GREAT ANNUAL RAM FAIR

The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart P.L.C. had forward 309 non-registered Bluefaced Leicesters, 48 Charollais, 151 Suffolk, 56 Beltex & Continental, 122 Texel at their annual sale at Longtown on Wednesday 4th October, 2006.

Bluefaced Leicester

Good quality crossing rams and rams lambs were good to sell as were females. Commercial sheep were a steady trade.

Top was £900 for a 2 shear ram from A Carruthers, The Loan, Roadhead, who also sold shearlings at £540, £500. Others to £400 Parkhill, £380, £350 Wanwood Hill.

Ram lambs sold to £650 from Midtodhills, others £600 (2) Stockasteads, £380, £340 Peelo Hill.

Aged rams to £150 Gall Hills.

Females sold to £160, £130 for shearlings from Midtodhills, others £110 Wanwood Hill. Ewe lambs to £140 Wanwood Hill.

Judging was ably carried out before the sale by Mr. T.K. Robinson from Welshpool, who awarded the following:-

Shearling ram
1st Mrs C MacGillvary, Troutbeck Cottage (also reserve champion)
2nd Mrs. A Little, The Close
3rd W C Anderson & Son, Parkhill

Ram lamb
1st Mrs A Little, The Close
2nd Messrs Black & Son, Hillside
3rd Drumrash Farming, Drumrash

Overall Champion - The Close

The overall champion was Mrs A Little who received the Robert Telford Memorial Trophy and G E Carter & Son challenge trophy for the best ram lamb.

In the Continental & Suffolk section, trade was buoyant for strong, well bodied rams with an excellent show of Texel shearling rams leading the way.

Trade peaked at £580 for a Texel shearling from Messrs. Steen, Whitcastles and purchased by Messrs Halliday, Crawthat, followed at £540 for a Dutch Texel from Highberries Farming. Third was £500 for a Texel shearling from A R Bell, Kirkton .

Texel shearlings: £460, £420 Whitcastles, £360 Crumhaughhill, Kirkton & Northdeanhead.
Texel ram lambs: £480 Beck House
Texel 2 shear ram £240, £210 Randleholm.
Suffolk shearlings: £370 Whitcastles, £340 Port O Spittal, £320 Grains Cottage, Guards Mill & Ballylinney.
Suffolk ram lambs: £420, £320, £300 Lands
Beltex x Texel shearling: £330 Tercrosset.
Charollais shearlings: £230, £200 Thackwood, £200 Hunderlee & Shoestanes
Charollais ram lambs: £220 Pates Hill, £200 Springfield
Bleu de Maine shearlings: £220 Ormiston Lodge
Beltex shearlings: £260 Shoestanes.

Leading averages
Texel rams:-
Whitcastles (5) Top £580 Average £404
Kirkton (10) Top £500 Average £367
Crumhaughhill (4) Top £360 Average £310
East Middle (5) Top £300 Average £282
Northdean Head (6) Top £360 Average £276

Suffolk rams:-
Whitcastles (12) Top £370 average £278
Grains Cottage (4) Top £320 average £290
Port O Spittal (5) Top £340 Average £254
Lands (6) Top £420 Average £268.