Longtown Breeding Sheep Sale Report
C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their Annual Main Sale for Breeding sheep at Longtown on Tuesday 14th September 2021, where there was a catalogue entry of 8,447.
Buyers were represented from over the UK, with trade very good throughout.
Congratulations must go to all of Longtown Auction's loyal vendors as it was clear to see that a lot of time and effort had been put into the presentation of their sheep. Once again, after a trying spring and a dry summer they still managed to produce the goods as today the quality of sheep on offer was second to none, which in turn was well rewarded with another great sale. Simply outstanding, well done.
The Board of Directors, auctioneers and all the staff at Longtown thank all purchasers and vendors alike, who travelled to Longtown from as far afield as Caithness, Aberdeen, Devon, Cornwall, Cheshire, Wales and Northern Ireland and stood all day to purchase the outstanding show of mule sheep on offer.
 from Hillbrae sold for £240 per head.jpg)
Champion pen of Mule Ewe Lambs (First Prize Pen of Scotch Mules) from Hillbrae sold for £240 per head
Judging was in the capable hands of Richard Fox, Windy Hill, Hethersgill who after much deliberation awarded the champion pen to M/s RW & M Carruthers & Sons, Hill Brae whose lambs were in tremendous form.
The champion pen of lambs went under the hammer which sold to a full ringside of buyers, after frantic bidding the hammer fell at £240 to regular purchaser Mr Mike Kay, Thornhill, Cheshire. Also breaking the £200 barrier was a fantastic pen of great skinned sheep consigned by M/s A Carruthers & Sons, Peela Hill, Bewcastle going on to realise £205 with their run of 209 outstanding lambs going on to average £152.62
At the conclusion of the sale the averages were well up on the year levelling at £125.22 (£23.93 up on 2020)
Many more lambs can be sold to vendor advantage at this thriving sale at Longtown with plenty of potential customers going home empty handed.
Class 1 - Ex Blackface bred
1st - RW & M Carruthers & Sons, Hill Brae, Penton - £240
2nd - W & B Nichol, Lawston, Newcastleton - £165
3rd - Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill, Alston - £162
Class 2 - Ex Swaledale bred
1st - The Firm of Hugh Montgomery, Assloss, Kilmarnock - £132
2nd - RJ & DG Telford, Holme Head, Roadhead - £135
3rd - Alex Batey, Heathery Knowe, Longtown - £142
Overall Champion: RW & M Carruthers & Sons, Hill Brae, Penton - £240
Principal prices:
Mule Ewe lambs:
Mule ex BF £240 Hill Brae, £205, £162, £160, £158 Peela Hill, £165 Lawston, £162, £160 Wanwood Hill, £160 Greensburn & Sourhope, £155 Greensburn, Wanwood Hill & Peela Hill, £152 Hillbrae, £150 Penpeugh, Lawston, Peela Hill & Rowanburnfoot, £148 Lawston, Peela Hill & Wanwood Hill.
N of E Mule £142, £130 Heathery Knowe, £135, £132 Mount, £135 Holme Head, £132 Assloss, £132, £130 Softley, £130 Raggithwhaite.
Leading Flock Averages
Carruthers, Hillbrae Ave. £153.00 (79)
Carruthers, Peela Hill Ave. £152.00 (209)
Walton, Penpeugh Ave. £150.00 (18)
Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill Ave. £144.00 (111)
Calvert, Greensburn Ave. £137.00 (147)
Batey, Heathery Knowe Ave. £136.00 (18)
Nichol, Lawston Ave,.£133.00 (264)
Murray, Westdeanraw Ave. £132.00 (32)
Smith, Mount Ave. £131.00 (18)
Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs
Also incorporated in today’s sale was the second sale of Cheviot Mules which again were in fine form being every bit as dear as the first sale, topping at £172 for a very smart pen of 20 consigned by M/s WA Ferrie, Newcastleton
Lambs in general were smaller than the first sale but just as well bred enticing purchasers to bid freely ensuring all lambs were sold to vendor advantage achieving a very pleasing overall sale average of £120.68 which surpassed all vendors expectations.
