THE first Continental and Suffolk gimmer lamb shows and sales at CCM Skipton’s latest fortnightly Wednesday store lambs fixture (September 9) saw a total of 7,266 head, up over 700 on the year, take yet another solid rise to produce an overall all-breeds average of £143.03, up £16.70 on 2025’s £126.33.
Annual prize shows for pens of 10 Continental-x, Suffolk-x and Cheviot Mules were again on the agenda, with defending champions in two retaining their titles, Robert Metcalfe, Grange Farm, Brearton, accompanied by 15-year-old son, Jack, winning the Suffolk-x for the fourth time in the past five years.
Their home-bred lambs were by top-end tups put to a run of 1,200 North of England Mule ewes — “you can’t beat them for their length and mothering abilities,” said Robert, who lambs all his ewes outside, retaining the best Mule gimmers for further use, as well as purchasing some of the top pens of Mule shearlings at Skipton.
His solid first drawn consignment featured 502 head, the class victors, tapped out by Addingham Moorside farmer Sam Bradley, who also works for main fixture sponsor, Skipton & Clitheroe NFU Mutual, making a sale-topping £300 per head when again falling to the same buyer as last year Thomas Walmsley, Haverah Park, Harrogate, purchasing on behalf of his uncle Anthony Walmsley.
The runners-up from the same home made £285, along with other pens at £220-plus for tupping types and running types £165-£180, all averaging a solid £181.55.
Matt Reeday, F Reeday & Son, Manor Farm, Hetton, again finished third in the Suffolk class with a £200 pen.
The two other show classes were judged by Neil Pratt, Bank Newton, Continental-x, and Sam Bradley again, Cheviot Mules.
First prize in the Continental-x went to Joe and Nancy Throup, Berwick Intake Farm, Draughton, runners-up last year after winning it in 2024.
Lambs in their strong pen were again by a well-utilised Procter's Farm Texel tup, now a 5-shear, out of North of England Mule ewes.
The Throups have been using this cross for a good number of years, noting it produces good lambs with good skins, nice white faces and plenty of width.
The first prize pen sold for £260 section top, the runners-up from Angus Dean and family, Threshfield, £230.
Chipping’s John Stott, Laund Farm, who farms with his wife Christine and son, Simon, won the Cheviot Mules show for an unprecedented fifth year in succession with home-breds by Bluefaced Leicester tups from fellow Lancashire breeder Scott Thomason, Piel View flock, Walney Island, from whom he gets all his true Blues.
Out of North Country Cheviot ewes they made £230, again section top and were among four pens from this home at £200-plus.
The second and third prize pens from the Simpson family, Dacre, made £210 and £200.
In the mix, the best of the Texel and Suffolk tupping lambs were £200-plus, many of the strongest exceeding £220, the next grade of tupper £180-£190, a stronger running lamb £150-£175, smaller runners slightly less.
Co-sponsoring the show classes was Nick Booth Haulage, Settle.
Store lambs were easily a sharper trade on the previous sale with an active ringside looking to secure feeding lambs.
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