Carlisle – Crossing Type – 6th October 2023

Carlisle – Crossing Type

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The last sale of the season at Carlisle was held amidst torrential rain, but it did not dampen the spirits of the buyers or sellers too much, as the entry of 1043 sheep split across three separate rings, sold in a solid if not spectacular sale, with buyers being choosy and being selective. Saying that the vast majority of sheep found new homes.

Topping the trade in the crossing ring was the renowned Midlock flock with a strong tup lamb sired by a homebred tup by the P2 Riddings and out of a daughter of the K4 Marrifoth. He was full of power and style, with some great sharp colour on him, which is in demand by the mule breeders. He was knocked down, after a bidding war, to Messrs Allison, Seal Houses, who forked out £10,000 for his services. It was a double top for the Midlock flock as they also secured the second top price too, with a powerful shearling by the Midlock Zeus, a son of the evergreen M1 Riddings, which they have been using successfully over the past few years, and out of a ewe by the K1 Shafthill. He was bid to £7000 with Paul Fairburn, Marriforth, the successful bidder.

Rounding off a great sale season in style was Martyn Archer, Carry House, who once again had the pen that everyone was looking out for. His pen of lambs was full of quality from start to finish, and it was no surprise one of the top prices came from this noted flock. His pen topper was just a young lamb, and his penultimate lamb into the ring. He is by the £25,000 Midlock Magic, a son of the £23,000 P2 Riddings that they purchased last year with the Steel flock, and has done so well for them, with the first and second placed North of England Mule gimmer lambs at the Royal Highland Show both by him. Martyn considers one of the best getters he has had, and by his standards that is some statement. He was bid to £6000 with Messrs Gass, Nunscleugh the buyers, who bought the brother to this tup’s mother, by Jackpot, last year, and has done well for them. Martyns pen of 11 tup lambs levelled out at a very respectable £2618.

A trio of tups hit £5000 throughout the sale. The first of these came from the Greenhow flock from Martin Allen, with a very stylish lamb, with a great skin. This boy was by the well-bred Hundith R1, purchased last year and out of a ewe by K1 Riddings, which has done so well for the flock. He sold to David Lawson, Gargaerth flock near Ingleton, who enjoyed a great trade at Hawes last week with his pen of tup lambs. Martin also managed to retain a share in him too, such was his faith in his tup.

The next to hit £5000 was from the Shafthill flock, following on from John and Mandy Smith-Jackson success at the Carlisle mule gimmer lamb sales, where they took the championships. This smart lamb was by the homebred N11, which won the mule classes at the 2022 progeny show and out of the only ewe he retained after his reduction sale at the Lockdown Ladies sale, by Midlock L32. He was knocked down to Messrs Lodge up on Malham moor.

The third to make £5000 came from the Steel flock from Andrew and Caroline Hunter with a strong, late March born lamb by the Midlock Magic, the same as the Carry House tup. His mother was by the P2 Spurrigg, sire to the Steel Bruno tup which is doing well for the flock. He sold over the Border in a two-way split to Messrs Dick, Hamildean and Messrs Hall, Firth.

David Lawson from the Gargareth flock was back into buying again when he landed the £4500 lamb from the Bleagill flock from Messrs Ridley, Wood Hall. This time he teamed up with a couple of others with Neil & Mary Marston, Highberries and Barny MacQusitin, Barnshangan, all forking out to get the services of this Midlock N14 sired lamb out of a ewe by the ever-reliable Highberries K3.

The Yore House flock enjoyed a successful morning in the show ring, with Judge Laurence Allison placing their two lambs, both by the £40,000 Midlock Commander, 1^st and second in their class and going on to take both Champion and Reserve too. The champion sold for both were bought by Messrs Allan, Beck House Farm, Killington for £1500 & £1200 respectively.

When the dust settles on another season of sales all across the country, we can look back and see that still the Blue Faced Leicester is still a major player in the British sheep industry, with its ability to cross over any type of sheep and produce top quality breeding sheep. With farmers across the board tightening their belts with the payments falling and costs rising, its good to see that the Blue is still the go to tup throughout the industry.