North West Auctions held their annual show and sale of Individual Suffolk females in conjunction with the North West Suffolk Breeders Club, who we thank for their continued support and sponsorship. There was an entry of 60 forward for the sale which included a Multi-breed section of Millennium Bleu, Charollais and Texel females.
The pre-sale judging was in the capable hands of Geoff Richmond of Inglewhite, who we thank for his time. A strong line up of Suffolks saw the overall Championship awarded to lot 92 a stylish Gimmer Lamb from TA Blair of the Thornfleet flock, a gimmer lamb was sired by Benrafton Barney Roy, this attracted a lot of interest pre-sale and went on to sell for the top price of the evening of 850gns. The reserve Championship was awarded to J & C Airey of the Urswick flock with their pen leader, a 2015 born ewe sired by Errigal King of Kings, with some renowned bloodlines in its breeding and scanned with a single to Limestone Rocket she later went on to sell for 300gns.
A buoyant trade throughout the evening for Suffolks attracted plenty of interest and a good ringside of buyers. In-lamb Suffolk gimmer shearlings sold to a top of 650gns for the first prize for J Pryce of the Hugmore flock, lot 74 sired by Burnview Buccaneer scanned in-lamb to Birness Bargain selling to 650gns The second prize gimmer shearling from J & C Airey saw lot 68, sired by Burnview Brexit carrying twins, sell for 550gns. Also achieving over the 500gns mark twice was AR Edmondson, Ulverston selling in-lamb aged ewes to 520gns and 500gns. The major flock reduction of Margaret Petherbridge who has been devoted breeder of the Suffolks for over 30 years saw gimmer shearlings sell to a top of 300gns and aged ewes twice sold to 280gns. A high clearance rate for this sale saw in-lamb Suffolk shearlings sell to an average of 380gns, Gimmer Lambs averaged 295gns and In-lamb Suffolk Ewes average 300gns.
The pre-sale show of Charollais sheep saw the first prize rosette awarded to J Stott Jnr of the Kingsland flock who saw his annual consignment sell to a top of 350gns for an in-lamb gimmer shearling. Second and third prize was awarded to DN Smith of Keighley who had a flock reduction, saw both prize winners sell to a top of 350gns with others to 350gns and a further three selling away to 320gns.
The consignment of Millennium Bleus from P Farmer, Chesterfield who was selling at J36 for the first time, created plenty of interest from purchasers. A buoyant trade was enjoyed for these gimmer shearlings which sold to 380gns and 350gns, twice, these were scanned in-lamb to the Millennium Bleu ram.
There was a special entry of Texels which saw the trade top at 420gns for pedigree gimmer shearlings from PK & R Woof, Stainton Flock, a gimmer shearling which had many renowned bloodlines in its breeding. Gimmer Shearlings also sold to 320gns from R Wilson of the Eden Valley Flock.
An entry of commercial breeding ewes as part of a flock dispersal from CB Farming, Hindley saw full mouth Texel ewes which had run with the Beltex ram sell to £110 and £100, twice.