Throups achieve the best price of the day with shearling ram (From Craven Herald)

Throups achieve the best price of the day with shearling ram

12:20pm Thursday 6th October 2011 in Countryfile By Lindsey Moore

Leading performer at the annual multi-breed sheep show and sale of pedigree and pure-bred rams and females at Skipton Auction Mart was the first-prize Blue Faced Leicester shearling ram and reserve breed champion from Ken and Lynne Throup, of Woofa Bank, Silsden Moor.

It achieved the highest price of the day at 1,800gns (£1,890) when knocked down to N & J Taylor, of Sheffield.

The BFL championship fell to a home-bred ram lamb from David Lodge, of Weston, Otley, who also won the breed title in 2009. His latest victor sold for 700gns to show judge Richard Thomas, of Llandrindod Wells.

The Taylors also paid 1,500gns for the second-prize Blue Faced Leicester shearling ram from Ashley and Rachel Caton, of Otterburn, who sold another shearling ram at 1,000gns to David Plews, of Kettlewell.

In addition, the Catons presented the second prize and top-priced ram lamb, which joined Saddle End Farms at Chipping for 800gns James Dewhirst, of Lothersdale, who topped the 2010 show prices with a Blue Faced Leicester shearling ram, again performed well at this year’s renewal with a 1,100gns shearling ram, acquired locally by Brian Woodsworth, of Storiths.

John and Claire Mason, of Embsay, sold five shearling rams, the best of them at 1,000gns, to Matt Tomlinson, of Kilburn in Derbyshire. Two others sold at 950gns each to David Plews and A Newbould & Son, of Dallowgill, Kirkby Malzeard.

The overall BFL selling average was £325 a head.

The champion Texel was a shearling ram from Bob Newby, of Wetherby. It sold for 980gns, top price in class, to John Barnes, of Sawley. Reserve champion Texel was the first-prize shearling ewe from John and Linda Mellin at Hull House, Hellifield, sold for 400gns to Paul Strickland, of Eldroth, who also paid 500gns for Mr Mellin’s second-prize shearling ewe.

The first-prize ram lamb from John and Alison North, of Fenwick, Doncaster, sold for 490gns to J Holden, of Edgeworth, Bolton. The Norths also headed the ram lamb prices at 520gns with an entry bought by Texel champion Mr Newby.

Texel class prices were topped at 1,040gns by a shearling ram from David Towell, of Upper Leys Farm, Glusburn Moor, bought by Simon Yates, of Ellinstring, Ripon. Frank Nairey, of Blackburn, sold a shearling ram at 1,000gns to D A Marshall, of Heyshaw, Summerbridge.

The breed average was £341 per head.