SWALEDALE females took centre stage at Skipton’s Auction Mart’s annual Saturday show and sale of draft ewes and gimmer shearlings, when an increased entry of 3,939 head sold to an overall average of £104.23 per head.
Malham Moor father and son Bill and Robert Cowperthwaite, of Tennant Gill Farm, presented the first prize and champion pen of ten Swaledale ewes, which they sold for the day’s leading price of £270 per head to MA Harriman, of Keswick.
Alan Alderson, of Barras Farm, Kirkby Stephen, stepped up with the first prize and reserve champion pen of ten gimmer shearlings, which sold for £190 per head to co-judge Ian Lancaster.
John and Jean Bradley, of Giggleswick, produced the second prize ewe pen for the second year in succession, their charges selling for £200 each, while the third prize pen from 2014 champions Stuart and Debbie Robinson, of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, made £162 each.
The Robinsons also presented the third prize gimmer shearling pen, sold for £145 per head, while the second prize pen from 2013 champion Chris Akrigg, of Cray, made £185 each.
Top price in the shearling section of £200 per head fell to Neil Richardson, who farms near Buxton. The buyer was L Horwell, of Leek.
Prices and averages were: Swaledale ewes, two shear to £122 (av £106.72), three shear to £180 (£115.76), four shear to £270 (£96.41), Swaledale shearlings to £200 (£114.93).
The next major Skipton highlight for Swaledale sheep breeders is the annual evening sale of 100 shearling and aged rams on Monday, from 6pm.
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