Principal Prices
£172 Douglas Square, £158 Skelling, £152 Ranbeck & Satchells, £150 Ranbeck & Bankhead, £148 Skelling & Little Galla, £145 Bankhall, £142 Broadmea, £140 Thornship, Ranbeck & Fold Head, £138 Douglas Square, £135 Skelling, Ranbeck & Newbank, £132 Murrayton & Newbank, £130 Douglas Square & Avisyard.
Leading Flock Averages
Ferrie, Douglas Square Ave. £144.00 (57)
Morton, Hallbank Ave. £143.00 (21)
Turkington, Satchells Ave. £141.00 (23)
Ridley, Ranbeck Ave. £140.00 (116)
Frame, Little Galla Ave. £137.00 (50)
Murrayton Farms Ave. £132.00 (25)
Wilson, Newbank Ave. £131.00 (93)
Ivinson, Skelling Ave. £127.00 (193)
Clark, Avisyard Ave. £126.00 (73)
Sorbietrees Farm Ltd Ave. £126.00 (16)
Fishwick, Thornship Ave. £125.00 (58)
1,000 continental and other breed ewe lambs met huge demand with a trade surpassing all local centres. Lamb with style and good skins sold well past vendors expectations and to a top of £168 twice, firstly for an exceptional pen of Cheviot Mule x Texel lambs from Messrs Guiry & Sion, Town Farm and again for a single pure Texel from A & HC Smith, Crumhaughhill.
Continental and Suffolk Ewe Lambs
Texel £168, £165, £160, £148 Crumhaughhill, £168, £148 Town Farm, £140 Miller Hill.
Beltex £168, £150 Crookston, £150 Middle.
Charollais £122 Shaw Head.
Suffolk £122 Miller Hill.
A much larger show of 1,476 shearlings met a large ringside of purchasers, with the best quality gimmers in serious demand and sold to a top of £270 twice for a trio and a pair of Beltex x Charolais gimmers from Hannah Sloan, Rigghead, with the best quality gimmers regularly selling at £175-£210.
Shearlings:
Beltex x Charollais £270 Rigghead
Texel £245, £205, £200 Harene, £220 Carrawbrough, £215 The Side, £215, £205 Upper Mains.
Charollais £210 Rigg Garth.
Cheviot Mule £210, £195 Todhillmuir, £205 Thornton Tower, £195 Marwhirn, £190 Woodfoot, £185 Thornton Tower.
Mule £180, £178, £172 Barron House, £170 Shaw Hill.
Suffolk £175 Nethertofts.
A larger show of 1,004 ewes met keen demand with big, fit ewes fit to go to the tup straight away meeting the strongest demand, topping at £255 for a pair of pure Charolais ewes from J Forrester, Rigg Garth, with aged Cheviot Mule and Mule ewes regularly selling at £130-£162.
Ewes:
Charollais £255 Rigg Garth.
Texel £168, £142, £134 The Side, £152, £148 Firbank, £150 South Port O Spittal.
Cheviot Mule £162 Newbank, £155 Parkhill, £142 Branteth, £140 Longrigg.
Mule £160, £148, £142 New Dorryfield, £130 Spittal Ridding Hill, £128 Windy Hill.
Kerry Hill £115 Parklands.
BREEDING RAMS
A small show of rams sold to an animated trade for all classes, with a huge clearance rate, many more could have bene sold to vendor’s advantage. Topping at £650 for a Beltex shearling from E Wight, Townfoot, Symington.
Principal prices:
Aged Rams
Beltex x Texel £320 Shaw Head.
Shearlings
Charollais x Beltex £650, £620 Townfoot.
Beltex £600 Townfoot, £580, £500, £480 Thornthwaite Close.
Charollais £600, £580, £500 Rigghead, £480 Rigg Garth.
Beltex x Texel £580, £500, £480 Thornthwaite Close.
Texel £500 Rigghead.
Ram Lambs
Suffolk £400, £350 (x2) Burgh Head.
Texel £300, £280 Burgh Head.
