Longtown Annual Ram Fair
The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart plc had forward 908 head at their Annual Ram Fair at Longtown on Wednesday 8th October 2014.
The Ram Sale of 367 Texel, 162 Suffolk, 107 Charollais and 98 rams and ram lambs which were presented to a packed ring of local & distant buyers saw one of the finest shows of commercial rams presented this season, a credit to all vendors and this was noticeable in the days buoyant trading.
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The sale topped at £1,700, closely followed at £1,650, both for Texel shearlings consigned by regular sale topper Mr A. Bell, Kirkton, Hawick, whose outstanding pen of 10 shearlings averaged £1,018.
Also included today was the show & sale for Suffolk rams and also for Texel rams kindly sponsored by Trojan 4 x 4, Linstock. Both breeds were ably judged by Mr Craig Bradbury, Satchells, Lilliesleaf, who awarded the Texel championship to Mr Darling, Riddle Cottage for a shearling which realised £780 to the judge.
Texel Prize list:-
Shearling ram:-
1st Prize and Champion – R. Darling, Riddle Farm, £780 to C. Bradbury, Satchells.
2nd Prize– R. Runciman, Allanshaws, £500 to Ormiston.
3rd Prize – A. Hamilton, Smyllum, £600 to Messrs Taylor, Dashwellgreen.
Ram lamb:-
1st Prize and Reserve – J. & M. Tough, Easterseat £500 to Castlemilk.
2nd Prize – J. & M. Tough, Easterseat £750 to Messrs Tweedie, Brownbank.
3rd Prize – Messrs Millar, Crookholm £320 to Messrs Magnay, Smallholms.
Principal prices:-
Shearlings - £1,700, £1,650, £1,300, £1,150, £900 Kirkton, £880 Kinning Hall, £780 Riddle Cottage, £720 Kirkton, £650 Becks, Flex and Kirkton, £620 Four O Boot and Riddle Cottage, £600 Kirkton, Smyllum, Commonside, Kinning Hall, Riddle Cottage, Falla, Becks and Crumhaughhill.
Ram lambs - £780, £750, £620 (x2) Easterseat, £580 Arkleby House, £500 Easterseat, £480 Arkleby House, Easterseat and Kirkton, £450 (x2) Easterseat, £450 Kirkton and Arkleby House.
2 shear rams - £350 Crumhaughhill, £350 Fiddleton Bank End, £320 Cardew Hall, £300 Ward Hall Guards.
3 shear rams - £400 Catslackburn.
Suffolk
In the Suffolk show, Mr Bradbury awarded both the champion and reserve to longtime customers Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, Ecclefechan. The Champion was a shearling ram which went on to realise £500 selling to the judge.
Prize list:-
Shearling ram:-
1st Prize and Champion – Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, £500 to Messrs Bradbury, Satchells.
2nd Prize– Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, £420 to Messrs Bradbury, Satchells.
3rd Prize – R. Runciman, Allanshaws, £400 to Wester Ulston Sheep.
Ram lamb:-
1st Prize and Reserve – Messrs Martindale, Land Farm, £450 to K. Lumley, Newbiggin.
2nd Prize – Messrs Denby, Riddings Hill, £200 to I. Nelson, Outertown.
3rd Prize – Messrs Hewson, Burgh Head, £300 to A. Hogarth, Linglie.
Principal prices:-
Shearlings - £500 Guardsmill and Land Farm, £480 Romanvale, £450 Crumhaughhill, £420 (x3) Land Farm, £420 Kinning Hall, West Craigs and Romanvale, £400 Allanshaws and Kinning Hall.
Ram lambs - £400 Fenton, £380 The Land and Burgh Head, £320 The Land, £310 Burgh Head, £300 Fenton, The Land and Burgh Head.
2 shear rams - £420 Crumhaughhill, £260 Nethertofts.
Charollais
In the Charollais ram section the trade was mixed with only the better end easy to cash. The sale topped at £350 for a shearling from Messrs Wales, Thackwood.
Principal prices:-
Shearlings - £350 (x2) Thackwood, £320 (x2) Inverae Cottage, £320 Blingery, £300 (x3) Upper Auchenlay, £300 (x2) Wester Parkgate, £300 Inverae, Blingery and Fowrass.
Ram lambs - £260 Wester Parkgate, £200 (x2) Springfield.
Continental and Crossbred
In the other Continental and Crossbred section the same applied with the best end of the rams easily sold whilst the plainer end were hard to cash. This section topped at £720, twice, firstly for a Beltex from Messrs Patterson, Upper Auchenlay and also for a Beltex x Texel from Messrs Gribbon, Waterside.
Principal prices:-
Shearlings –
Beltex - £720 Upper Auchenlay, £450 Waterside, £420 Rue Castle Cottage, £400 Waterside and Upper Auchenlay, £380 Rue Castle Cottage and Flex.
Texel x Beltex - £720 Waterside, £700 Flex, £620 Whitstonehill, £550 Waterside, £480 Flex, £380 (x2) Dormonsteads, £380 Uppercleuch.
Blue Texel - £380 Upper Ashtree, £320 Kinning Hall.
Ram lambs –
Beltex x Texel - £320 Searigg.
Blue Faced Leicester
The Annual Show & Sale of non-registered Blue Faced Leicester Rams, Ram Lambs and Females saw 177 head forward.
Pre-sale judging was ably carried out by Mr Nick Walton, Cowden, whose awards were as follows:-
Shearling Ram –
1st & Champion (awarded the G.E. Carter Silver Challenge Trophy) Messrs Murray, Stell Green, Haydon Bridge and sold at £520 to Winshields Farm.
2nd & Reserve Champion – Messrs Douglas, Upper Hindhope, Jedburgh and sold at £500 to Messrs Dixon, Upperburnmouth.
Ram Lamb –
1st (awarded the Robert Telford Memorial Trophy) Messrs Hewson, Burgh Head, sold at £270 to Messrs Douglas, Howahill.
2nd – A.R. Carruthers, The Loan, Bewcastle, sold at £320 to Walter Waugh, The Flatt.
Commercial
Trade for best quality commercial shearlings and ram lambs was very good, although as usual secondary kinds were harder to sell.
Principal prices:-
Shearlings - £640, £620 Parkhill, £520 Stell Green, £500 Upper Hindhope and Borthwick Brae, £450 Primside Mill.
Ram lambs - £320 The Loan, £270, £240 Burgh Head, £200 Crossdykes and East Newburn.
Aged rams - £400 Hillbrae, £380 Borthwick Brae, £350 Hillbrae, £320 The Loan.
