Longtown Breeding Sheep Sale Report

The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart had forward a catalogue entry of 8,663 lowland breeding sheep at their special sale at Longtown on Tuesday 16th September, 2014.

Buyers were present from all parts of the UK ensuring a very strong demand for all sheep.

It was the main show & sale for Greyface (Mule) ewe lambs, with a larger entry forward on the year. 

Champion Pen of Mule Ewe Lambs with Corina Cowin (Allflex) sponsor, Tristan Davidson, vendor and Norman Bowe, judge and purchaser

Champion Pen of Mule Ewe Lambs with Corina Cowin (Allflex) sponsor, Tristan Davidson, vendor and Norman Bowe, judge and purchaser

Prior to the sale the annual show (kindly sponsored by Allflex) was ably judged by Mr Norman Bowe, Calvo, Silloth whose awards were as follows:-

Ex Swaledale Ewe

1st  and Champion – T. Davidson, Bellmount, Irthington.

2nd – W.M. & C. Wallace, Gapshield, Gilsland.

3rd – Messrs Telford, High Parkfoot, Roadhead.

Ex Blackface Ewe

1st – W. & B. Nichol, Lawston, Newcastleton.

2nd – R.M. & C.M. Leach, Whintingstown, Roadhead.

3rd – Craig Farm Co., Craigs, Langholm.

The overall average being £90.69 down only 20p on the year for 668 more sold.

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Top of £165 for the Champions from Bellmount and bought by the judge, others £145 Baggarah, £135 High Parkfoot, £130 Gapshield, £126 Fordlands, £120 The Nook (Forster).

Large flock averages – The Nook (189) £103.95, Lawston (204) £99.49.

Ewe lambs of other breeds sold to £144 for Hampshires from Snowden Close; Texel £130 (x2), £118 Kirkton, £100 Gilside; Cheviot Mule £106 Thornship, £100 Powisholm, £96 Gilston; Rouge £92 Springwell.

The firm also sold (1,059) mainly Mule Shearlings.  A good show for quality met a brisk selling trade to a top of £149 for North of England Mules from T.W. & T.B. Edgar, Whitton selling to W.T. Evans, Awhirk.  Mule averaged £119.61. Other North of England Mules to £146 (x2), £143, £140 (x4) Whitton, £140 Crowdieknowe, £138 Porterstown and Snowden Close, £131 Gapshield, £130 Cowrigg and Riggheads; Cheviot Mule £142 Castlefairn; Texel £138 Haithwaite, £134 Flosh Lodge, £130, £126 Haithwaite, £126 Flosh Lodge; Scotch Mule £128 Barron House, £126 New Hummerbecks; Suffolk £126 Haithwaite; Lleyn £124, £121, £118 Height.

Included today were two dipsersals which sold as follows:-

On behalf of W. & J. Jardine, Newbigging, Lockerbie (222) all 2/3 crop, Scotch Mule £98, £92, £90, Texel x £132, £131, £130, £128, £127.

On behalf of Farmery Holding, Artnoch, Barrhill (517), New Zealand x Lleyn (2 shear) £88, (3 shear) £83, (4 shear) £77.  North Country Cheviot x Lleyn (2 shear) £73, (3 shear) £64, (4 shear) £63.  Pure Lleyn (2 shear) £92, (3 shear) £90 and £87, (4 shear) £79 and £68, (5 shear) £63.

Another fine show of 1,000 breeding ewes of all ages were also forward to a full ring of local and distant buyers all keen for sheep, selling to a top of £130 for North of England Mules (3 shear) from W.S. Waugh, The Flatt, others to £88 (4 shear) Satchells and Hallburn, £84 (4 shear) Flatt and Satchells, £82 (2 shear) Breconside Cottage; Texel £122 (2 shear) The Park, £96 (4 shear) The Park and Windy Hill; Suffolk £110 Penton, £75 Howahill; Scotch Mule £88 (4 shear) Kirvennie, £80 (FW) Henrys Hill; South Country Cheviot £55 Solwaybank.

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