Longtown Store & Breeding Sheep Sale Report

C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their Annual Main Sale for Breeding sheep at Longtown on Tuesday 12th September 2023, where there was a catalogue entry of 7,827.

Buyers were represented from over the UK, with trade as expected throughout. Top end lambs were yet again easily sold and way short of purchaser requirements, whilst running lambs proved difficult to place.

Congratulations must go to all of Longtown Auction's vendors as it was clear to see that a lot of time and effort had been put into the presentation of their sheep.

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 outstanding show of mule sheep on offer.

Judging was in the capable hands of Mark Sayfritz and Gareth Davies, who after much deliberation duly awarded the champion pen to M/s W. & B Nichol, Lawston.

Champion Pen - First Prize Pen of Greyface Ewe Lambs ex BF from W & B Nichol Lawston £200 per head

The champion pen of lambs went under the hammer which sold to a full ringside of buyers, after frantic bidding the hammer fell at £200 to the judge Mark Sayfritz

Topping the sale was returning vendors David, Harry & Thomas Hope, Mouldy Hills who’s third prized pen of Mule Lambs went on to realise £210 with their run of 62 outstandingly well bred lambs topped the flock averages at £157.

The first prize pen of Mule ewe lambs ex Swaledale ewe went to regular vendors M/s K Hall, Baggarah, Low Row. They went onto realise £155 and his run of 31 lambs went onto average £126

At the conclusion of the sale the averages were well up on the year levelling at £113.18 (£5.39 down on 2022)

Many more top draw lambs can be sold to vendor advantage at this thriving sale at Longtown with plenty of new faces came and purchased high end quality with an abundance of potential customers going home empty handed.  

Class 1 - Ex Blackface Bred

1st - W & B Nichol, Lawston, Newcastleton - £200

2nd – B.D. & M.S. Hope, Mouldy Hills, Canonbie - £210

3rd – Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill, Alston - £175

Class 2 - Ex Swaledale Bred

1st – K. Hall, Baggarah, Low Row - £155

2nd - M Smith, Mount, Blackford - £135

3rd - Messrs Hope, Orthwaite Hall, Uldale - £138

Overall Champion: W & B Nichol, Lawston, Newcastleton - £200

Principal prices:

Mule Ewe lambs:

Mule ex BF £210 Mouldy Hills, £200 Lawston, £175 Wanwood Hill, £160, £158 Lawston, £158 Penpeugh, £155 Mouldy Hills, £150 Wanwood Hill, £148 Hill Brae, Greensburn and Lawston, £145 The Row, Wanwood Hill and Sourhope, £142 Hill Brae, Penpeugh, Lawston and Loophill, £140 Mouldy Hills and Chirdon, £138, £132, £130 Lawston, £130 Wanwood Hill, Stell Green and Sourhope.

N of E Mule £155 Baggarah, £138 Orthwaite Hall, £135 Mount Farm, £122, £120 Orthwaite Hall, £120 Parsonshield, £118 Mount Farm and Orthwaite Hall.

Leading Flock Averages

Hope, Mouldy Hill                               Ave. £157 (62)

Walton, Penpeugh                              Ave. £151 (18)

Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill    Ave. £138 (98)

Nichol, Lawsto n                                  Ave. £136 (303)

Hall, Baggarah                                    Ave. £126 (31)

Murray, Stell Green                            Ave. £125 (50)

Carruthers, Hillbrae                            Ave. £124 (44)

Dixon, Chirdon                                    Ave, £124 (42)

Nixon, Nunscleugh                             Ave. £120 (13)

Smith, Mount Farm                             Ave. £119 (38)

Calvert, Greensburn                           Ave. £114 (130)

Also incorporated in today’s sale was the second sale of 1,878 Cheviot Mules, which again were in fine form being every bit as dear as the first sale, topping at £145 from J.C. Hewitt, Bankhead

Lambs in general were smaller than the first sale but just as well-bred enticing purchasers to bid freely ensuring all lambs were sold to vendor advantage achieving a very pleasing overall sale average of £116.71 (£4.68 down on 2022) 

Principal Prices

£145 Bankhead £142 West Lodge South, £138 Haas, Ranbeck and Douglas Square, £132 Ranbeck, Hownam Grange and Gospel Hall, £130 Douglas Square, Carterton, Sorbietrees and Skelling.

