Hawes Female Sale

Despite the snow and cold, or perhaps because of it, the ringside at Hawes was full all day, whilst a tidy trade it wasn’t as wild as last year’s, with a very healthy average of £1047 for the 53 sheep forward.

The champion of the day, judged by Alan Wight, Midlock, was from the Hewgill flock. This gimmer hogg had similar bloodlines to last autumns tup lambs, an embryo lamb by the B41 Hewgill and out of ewe by the Z14 Hewgill. The Lords have retained five full sisters and a tup lamb out of this good breeding ewe, and demand for buying into these cracking bloodlines was strong, with Raymond Lund dropping the hammer at £6800, to Shane McDonagh, Hill View Farm, from Ireland, who is establishing a new flock in the Rebublic.

The reserve champion, from Robin Booth, was in the very last pen of the day and saw  a gimmer shearling by C1 Shafthill and carrying triplets to the homebred B13 Smearsett which is doing so well for them. Three full brothers to the gimmer sold last backend to average £4100. Taking this smart sheep home was David Ellis, Ilkley, after forking out £4600 for the privalage. The second prize gimmer lamb also came from the Smearsett flock, this time by the B13 Smearsett, and sold for £2400 to R Jackson, Blubberhouses.

Neil Marston of the Highberries flock was making his bow at the female sale, and created quite a stir with his pen. The flock has gained a great reputation over the last few years, with progeny of the Z4 Hundith going on to do well.  His gimmer shearling by the Z4, and full sister to the £6000 tup sold to  the Lunesdale, Star Green and Swathburn flocks a couple of years ago, was carrying triplets to C18 Highberries. It was unshown earlier in the day, and sold for £4200 to local breeder John  Thorpe, Low Blackburn.

Kirkby Redgate have a good reputation amongst the Mule breeding fraternity and they turned out the 3rd prize gimmer hogg in the pre sale show, and collected a bid of £3000, selling to Jay Elliot, who was buying his first ever sheep. He will run it at his Unlces farm, the Oak House flock from Paul Brown.

On the whole the trade reflected the sheep trade generally, back a bit on previous years, but still a certain amount of optimisum. It’s a pity some of the sheep entered couldn’t make it due to the weather, which also held back many buyers from further afield too.

Forward 53 Sheep – Overall average £1047. Gimmer Hoggs to £6800 – Av £1242. Gimmer Shearlings to £4600 – Av £1855. Ewes to £1100 – Av £560.

Leading Prices:
Gimmer Hoggs: M/S Lord, £6800, £2600, £1100, £900.  W M Hutchinson & Son, £3000, £1000.  W A & A Booth, £2400, £2000.  G Rawsthorne, £1000, £650.  J J & E Lawson, £1000 x 4.  A J Mason, £900.  W C Porter & Son, £800.  N C Marston, £700.  E Fairburn & Sons, £700.  J Bell, £700, £600.  Ellis Bros, £600.  W & C W Dent, £550.

Gimmer Shearlings: W A & A Booth, £4600, £1600.  N C Marston, £4200.  J Wight & Sons, £2400, £2200, £900, £800 x 2.  M/s Lord, £1200.  W M Hutchinson & Son, £1200.  J Bell, £500.

Ewes: W M Hutchinson &  Son, £1100.  Ellis Bros, £800.  J C & N Throup, £450.