Dumfries & Longtown Store and Breeding Sheep Report

C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their annual Border Ewe
Sale which were sold in two parts at Dumfries and Longtown on Wednesday
1st October 2025. There was a huge catalogued entry of 12,250 head.

Blackface gimmers were the highlight of the horned ewe section and
very much in demand, they met a flying trade with centre records being smashed.
The pre sale show was kindly sponsored by the North of England Blackface Sheep
Breeders Association and expertly judged by Blackface enthusiast Mrs F Mckie,
Finniness Farm, Castle Douglas. After some deliberation Mrs F McKie awarded her
Champion pen to regular vendors Wanwood Partners, Wanwood, Alston. These worthy
winners went onto to realise £315. Topping this section for the second year in
succession was the first draw 20 Norh of England bred gimmers consigned from
The Lamperts going on to realise £360 with this consignment going on to average
an eye watering £324. This fantastic run of outstandingly well bred sheep went
on to achieve the top average of the day.

Outwith the show pens there were several lots breaching £300 with
the North of England Blackface gimmers, inparticular being in massive demand
once again.

Following the gimmers saw the annual sale of draught ewes. Judging
was in the capable hands of another flockmaster, Mr H Morshead, Harsondale who
awarded his 1st prize rosette to the annual draught ewe consignment from
Wanwood Hill, going on to realise £185.

Ewe lambs were next up, a very mixed show on offer with purchasers
being very selective. Competently judged by Mr J Kennedy, Barron House, who was
presented with very difficult task, finally awarding his first prize
rosette to B Cheesbrough, Lanehead for the second year in succession. This pen
of very well presented ewe lambs went on to top this section realising £165.

PRIZE
LIST

Blackface
Shearlings (Judge – F McKie, Finniness)

1st – Wanwood Partners

2nd – Murray, Sewing Shields

3rd – Mitchell, Henderland

Blackface
Ewes (Judge –H Morsehead, Harsondale)

1st – Wanwood
Ptns

2nd – McClymont, Dryhope

3rd – Dalgleish & Waugh, The Crew

Blackface
Ewe Lambs (Judge – J Kennedy, Barron House)

1st – B Cheesebrough, Lanehead

2nd – Murray, Sewing Shields

3rd – Warden, Skelfhill

Blackface
Rams (Judge – H Moreshead, Harsondale)

1st – C Halbert, Prospect House

2nd – Murray Sewing Shields

3rd – The Lamperts

FLOCK
AVERAGES

Blackface Shearlings

Lamperts         £324 (49)

Wanwood       £294 (45)

Tofthouse       £270 (60)

Sewingshields £255 (40)

Cragieburn      £230 (41)

TOP
PRICES

Blackface
Gimmer Shearlings – £360 The Lamperts, £330 Wanwood Hill, £305 The Lamperts, £300 Lanehead, £300
Sewing Shields

Blackface
Ewes– £195 Chapel,
£185 Wanwood Hill, £180 Chapel, £175 (x2) The Crew

Blackface
Ewe Lambs – £165
Lanehead, £135 Cramalt, £132 Low Greenley, £130 Sewing Shields

South Country
Cheviot ewes

Centre records
and breed records were once again broken as the South Counry Cheviot gimmers
set off in fine form topping at £2,900 (Breed record) for the Abington Show
champion, which was sired by the £5,000 Glenochar Riot and £1,100 for a pen of
4 gimmers also sired by Glenochar Riot consigned by noted Flockmaster M/s
Goodfellow, Townfoot, Biggar. Other top prices from Stirkfield at £800 &
£550.

Ewes sold to a
top of £460 twice for 2 pens of 10 consigned by M/s Paton, Castle Crawford,
Biggar. Others to £380 consigned from Stirkfield.

Ewe lambs were
selective topping at £125 for a penful consigned by regular vendors M/s
Douglas, Catslackburn

TOP
PRICES

Cheviot
Gimmer Shearlings – £2900, £1100 Townfoot, £800 & £550 Stirkfield

Cheviot
Ewes – £460 (x2)
Castle Crawford, £380 Stirkfield, £300 Castle Crawford

Cheviot
Ewe Lambs – £125
& £122 Catlsackburn, £122 Hindhope

NORTH
COUNTRY CHEVIOT

North Country
Cheviots, both park type and hill types were once again in huge demand right
throughout the breed sections.

NCC Gimmers
set off with a bang when M/s Allen, Humbleheugh, Alnwick brought forward the
finest run of park type Cheviots to grace the ring at Longtown. Their first
gimmer in the ring, after some frantic bidding, scaled to £1,100 with further
pens to £420 on two separate occasions. This fine run of gimmers went on to
average £373 for 63 sold  

NCC Ewes
topped at £360 for a pair of seriously well bred full mouthed ewes consigned by
M/s N Macdonald, West Blackbyre, this run of finely bred ewes went onto average
a huge £317 followed by another tremendous run of draught ewes from M/s Allen,
Humbleheugh topping at £350 & £340 averaging a staggering £308.

Next up were
the NCC Ewe lambs which did not disappoint in quality and in trade. Topping
this section was again M/s Allen, Humbleheugh, which topped at £290 for a pen
of 5 very breedy ladies. This outstanding run of ewe lambs went on to average a
colossal £256.

TOP
PRICES

North
Country Cheviot Ewes – £360 West Blackbyre, £350, £340 Humbleheugh, £310 West Blackbyre, £300
Humbleheugh

North
Country Cheviot Gimmer Shearlings– £1,100, £420 (x2) Humbleheugh

North
Country Cheviot Ewe Lambs – £290, £280 & £270 Humbleheugh, £270 West Blackbyre

A small select
show of Swaledales went under the hammer late on in the day topping at £180 for
a pen upstanding 1 Crop ewes consigned by M/s Telford, Holme Head.

Swaledale –
£180 Holme Head, £140 Low Field, £135 Low Stokoe

Swaledale –
£152 Dumblar Rigg, £125 Holme Head

The
Directors & Auctioneers at Longtown Auction thank all the staff who have
worked tirelessly to make this sale work. Also thank both vendors and purchases
alike for their time, patience and custom on the day. Circumstances dictated
the sale fixture and hopefully we will be back as normal next year. We look
forward to seeing you all again next year if not before.    

All Enquiries welcome. Please contact
our auctioneers or fields personnel who will be pleased to take your calls

John Walton 07880527066

Daniel Lynn 07584200489

Sam Hogg 07584207323

Norman Douglas 07786366833

Willie Skilling 07774603103

Helen Rickard 07741313029