Longtown Store Sheep Sale Report

Longtown Auction Mart held the principal prize show and sale of 10,005 Cheviot Mule Gimmers and Ewe Lambs on Tuesday 27th August 2024.

Congratulations must go to all Longtown Auction's loyal vendors as it was again clear to see that a lot of time and effort had been put into the breeding and presentation of their sheep. After a trying spring and a very wet summer they still managed to produce the goods as today the quality of sheep on offer was simply magnificent. A packed ringside of purchasers ensured all classes of Cheviot Mule sheep sold to a record breaking rates of return, with all vendors going home highly delighted with their days trading.

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 and Wales, as well as an abundance of local customers, stood all day to purchase and sell the finest Cheviot Mule sheep in the country.

An entry of 2,686 Cheviot Mule gimmer shearlings sold to average a record breaking £255.01p (+£67.25 on 2023).

Topping this section was a serious pen of 20 realising £315 Consigned by noted vendor Mrs L McIvor, Hartree Mill, Biggar who went onto average a staggering £306.

First Prize pen of Cheviot Mule Gimmer Shearlings sold for £310 from R McNee Over Finlarg

M/s R McNee, Over Finlarg brought forward an outstanding run of 197 Cheviot Mule Gimmers to top at £310 on two separate occasions, firstly for their first prize pen of 20 and another pen of 40 like peas in a pod. This beautiful run of 197 went onto achieve a well deserved average of £293.

PRIZE LIST

GIMMER SHEARLINGS

1st – R McNee, Over Finlarg £310

2nd– L McIvor, Hartree Mill £315

3rd – WW Dunlop & Son, Commonside £275

TOP PRICES:

Cheviot Mule Shearlings - £315 Hartree Mill, £310 (x2), £300 (x2) Over Finlarg, £298 Hartree Mill, £290 (x2) Over Finlarg, £285 Dormansteads, £280 Longburgh Fauld, £275 (x3) Skelfhill, Commonside, Todhillmuir, £272 Boreland, £270 (x2) Marwhirn, Piel View & Longburgh Fauld.

LEADING AVERAGES:

CHEVIOT MULE GIMMER SHEARLINGS

McIvor, Hartree Mill                    40 @ £306

McNee, Over Finlarg                 197 @ £293

Eastham, Longburghfauld            79 @ £270

Beard, Dormanstead                 11 @ £269

Sloan, Piel View                        35 @ £267

Dunlop, Commonside                50 @ £266

Reid, Boreland                          20 @ £266

Seymour Farms                         11 @ £265

Warden, Skelfhill                       152 @ £265

Todhillmuir, Ryemuir                 125 @ £263

Murray, Capeverde                     85 @ £260

Wilson, Marwhirn                     302 @ £255

Another top quality show of 4,191 Cheviot Mule ewe lambs sold to record rates of return never seen before, averaging out at £177.24 (+£40.11p on 2023)

Topping the sale was the pre-sale show winners and overall champions, a very stylish pen of 20 great skinned ewe lambs realising £300 from Peter and Vicky Hedley, Swinside Townfoot, Oxnam. This fine run of sheep took the limelight achieving an eye watering average of £257.

Out with the sale sheep, the Hedley family very kindly donated a very smart Cheviot Mule ewe lamb with the proceeds going to Mcmillan Cancer Support. This very special lamb went on to raise a total of £1,630, firstly kindly bought by Daniel Lynn for £650 who put it up for sale again, secondly bought by C & D Auction Marts for £500 who kindly put it back up for sale, finally being bought by Daniel Lynn again at £480.  

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

The second sale will be held on 17th September 2024.

Champion Pen of Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs from PW Hedley Swinside Townfoot sold for £300 per head

PRIZE LIST:

EWE LAMBS

1st – PW Hedley, Swinside Townfoot £300

2nd – Messrs Beard, Dormansteads £235

3rd – Firm of Nisbett, Nisbet Mill £210

TOP PRICES:

Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs – £300, £265, £250 Swinside Townfoot, £260, £250, £245 Skelling, £245 Dormansteads, £240 Swinside Townfoot & Ranbeck, £235 (x2) Crossdykes & Dormansteads, £230 Skelling, £220 Swinside Townfoot.

