Longtown Breeding Sheep Sale Report

C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their Great Annual Ram Fair at Longtown on Wednesday 5th October 2022, where one of the best shows of Texel rams was seen for many years. Buyers from all ends of the country were competing to buy the sires of next year’s lamb crop, with rams heading as far North as Caithness and as far South as Cornwall and a strong contingent of both Welsh and local purchasers. Buyers were willing to invest heavily in big strong tups with good skins and shape, numerous commercial shearling rams sold at four-figures. A great trade was witnessed with extreme clearance rates.

Shearling Texel Ram sold for £3,600 from Messrs Cakebread, Commonside

Records were smashed in the shearling ram section with an outstanding Texel from Messrs Cakebread, Commonside at £3,600, after spirited bidding it was knocked down to joint purchasers Messrs Weir, Mainside & Messrs Milburn, Butterknowes as a new Texel stock ram.

Reseve Champion Texel sold for 2200 from Messrs Robertson Becks purchased by A and HC Smith of Crumhaughhill

Followed closely by the reserve champion from Messrs Robertson, Becks at £2,200, selling to A & HC Smith, Crumhaughhill.

Top Prices

Texel Shearlings

£3,600 Commonside, £2,200, £1,800 Becks, £1,500 Commonside, £1,350, £1,200 (x3), £1,150 Becks, £1,200 Kirkton & Commonside, £1,100 (x2) Craigdarroch, £1,100 Kirkton, Becks & Crumhaughhill, £1,050 Crumhaughhill, £1,000 Catslackburn, Whitstonehill, Crumhaughhill (x2), Kirkton.

Texel Lambs

£1,000 Raefield, £850 New View, £750 Hillhead, £650 Knock, £620 Arkleby House & Hallrigg, £600 Harene, Knock & New View. 

Prize list:

Texel Shearling           1st & Champion – Becks £1,800

                                    2nd & Reserve –Becks £2,200

                                    3rd – Whitstonehill £880

Texel Ram Lamb          1st – Howgillside £450

                                    2nd – New View £850

                                    3rd – Arkleby House £620

Judge – Rachel & Robert Raine, Townfoot, Hexham

Texel Leading Flock Averages

Commonside    £2,100 (3)

Becks               £1,305 (10)

Kirkton              £1,007 (7)

Craigdarroch     £987 (4)

Crumhaughhill   £816 (15)

Whitstonehill     £808 (5)

Cross bred and other continental rams with power and shape again sold to serious demand, although smaller tups lacking power and length were very hard to place as more people searched for stock rams to breed heavier lambs. This section was topped at £1,100 for the 3rd place cross bred ram, a Texel x Beltex, from Messrs Ward, Whitstonehill, also at £1,100 was a Beltex x Texel shearling ram from Messrs Edminson, Middle Farm

Top Prices

Shearling Rams

Beltex x Texel £1,100 Whitstonehill, £1,050 Horsley Hill, £1,000 Linnhead, £850 Whitstonehill.

Beltex x Texel £1,100, £900, £800 (x2), £600 (x2) Middle Farm.

Beltex £1,050 Corstane, £800, £680, £650 Sorbie, £650 Maryholm.

Texel x Suffolk £1,050 Whitstonehill.

Beltex x £900, £800 Corstane.

Charollais x Texel £800 Whitstonehill.

Texel x Beltex £700, £580 Pond House, £500 Arkleby House.

Dutch Texel x Beltex £700 Woodhead.

Charollais £620 Brickhouse, £580 Thackwood.

Dutch Texel £600 Riggshield & Woodhead.

Dutch Texel x Texel £600 Crookholm.

Charollais x Beltex £500 Great Tosson.

Ram Lambs

Beltex £550 Burgh Head.

Charollais x Suffolk £250 Springfield.

Beltex x Charollais £250 (x2) Springfield.

Charollais x Beltex £250 Springfield.

Charollais £250 (x2) Springfield.

Prize list:

Beltex/Crossbred shearling     1st & Champion - Whitstonehill £1,050

                                                2nd & Reserve Champion - Whitstonehill £800

                                                3rd - Whitstonehill £1,100

Beltex/Crossbred Ram Lamb  1st - Shaw Head

Judge - Ross Sizmur, Oatnell, Devon

Cross-Bred Leading Flock Averages

Whitstonehill     £880 (5)

Linnhead          £680 (5)

Sorbie              £576 (8)

Horsleyhill         £560 (5)

Middle              £545 (18)

Corstane          £458 (13)

A good entry of Suffolk shearling rams and ram lambs were forward to a very busy ring of potential purchasers, better end of tups were easily cashed whilst the lesser end met some resistance. The pre-sale show, today was in the capable hands of flock master Mr B Nicholson, The Knock, who awarded his champion to a shearling ram consigned by M/s Beatie, Guardsmill, Gretna which went on to top the sale at £850.

Top Prices

Suffolk Shearling Rams £850 (x2) Guardsmill, £800 Riddings Hill, £750 Beechgrove, Kinning Hall & Allanshaws, £720, £700 Crumhaughhill, £720 Allanshaws & Beechgrove.  

Suffolk Ram Lambs £620 Grassknop & Faugh Beeches, £550 Burgh Head, £500 Faugh Beeches.  

Suffolk Aged Rams £600 Frankstown & Riddings Hill.  

Prize list:

Suffolk Shearling         1st & Champion – Guardsmill £850

                                    2nd – Beechgrove £680

                                    3rd – Kinning Hall £750

Suffolk Ram Lamb       1st & Reserve Champion – Faugh Beeches £620

                                    2nd – Grassknop £620

                                    3rd – Riddings Hill £600

A mixed show of Bluefaced Leicesters saw quality good to sell with second class rams harder to move. Top of £1,050 for a shearling from Messrs Anderson, Parkhill.

Top Prices

Bluefaced Leicester Shearling Rams £1,050, £1,000 Parkhill, £650 Horsley Hill, £620 Whintingstown, £600 Lawesknowe. 

Bluefaced Leicester Ram Lambs £400, £380 (x2) Peela Hill, £350 Kellah.

Prize list:

Leicester Shearling     1st – Bellmount £500

                                    2nd – Horsley Hill £650

Leicester Ram Lamb   1st & Champion – Peela Hill £400

                                    2nd – Peela Hill £380