Leading Flock Averages

King, Gospel Hall                                Ave. £132 (18)

Thornton, Farhills                                Ave. £130 (33)

Wilson, Marwhirn                                Ave. £128 (42)

Thomson, Hownam Grange               Ave. £128 (37)

Ferrie, Douglas Sqaure                      Ave. £127 (75)

Wilson, Newbank                                Ave. £127 (75)

Acton, Bradley                                    Ave. £126 (50)

Strang-Steel, Philiphaugh                  Ave. £125 (30)

Fletcher, Blackcleugh                         Ave. £125 (14)

Ridley, Ranbeck                                 Ave. £125 (112)

Laurie, Carterton                                 Ave. £125 (60)

790 continental and other breed ewe lambs met a two-tier trade, with quality lambs that had shape and style meeting massive demand. Second draws lambs met limited customers and were much harder to sell on the year. Selling to a top of £330 for pure Texel lambs from F. Bell, Raefield.

Continental Ewe Lambs

Texel £330 Raefield, £250 Town Farm, £240 Raefield, £180 Knock, £175, £170, £160 Town Farm.

Beltex x £178, £162 Middle Farm, £145, £140 Thornthwaite Close, £138 Middle Farm.

Dutch Texel £112 Chapel Farm

Texel x Cheviot Mule £110 Gilston, £108 Hawthornbank.

The 1,732 shearlings forward also met a two-tier trade, with breedy gimmers that had character and style meeting a huge demand. With second and third draw gimmers lacking condition only meeting limited demand. To a top of £320 for pure Texel gimmers from F. Bell, Raefield

Shearlings:

Texel £320 Raefield, £230 Annanhill, £200 Craigdarroch and Upper Tinwald, £178 Annanhill, £172 Cochranes, £165 Longrigg.

Texel x Cheviot Mule £170, £158 Towcett, £152 Galadean.

Cheviot Mule £232 Marwhirn, £228 Ryemuir, £225 Newbank, £212, £208 Lawesknowe, £208 Commonside, £205 Ryemuir and Thornton Tower, £202 Blakehopeburnhaugh and Dressertland Cottage.

Mule £185 Mouldy Hills, £168 Hallburn, £165 New Dorryfield, £162 Barron House, £160 New Dorryfield and Barron House, £158 Southdean.

Suffolk £165 Longrigg, £162 The Snab.

Lleyn £160 Hyndlee, £155 Marwhirn.

North Country Cheviot £160 Bayles.

A smaller show of 629 ewes met high demand with genuine quality ewes, ready to go straight out to tup, being the trade of the day. Selling to a top of £270 for pure Texels from F. Bell, Raefield.

Ewes:

Texel £270 Raefield, £155 Sleetbeck Road.

Mule £172, £160 The Flatt, £158 Windyhill, £155 The Flatt, £145 Windy Hill, £135 Chapel.

Cheviot Mule £195 Wedderlie, £140 Newbank,, £132 Chapel.

BREEDING RAMS

A small show of rams sold to an animated trade topping at £500 twice, firstly for a Bluefaced Leicester Shearling from M. Smith, Mount Farm and secondly for a Texel x Beltex shearling from J. Irving, Lucemains.

Principal prices:

Shearlings

Bluefaced Leicester £500 Mount Farm.

Beltex x £430 Lyon Park.

Beltex £350 (x2) Lucemains.

Bluefaced Leicester x Beltex £300 Mount Farm.

Texel x Beltex £500 Lucemains, £300 Thornthwaite Close.

Ram Lambs

Suffolk £480, £450, £400 Burgh Head.

Texel £380 (x3), £350 Burgh Head.

Two Shear Rams

Beltex £320 Shaw Head.