Carlisle – Classy Lassies – 4th January 2025

Classy Lassies sale.

With a new schedule seeing both the Traditional and Crossing types sold on the same day. The rejigged format worked well, with a big crowd for both the rings and a healthy trade throughout.

There was a new boy in the box too, as Anders Brown was let loose in the auctioneers rostrum for his debut with the Crossing Leicesters, and after a great performance, there will be sure to be plenty more. He set the tone of the trade and the bidding was brisk and strong throughout. His highlight of the sale was the champion hogg from the Hewgill flock. This smashing gimmer hogg is the full sister to the first three tup lambs they sold at Hawes last year, by the £3000 Sealhouses tup going back to the K1 Steel and out of R93 Hewgill, one of the flocks best ewes, which was by the Hewgill M39, full of great breeding. She was sold to an undisclosed buyer. The Lords also saw another at 2000gns, this one by the homebred R38 and out of a ewe by the P1 Marriforth. She was bought by Iain Craig, Hanging Wells.

Anders had to get out of the rostrum and step into the ring a few lots later to help sell the reserve champion, which came from the Macqueston flock, from his dad Alec. This powerful gimmer hogg stood second to the champion in the gimmer hogg class and went on to take the reserve Champion ticket. This lovely hogg with a great skin is no stranger to the show ring, as she was also the champion at Carsphain and also Dumfries show last summer. She is by the Hewgill R2, who is doing well for them, dropping 12 in their top pen last year and out of a ewe by Highberries M1. She sold for 6800gns, selling to Messrs Fallows from the Burnton flock, Lanark. The Macqueston flock enjoyed a good trade with another daughter of the Hewgill tup making 2500gns to Hugh Fergusson, Dykeneuk, the Messrs Fallows came back in to take the third lamb from the pen, shelling out a further 1800gns for a daughter of the Steel S2, a son of the in fashion Midlock Magic, out of another ewe by the Highberries M1.

The Midlock team presented a great pen of sheep and their pen leader was a smart gimmer shearling by the P2 Riddings out of Midlock H110 by the G 2 Marriforth, and has proved to be one of the flock most influential lines, with many show champions coming from this line. She was sold carrying 3 to the £10,000 T3 Steel, and was bought by Messrs Ramsey, Ardoch Farm, Dalry. Midlock had another P2 Riddings daughter bid to 2000gns. This ones mother was the full sister to the £40,000 Midlock Commander and the Champion gimmer from the Highland Show. She was carrying twins to S1 Middleton Hall, and was taken home by the McQuistons, Barnshangan.

John Smith-Jackson had the highest priced ewe, which stood second in the ewe class. This 2022 born ewe was by the Smearsett E1 and in lamb to the R22 Highberries. It sold for 2000gns to Bob Lawrence, Grange Over Sands.

  Averages

3 Aged Ewes                  £1785

21 Shearling Gimmers £1247.5

10 Ewe Hoggs               £2711.11