Saturday 3rd October 2020
Lancaster Auction held its annual Hill Fair day on Saturday 3rd October 2020. The sale was once again well supported, with all classes of sheep eagerly bid for and vendors leaving pleased.
The sale commenced with the breeding sheep which sold to a top of £150 for Texel gimmer shearling from G R Newsham, Galgate, whom sold older Texel breeding ewes to £108. Mule gimmer shearlings sold to a top of £135 three times, firstly from EI EA & TW Wilson, Grange over Sands with the consignment from Messrs Wilson, Tatham selling to £135 twice and £132. Just one pen of Swaledale ewes was forwarded, which sold to £108 from F Carr, Carnforth.
Mule gimmer lambs, met plenty of demand with a strong overall market average of £90.53 which including majority running lambs. Leading the way was Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale selling to £105 followed by £102 from T &H Drinkall, Oakenclough and £100 from WI & AM Atkinson & Son, Bleasdale. Pens of strong runners and small tuppers were regularly selling in the late 90’s. Scotch mule gimmer lambs sold to £98 from W M Pye, Ashton with Stodday. Continental gimmer lambs sold to a top of £96 from J & H Huddleston, Brookhouse. Zwartable gimmer lambs sold to a top of £165, from J Lowcock & Son, Nateby.
A strong trade throughout the sale for breeding rams with buyers prepared to pay that bit extra for a smarter ram. It was the consignment from T & CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping that lead the way selling to £780, £700, £450 and £300. Texel tup lambs sold to a top of £350 from MP Berry, Poulton Le Fylde, closely followed by £280 from P F Lee, Over Wyresdale.
A good number of store lambs forward in the market saw the trade remain buoyant with all types keenly bid for. Leading the way was the consignment from J Gardner, Bay Horse selling Beltex cross lambs to £79, £78 twice and £76 three times whom also sold Suffolk lambs to £77. Continental store lambs sold to £72 from JR & J Webster, Ormskirk. Upland lambs saw Cheviots sell to a top of £69 from SE & J Gorst, Littledale. All store lambs forward averaged £68.41.