LEADING AVERAGES:

CHEVIOT MULE EWE LAMBS

Hedley, Swinside Townfoot       150 @ £257

Purvis, Shepherds Cottage           17 @ £218

Beard, Dormansteads                  84 @ £209

Common, Crossdykes                  74 @ £206

Firm of Nisbet Mill                    108 @ £201

Ridley, Ranbeck                         213 @ £200

Reid, Boreland                          110 @ £197

Hewitt, Bankend                       45 @ £197

Cockburn, Kingside                    107 @ £195

Ivinson, Skelling                        316 @ £194

Carr, High Wood                         56 @ £192

CROSS CHEVIOT MULE SHEARLINGS

Cross Cheviot Mule shearlings again sold to record breaking rates of return with the Texel bred shearlings being £96 up on the year. Top end shearlings being very easy to sell as an abundance of customers flocked to the ringside to purchase some of the finest bred sheep in the country.  

The sale topped at £328 and £322 from again consigned by the Hedley family, Swinside Townfoot, Oxnam, with others selling at £322 from J & C Hastings, Kopje, Dumfries and from GG & MA Harrison, Aldermanseat, Gretna.  Half-bred shearlings sold to £250 from GB Hislop, Ladylands Drive, Selkirk.

LEADING AVERAGES:

TOP PRICES:

Texel x Cheviot Mule Shearlings - £328, £322 Swinside Townfoot, £322 Kopje, £322, £314 Aldermanseat, £302 Glencairn & Kopje, £300, £280, £275 Aldermanseat.

Suffolk x Cheviot Mule Shearlings - £275 Seymour House, £270 High House, £270 (x4), £268 (x3), £265, £260 Seymour House.

CROSS CHEVIOT MULE SHEARLINGS

LEADING AVERAGES

Texel Cross

Hedley, Swinside Townfoot       30 @ £325 (Texel x)

Hastings. Kopje                         25 @ £303 (Texel x)

Blower, Glencairn                     3 @ £302 (Texel x)

Harrison, Aldermanseat             159 @ £292 (Texel x)

Suffolk Cross

Tutton, Leapsrigg                      8 @ £240 (Suffolk x)

Wilson, High House                   30 @ £261 (Suffolk x)

Seymour Farms                         131 @ £267 (Suffolk x)

CROSS CHEVIOT MULE EWE LAMBS

An increased entry of 2,505 Cross Cheviot Mule ewe lambs with all sections up across the board, again top end lambs proved very good to sell as did better bred running lambs.

Suffolk x ewe lambs selling to £202 from A Ferrie & R Peden, Douglas Square, Newcastleton with Texel x topping at £200 from D Hodgson & Son, Swinhoe North, Alnwick.

TOP PRICES:

Suffolk x Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs - £202 Douglas Square, £200 Shaw Head & Whitchesters, £195 Pit Farm & Shaw Head, £190 Newlands, £190, £185 Stuart Street.

Texel x Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs - £200, £195 Swinhoe North, £195 (x3) West Bolton, £185 (x2) Swinhoe North, £175 Kingside, £170 Errington & Swinhoe North.

CROSS CHEVIOT MULE EWE LAMBS

LEADING AVERAGES:

Hodgson, Swinhoe North           331 @ £177 (Texel x)

Ferrie, Douglas Square                33 @ £177 (Suffolk x)

Finlay, Whitchester                   30 @ £176 (Suffolk x)

Stott, Shawhead                          46 @ £173 (Suffolk x)

Durno, Stuart Street                    85 @ £171 (Suffolk x)

Smith, West Bolton                   330 @ £167 (Texel x)

SALE AVERAGES:

Cheviot Mule Gimmer Shearlings           £255.01p (+£67.25)

Texel x Cheviot Mule Shearlings             £284.23 (+£96.27)

Suffolk x Cheviot Mule Shearlings          £265.98

Half-Bred Shearlings                              £250.00

Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs                       £177.24 (+£40.11)                    

Texel x Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs           £154.80 (+£17.82)                    

Suffolk x Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs         £161.61 (+£7.40)            

Presentation of the Paul Aynsley Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the Champion pen of Ewe Lambs

Ewe Lamb sold for the Macmillan Nurses Charity donated from PW Hedley Swinside Townfoot