Swaledales take centre stage on price at CCM Skipton 3rd gimmer lamb showcase

Bordley Tennants retain leasehold on breed trophy

Skipton Auction Mart’s third fortnightly gimmer lamb show and sale of the current season attracted an entry of 3,913 head, only marginally down on 2021, and while selling averages were as anticipated down on the year across all classes trade for Swaledales exceeded expectations with both North of England Mules and Mashams also selling well. (Tuesday, Oct 4)

A total of 2,628 Mule gimmer lambs averaged £95.23 (-£10.13 on 2021), 848 Swaledale levelling at £73.51 (-£10.06), 149 Masham £97.17 (-£16.80), and 128 Dales Mule £84.41 (-£10.20)

Four prize shows for pens of ten were again in place. Receiving the Craven Cattle Marts Trophy when presenting the first prize Swaledale gimmer lambs for the second year running were Dales father and daughter, John and Rose Tennant, of Bordley.

Seven in the pen were by a Paul Ewbank tup, which also accounted for the majority last year, the other trio by home-bred rams. The victors topped their section and the day’s prices when claimed for £235 per head by Threshfield’s Angus Dean, who farms just across the moor and also purchased last year’s Tennant first prize pen, the family chipping in further this year with a £140 pen.

As he did last year, Kevin Huck, also from Bordley, again finished runner-up with his Swaledales, selling at £148, the third prize pen from Ian Wilson, of Lothersdale, away at £125. Also catching the eye with a £158 pen was Rob Tennant, of Conistone-with-Kilnsey, another at £152 from the Embsay-based Masons at Oddacres, plus a further brace at £148 from both the Blakey family in Greenhow and Eldroth’s Johnny and Neil Cowperthwaite, The bottom end in this section held up well, while both the show pens, judged by Threshfield’s Catherine Kitching, and established runs were as usual very well supported.

Taking both first and second prizes in show class for North of England Mules from NEMSA members were Calton father and daughter, Robert and Ellie Crisp, the majority by Richard Hutchinson Redgate and Kitching family, Threshfield, Bluefaced Leicester tups, both bought out of Skipton, plus one in the red rosette-winning pen by a David Lodge, Otley, ram. The Crisps, who have this year produced some 450 Mule ewe lambs, saw their class victors, out of home-bred Swaledale ewes, sell for £132 per head to section co-judge John Putt, travelling up from Devon, with the runners-up not far behind at £130, plus a third pen at £130.

However, it was the third prize pen from the Hubberholme Hucks - John and Gill, and son James - last year’s class victors, that sold for joint section top of £150, matched by lambs from Jeff and Judith Throup in Silsden. Respective purchasers were Nick Dalby, of Hartwith, and Cononley’s JS Throup, The Throups also sold a second pen at £132, the Masons again doing well with a £135 pen, plus another at £130 from the Kitchings.

In the mix, odd pens of tupping lambs, which ranged from 2-10 lambs per pen, sold in the £120-£150 range, with £110-£120 being a regular price for tupping lambs not just as strong. A strong smart lamb to run was £100-£112, with plenty of genuine runners forward selling at £85-£100 for dressed lambs with some style, while some large runs of undressed lambs got away well, the best end regularly making £90-£110. Younger lambs or mediums without just as much style sold either side of £75 and while vendors’ last draws of pens proved harder to sell, some small types at £60-£74 looked well sold.

The Masham Sheep Breeders’ Association-sponsored show class was won by long-time breed aficionados, Allan Throup and son, Richard, who trade with the family as A&SL Throup in Silsden, All in the pen were by home-bred Teeswater tups, out of Dalesbred ewes, and they topped the section on price when selling for £115 each to judge Chris Douthwaite, of Kirkby Overblow, with six Throup pens in total making £100-plus, including two at £108.

Both the second and third prize pens from Bainbridge Bros in Marrick and BC Ashby, of Norwood, sold at £98, another from WI&AM Atkinson, from Bleasdale, hitting three figures at £100 apiece. Masham gimmer lambs sold well on the year, the stronger end making £100-£115.

Repeat red rosette winners and also standing second in the Dales Mules show class were father and son, Richard and Matthew Close, of Starbotton, with lambs by a selection of home-bred Bluefaced Leicester tups, some by an old Tan House ram, out of Dalesbred ewes. Both prize-winning pens – the victors retained the Josephine Bartlett Memorial Trophy – made £108 when claimed by, respectively, the Mann family in Loughborough and LW Greensit, of West Tanfield. Other pens from the same home achieved £90 and £80.

The third prize winners from the Stoney family in Bewerley, Pateley Bridge, sold for £98, with a further pen at £88, while selling prices of £86 and £85 were also achieved by A&N Fothergill, of Silsden, and Steeton’s DA Dobson. Both Mules and Dales Mules were judged by John Putt and Worcestershire’s Nick Brown. Of the other breeds, 43 in number, Suffolk gimmer lambs sold to £64 and Charollais to £74.