Mule Shearlings - £270 Aldermanseat, £258, £252, £250 Upper Mains, £248, £245 Aldermanseat, £245, £242, £238 Upper Mains.

Texel x Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs met spirited bidding with all vendors going home delighted with their days trading.

LEADING AVERAGES:

TEXEL X CHEVIOT MULE EWE LAMBS

Stott, Shaw Head                      22 @ £145 (Suff/Char)

Beard, Dormansteads                30 @ £136

Hodgson, Swinhoe North           297 @ £136

Strang-Steel, Philiphaugh          120 @ £133

Dun, Gilston                              47 @ £129

Wester Ulston Sheep                300 @ £129

Smith, West Bolton                   344 @ £127

TOP PRICES:

Suffolk x - £200 Shaw Head.

Texel x - £158, £152 West Bolton, £150, £148 Swinhoe North, £148 Dormansteads, £145 Upper Hundalee, £142 Sundhope, Philiphaugh, Swinhoe North and Dormansteads.

SALE AVERAGES:

Cheviot Mule Gimmer Shearlings           £200.12 (+£18.78)

Texel x Cheviot Mule Shearlings             £211.66 (£19.11)

Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs                       £143.72 (+£1.86)

Texel x Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs           £129.40 (-£9.05)