Longtown Store & Breeding Sheep Sale Report

Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs Up on the Year!!

The Principal Annual Sale of 6,000 Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs and Gimmer Shearlings, along with Cheviot Mule Cross Ewe Lambs was held at Longtown on Tuesday 25th August 2015.

Also included today was the Inaugural Prize Show for pens of 20 ewe lambs, both ex North Country Cheviot and ex South Country Cheviot, kindly sponsored by the North Country Sheep Society and Davidsons Animal Feeds respectively.

A packed ringside of many more distant buyers coupled with the usual local trade ensured probably one of the best trades for breeding sheep to have been seen this season with many vendors going home with averages up on the year and others far less back on the year than was anticipated, the presentation of the lambs was a credit to the consignors.

The presale show was ably judged by regular buyer Mr David Morris, Rymans Farm, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire who had a tremendous show of quality lambs presented to him.

In the North Country Cheviot section he awarded first prize to regular consignors Messrs Cockburn, Kingside, Peebles which went on to realise £148 to Messrs Sutherland, Sibmister, Caithness. Second prize went to Messrs King, Gospel Hall, selling at £148 to Messrs Stacey, Devon. Third prize to Messrs Aynsley, Wardhills, realising £148 to Messrs Sutherland, Caithness.

In the South Country Cheviot section first prize went to Messrs Laurie, Carterton, realising £90 to Messrs Williams, Shropshire. Second prize to Messrs Halliday, Granton, £102 to Gelston Castle, Boreland.

Outwith the show, the sale was topped at £154 for an outstanding pen of 20 lambs consigned by Messrs Hedley, Swinside Townfoot, Oxnam selling to Messrs Brown, Hilton of Culsh, Aberdeen.

The overall average for the 3,220 ex North Country Cheviot ewe lambs was £99.67, amazingly up (£1.14 on the year).

Principal prices:- £154 Swinside Townfoot, £148 Gospel Hall, Wardhills and Kingside, £144 Swinside and Wardhills, £140 Kingside, £138 Kingside and Gospel Hall, £136 Gospel Hall.

Leading flock averages:-

Messrs McQuat, Brockhouse sold 80 head top £134, average £125.50.

Messrs Cockburn, Kingside sold 84 head top £148, average £124.02.

Messrs Aynsley, Ward Hills sold 558 head top £148, average £113.84.

Messrs Hedley, Swinside Townfoot sold 202 head top £154, average £112.31.

Messrs King, Gospel Hall sold 383 head top £148, average £111.05.

Messrs Common, Crossdykes sold 59 head top £116, average £105.22.

Messrs Thomson, Hownam Grange sold 137 head top £130, average £103.26.

Messrs Ivinson, Skelling sold 124 head top £112, average £101.39.

A similar show of 620 Hill Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs sold to a top of £107 from Messrs Paterson, Terrona and averaged £78.15, down £4.20 on the year.

Principal prices:-

£107, £106 Terrona, £102 Granton, £96, £93 Terrona, £90 Milkieston and Carterton, £85 Carterton.

Also forward today was a larger show of 914 cross Cheviot Mule ewe lambs, which sold to a top of £124 for Texel x Cheviot Mule lambs from Wester Ulston Sheep, selling to Messrs Carlile, Nether Dargarvel. The average was £87.60 (back £5.31 on the year).

Principal Prices:-

Texel x £124 Wester Ulston, £116 Crumhaughhill and Philiphaugh, £115 West Bolton, £104 Wester Ulston, £102 Shepherds Cottage.

The 1,095 Cheviot Mule gimmer shearlings met a flying trade and got dearer all day as demand outstripped supply. Some great quality shearlings were presented and sold to a top of £188 from regular consignor G.B. Milroy, Mains of Machermore, selling to Messrs Dagg, Melrose. The overall average was £149.04, back only £4.40 on the year!!!

Principal prices:-

£188 Mains of Machermore, £181 Ryemuir, £176 Over Finlarg and Ryemuir, £175 Floors Farming, Rawburn, £172 Over Finlarg, £171 Floors Farming, Rawburn, £164 Over Finlarg, £160 Floors Farming, Rawburn, £159 Wester Ulston, £158 Broadlea, £158 (x2), £156, £155, £154 (x4) Marwhirn, £158 (x2), £156, £154 Skelfhill, £156 Glenjaan, £152 Brockhouse.