Draft Ewe Sale 2023
On Thursday Penrith & District Farmers’ Mart LLP held their annual show & sale of 6,020 uncrossed & crossed Swaledale, Herdwick & Cheviot ewes, shearlings and gimmer lambs, kindly sponsored by PFK Rural & Peter Horn Mobile Sheep Dipping.
A fantastic end to our backend sales with trade and demand knocking spots off other sales around the country. This a measure of both quality, genuine stock and a packed ringside of buyers for all sections in our catalogue.
In the Swaledale section Champion honours went to Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside, with a pen of ten tremendous 2 & 3 crop ewes with great length, power and class, this pen of sheep also topped the sale realising £650, heading over the water to Messrs E Haughey & Son, Northern Ireland. The same home went on to take first prize in the shearling class, this pen of sheep later went on to achieve £400 purchased by Mr N Richardson, Derbyshire. This consignment went on to average £193.06 for all 290 sheep sold.
Leading the averages went to Messrs E J & R J Wear, Howe Green with a consignment of strong, powerful sheep (all vaccinated), to average £206 for 180 sold. Topping at £520 for a pen of 2 crops also heading over the water to Mr M Conway, County Omagh.
Swaledale gimmer lambs attracted a lot of interest with first place honours going to Dale Head, with a pen of superb dark featured lambs, these went on to achieve £115 per head, purchased by Mr C L Park.
A strong consignment of 43 Swaledale gimmer lambs from Messrs GD & J P Nelson, Hedwynds, averaged £97.12 topping at £125 for their third prized pen of ten, selling to Mr C Holmes.
The Herdwick section attracted plenty of interest from all over the country with several purchasers present from Cornwall and Devon. The champion honours went to Mr G Bland, Clea Hall with a pair of 3 crop ewes realising £150, purchased by our Judge, Mr M Powell, Grasmere.
Leading averages went to Mr D Baldry, Howtown with a consignment of 3 crop ewes to average £93.42.
A top class show entry of draft Swaledale ewes, shearlings & gimmer lambs drew much praise from the judges Mr Stuart Buckle, Bleathgill, Mr Tom Hutchinson, Bail Hill and referee Mr Adam Lawson, Hundith House.
A fantastic show of Herdwick ewes were forward in pairs to the judge of this section, Mr Matthew Powell, Brimmer Head.
The following results were awarded: -
Pair of Swaledale Ewes
1st Haltcliffe – realising £600
Pen of 10 Swaledale Gimmers
1st Dale Head Farming – realising £115
2nd GD & JP Nelson, Hedwynds – realising £105
3rd GD & JP Nelson, Hedwynds – realising £125
Pen of 10 Swaledale Shearlings
1st Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside – realising £400
2nd G & A Carrick, Hole House Farm – realising £145
Pen of 10 Swaledale Ewes
Receiving the Draft Ewe Trophy
1st Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside – realising £650
2nd Messrs Folder, Wesco – realising £210
3rd WH Brass, Low Row – realising £230
Pair of Herdwick Females
Receiving the Racy Ghyll Trophy
1st Messrs Bland, Clea Hall – realising £150
2nd S Wilson, Anns Cottage – realising £70
3rd Messrs Bland, Clea Hall – realising £80
Leading Swaledale Ewe Averages (60 sheep & over)
Messrs EJ & RJ Wear, Howe Green £206 (180)
Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside £193 (290)
Haltcliffe £169 (200)
WH Brass, Low Row £143 (100)
WE & B Wilson, Undercragg £138 (200)
IR & OM Wilson, Highbeckside £136 (160)
Messrs Folder, Wescoe £133 (220)
Mr T Nattrass, Kentmere £119 (60)
TH Harrison, Sleddale Hall £118 (200)
Mr W Nattrass, Low Houses £118 (70)
DW Cannon, Red House £117 (140)
Dalehead £115 (280)
Elliott Bros, Harbour Flatt £115 (150)
Leading Prices
Shearlings
Swaledale (Av £138.88) - £400, £195, £190, £160 (2), £165, £160, £150 Gillside; £165 Brook Field; £160, £145, £135 (2), £130, £125 (2) Hole House Farm; £150 Beeches Farm; £140 Cross Keys; £130 Hebblethwaite Hall; £125 Haltcliffe; £120 Gateghyll; £120 High Row Farm
Cheviot (Av £106.50) - £135 Dalemain
Herdwick (Av £85.11) - £95, £90 Low Longlands; £90 Anns Cottage; £88 Low Braithwaite Farm; £85 Roseleigh; £82 Skelsceugh Farm; £80 Low Abbey
Ewes
Swaledale (Av £124.23) - £650, £200, £190, £180 (2), £175, £170, £150, £145 (2) Gillside; £600, £260, £205, £185, £180, £160, £140, £138 Haltcliffe; £520, £230, £195, £190, £175, £145, £130 Howe Green; £230, £200, £140 Greenhow; £230, £175, £145, £130, £125 (2) Low Row; £210, £150, £145, £125 Wescoe; £170, £145, £130, £125 Dale Head; £165, £135, £128 (2), £125 Highbeckside; £160, £145 (2), £140, £135, £130 (2) Undercragg; £160 Low Houses; £152 Kentmere; £145, £135 Sleddale Hall; £140, £130 Low Abbey; £135, £130 (2) Harbour Flatt; £130, £125 Hebblethwaite Hall; £130 Brook Field; £125 Brewery House Barn
Herdwick X Suffolk - £155, £150 Clea Hall
Herdwick X Texel - £150, £130 Clea Hall
Herdwick (Av £79.19) - £150, £80, £78, £75, £72 Clea Hall; £100, £96, £88 Howtown Hotel; £95, £72 Low Braithwaite Farm; £84, £80 Ulcatrow; £80, £70 (3) Anns Cottage; £80, £70 (2) Low Abbey; £75 (2) Skelsceugh Farm
Cheviot (Av £113.73) - £125, £117 Woodfoot; £120 (3) Dalemain
Gimmer Lambs
Swaledale - £125, £105, £100 Hedwynds; £115 Dale Head; £90, £86, £85, £82, £75 Undercragg; £81 Hollins Farm; £80 Highbeckside; £78 Cross Keys; £75 Hill Top (Bell); £70 (2) Shap Abbey
Herdwick - £90 Hollins Farm; £75, £70 Ulcatrow; £70 (2) Anns Cottage