The annual show and sale of Mule, Masham, Cheviot Mule and Continental Breeding Ewes and Gimmer Shearlings at J36 had a catalogued entry in excess of 4,000 sheep.
The pre-sale Mule judging was in the capable hands of Kevin Barker and Roger Taylforth who had a strong line up of sheep to cast their eyes over. The first prized rosette for the ewes was awarded to F & SA Edmondson of Ulverston who have now won the Derek Cleasby trophy for the sixth year in a row. The Mule gimmer shearling class was won by Richard Batty of Selside who wins £500 from the Kendal NEMSA Branch as his pen of ten shearlings were purchased as lambs out of J36 Nemsa sale last year. The Continental Shearling judging was undertaken by Tony Kiernan, there was a fantastic line up of shearlings put before him and he awarded the first place rosette to JD & V Towers & Son, Farleton.
The sale of ewes attracted plenty of interest with young ewes in strong demand and good to sell, with older ewes harder to place then seen in previous years. The consignment of Mule one crop ewes from TH Gibson and Son of Toadpool, Kendal attracted a lot of interest and attention. They topped the sale at £158 and £150 with many pens of ewes selling into the £140s. The first prized penned of Mule ewes from F & SA Edmondson of Ulverston sold to a top of £130. All Mule ewes forward sold to a market average of £112.
This year saw the Cheviot Mules having their own section within the sale for the first time and they were met with plenty of interest. Cheviot Mules sold to a top of £145 and £140, twice, from JS & KM Wilson & Son of High House, Helsington. Cheviot Mule gimmer shearlings sold to an average of £126. Mule gimmer shearlings sold to a two-tier trade, powerful well-grown sheep were in plenty of demand with purchaser’s ringside but buyers being slightly selective with others consignments. Buyers were showing benefits to shearlings that reared lambs and being abortion vaccinated. The trade topped at £215 for the first prize pen from RA Batty of Selside with other pens from the same home selling to £175. The second prize pen from E Parker of Crag Bank sold to £180 with the third prize pen from DE & J Waine of Long Sleddale selling to £170, who also sold another pen to £170. Strong Mule shearlings were often selling in excess of the £140 mark. There was an overall average of £125.80 for Mule gimmer shearlings.
A new feature of today’s sale was the sale of the Continental shearlings in the newly refurbished Ring 2. A full ring of buyers ensured a competitive trade, with all vendors leaving well suited with prices achieved ahead of expectations.
The sale peaked at £165 on two occasions for ¾ bred Texel shearlings from JD & V Towers & Son, Farleton and S Cunliffe, Cartmel, with other ¾ bred shearlings generally £135 to £150. First cross Texel shearlings sold to £140 from E & SM Halpin with others nicely selling at £125 to £135.
A consignment of Lleyn x shearlings sold to £135 and £130 from J & L Tyson, Gaitbarrow Farm, Milnthorpe, with some Aberfield x achieving £100 from Messrs Hodgson, Patterdale.
The flock reduction from the Benson Hall of pedigree Texels attracted much interest which saw 2 crop ewes sell at £320, a 3 crop ewe achieving £280 with shearlings to £270.