Breeding Rams & Females

Texel Rams

Hexham & Northern Marts held the second continental and lowland ram sale and offered 176 Texel rams and 24 females.

Whilst trade was on the whole more selective than the first sale, quality was of a lesser stamp and values reflected this.

Jointly topping the sale was a tremendous 4 shear sheep from noted breeder John Davison, Lough Green. This outstanding ram had been bred by Messrs Wight of Midlock and had served Mr Davison well over the years to change hands for £1100 to another noted breeder.

The same tariff was duplicated later in the day by a cracking sheep from Robert Bradbury, Black Heddon, North Northumberland, who had one of the leading averages at £752 per head for 8 sold.

Messrs Hunter, The Steel sold their only tup at £900 ands Ritchie Walton, Bank Top and John Mews, Chapel House both peaked at £850.

The auctioneers were happy with the days trade that saw all shearlings average £523 per head.

Leading prices;

Shearlings – £1100 Black Heddon, £900 The Steel, £850 Bank Top & Chapel House, £820 Black Heddon, £800 Glenwhelt, £780 Black Heddon, £750 Cornhills, Black Heddon, Butterknowes & Chapel House, £740 Clarabad Mill & Burradon, £720 Black Heddon & Butterknowes, £700 Tenter House, Cornhills, Butterknowes (x2), Great Tosson & Chapel House

4 shear – £1100 Lough Green

Texel Females

Two small ‘production’ sales of Texel gimmers were conducted and the smart offerings of unregistered females both sold well.

Steven Wood, Shaw Wood, Hexham, peaked at £500 twice, and Garry Herdman, Edlingham Demesne, Alnwick topped at £420 each for a stylish pair.

Leading prices;

£500 Shawwood (x2), £420 Edlingham Demesne & Shawwood, £380 (x2) & £340 Edlingham Demesne, £300 Edlingham Demesne & Shawwood

Leicester Rams

Bluefaced Leicesters met mixed trade for the mixed quality forward.

The best end sold well, topping at £680 for a crossing-type shearling from Mr G D Herdman, Edlingham Demesne.

Leading prices;

Shearlings – £680 Edlingham Demesne, £600 Intake & Camphill, £520 Edlingham Demesne & The Deans, £500 Edlingham Demesne, The Deans & Towdy Potts

2 shear – £400 Thornley Hall

Suffolk Rams

A mixed show of Suffolk rams reflecting the time of year sold to a nice trade.

Peaking twice at £650 were two strong tups from Messrs Moor & Son, Nesbit.

Leading prices;

Ram Lambs – £450 Salmonfield

Shearlings – £650 (x2) & £600 Nesbit, £550 & £500 (x2) Edlingham Newtown, £480 Edlingham Newtown & Flotterton

Other Continental & Cross Bred Rams

A typical second sale type show of tups with the better end very easily sold and the lesser types slightly harder to cash.

Messrs J & A Moralee, Hard Riding brought their usual stamp of shape and power, selling Beltex x Texel shearlings to £800.

A & S Whitfield, High Castle Dene sold their run of quality ¾ Texel ¼ Beltex tups to £750.

Leading prices (shearlings);

Texel x – £750, £600, £580 & £550 High Castle Dene

Beltex – £300 Dotland Park

Beltex x – £800 Hard Riding, £650 Dotland Park, £550 Hard Riding (x2)

Dutch Texel – £420 North Cocklake, £350 Haggate

Charolais – £220 (x2) Great Tosson

Charolais x – £700, £650 & £550 Butterknowes

Blue Texel – £350 West High Wood

Leading prices (Ram Lambs);

Blue Texel – £340 West High Wood

Dutch Spotted – £300 Grange House