Ring 1

Hill Bred Females

Starting the day off was the hill bred section with quality shining through and selling to a competitive trade, but leaner older ewes sold to a reduced demand. Swaledale ewes sold to a top of £142 from CB Alderson, Kirkby Stephen with others from this good home selling to £130. A pen of Scotch Black Faced gimmer shearlings from MW Parsley, Roundthwaite sold to £142. A keen interest was shown for Herdwick ewes with the best selling to £92 from A Armstrong, Nibthwaite with the better end selling around the £70-80 mark. A keen demand was shown for all hill bred gimmer lambs with Scotch Black Face selling to £90 and Swaledales to £80 from AJ&L Birkett, Little Langdale with others to £70 from Forest Hall. A pen of North Country Cheviot shearlings sold at £195 from KO Stones, Darlington.

Gimmer Lambs

A large variety of gimmer lambs were offered for sale, with all classes and types selling to full value. A highlight of this section was a consignment of Dutch Spotted gimmer lambs from KP Dagger, Preston which saw a single sell at £550 and a pen of three achieve £400. Pure bred Texel gimmer lambs sold to £160 from RT&SM Sutton, Stainton with other ¾ bred Texels achieving £130 from J Potter, Orton, with Texel x Mule gimmer lambs selling to £120 from A&L Huddleston, Wray. North Country Mule gimmers sold to £125 from WJ&I France & Son, Chipping who sold others at £115, with all Mule gimmer lambs averaging £99.46 for an entry of predominately running type lambs.

Other gimmer lambs of interest included Zwartbles at £95 from C Wright, Troutbeck, Gritstones sold to £90 from TM Potter, Orton and Suffolk x lambs at £95 from A Barker, Appleby.

Breeding Ewes & Shearlings

Today’s sale comprised of predominately older breeding ewes which saw Texel x sell to £145 from R&AC Harper, Lambrigg, with other Continental x ewes £115-£130. Mule ewes sold to £100 from K Gregory, Carnforth and JG Harryman, Hawkshead with this price also achieved for Mashams and Rough Fell Mules. There was a keen interest in gimmer shearlings, with well grown sorts continuing to sell to a premium, with Welsh Mules selling to £205 from KO Stones, Darlington. North Country Mule shearlings sold to £138 from LG Sibson, Cockermouth and C Potter, Kelleth with other pens £122-£135. A consignment of pure Texel shearlings from Messrs Lucus & Nairey, Blackburn sold to £300, with others at £260.

Ring 2

Breeding Rams

There was a bumper entry in excess of 250 breeding rams forward that saw the trade throughout the day, strong for good quality breeding tups, with second quality tups meeting a varied demand. The pre-sale show of Swaledale rams was judged by Brian Dodd, Forest Hall who we thank for his time and expertise. The Champion rosette was awarded to Janet Simpson, Calder Vale with her much admired three shear tup bred by G Hutton. This tup went on to sell for £700. A successful day for Janet as she also went on to be awarded the first prize shearling and Reserve Champion with the son of the Champion, that went on to sell for £350. Swaledale shearlings topped at £700 from KM&KJ Curwen, Abbeystead sired by a Richardson of Ghyll House tup out of a Philip Sowerby purchased ewe. Other leading prices for Swaledale shearlings was £550 from T&H Drinkall, Oakenclough.
North West Auctions held its first show for Cheviot rams which was kindly also judged by Brian Dodd, who awarded the Champion rosette to KO Stones, who went on to sell for £250. All ages of Cheviot tups met plenty of demand peaking at £400 from DR Harrison, Selside.
Terminal sire breeding rams were in strong demand, topping the trade was regular consigners DH Lucus & FA Nairey, Blackburn selling Texel shearling tups to £850, £700, £650, £600 and £550. Cross bred tups saw Charollais x Beltex sell to £700 and £500 twice from JA&R Geldard & Sons, Levens.

Todays sale was the concluding sale for the breeding sheep at NWA, we would like to thank all our customers for their loyal support.