Opening Sale of Ewe Lambs
Hexham Auction Mart
Grand Opening “Bellingham” Mule Ewe Lamb Sale
Thursday 4th September 2025
Mule Ewe Lambs
Hexham and Northern Marts held its Grand Opening Sale of Mule Ewe lambs with an increased entry on the year of 1412 top quality sheep. A sale once again packed with strong tupping lambs and credit must go to all that had lambs forward for presenting such a strong and well turned out run of sheep considering the challenges faced this summer.
This years pre sale show for The Robson & Cowan Trophy for pens of 25 Lambs . This was then followed by the judging for The Stuart Ridley Memorial Trophy which was awarded for the best run of 100 or more Ewe Lambs consigned by a member of ‘NEMSA’, was very ably judged by local stockman, Mr Ross Pattinson, The Temon. Once again, this flagship sale was very kindly sponsored by local Agricultural merchants Robson & Cowan Country Store.
After much deliberation and closer inspection, Mr Pattinson chose an outstanding pen from M W & C M Ridley, Shitlington Hall which were immaculately turned out by sons Kevin and Stephen as the overall champions and winners of the Robson & Cowan Trophy. A pen that consisted of show winners that had been on the show circuit throughout the summer. The went on to break the record for a pen of 25 Mule Ewe Lambs (ex Blackface) and sold to £350.00 to new customers to Hexham, HJ & J Paterson, East Dykes Farm, Lanarkshire.
Second prize this year went to the retiring R D Archer & Son, Carry House with a pen that exhibited the usual strength and power that is associated with the renowned Carry House flock. This pen went on to sell to another new customer for the Hexham Type Mule, JH & SM Mason, Keasden Head for £230.00.
Taking a very close third spot this year was a very sweet pen from J Hunter & Son, The Steel. A pen that had great characteristics throughout and went on to sell to annual purchaser DW & J Jones, Devon for £210.00.
This years winner for The Stuart Ridley Memorial Trophy for the best run of 100 or more for NEMSA members was R D Archer & Son, Carry House. This was a very fitting way for Martyn to bow out after years of hard work and dedication to the breed. The company would like to wish him all the best and thank him and his family for the continued support over the years.
One of the sales many highlights was the fantastic donation of two superb Ewe Lambs from Martyn Archer all in aid of the Tynedale Hospice at Home who took great care of Martyn’s parents in their later years. This pair consisted of the Highland Show Champion and after some enthusiastic bidding, concluded at £750.00 and bought by Weardale Mule and Bluefaced Leicester enthusiasts, David & Harrison Collingwood, Intake.
This added to an already buoyant atmosphere which saw Ring 4 rocking. An atmosphere that hasn’t been seen before and this created a fantastic trade throughout. New faces ringside who wanted strong Northumbrian Blackface bred Mule Ewe lambs bid fiercely alongside annual customers.
Outside of the show winners, trade was strong and saw R English & Sons, Brownsleazes sell a pen of 25 to £250.00. Not far behind was a pen from the terrific run of 148 lambs from M & CM Ridley, Shitlington Hall which sold to £240.00 and another at £235.00.
A fantastic 60% of the sale break the £200.00 barrier and left an average that was £24 up on last years exceptional sale.
Second sale (Thursday 18th September) entries are now being taken and encouraged Please call Drew Patrick 07854361967 or the office 01434 605444 by 10am Wednesday 10th September.
Flock averages;
Shitlington Hall – 148 @ £246.84
Carry House – 108 @ £231.18
Brownsleazes – 75 @ £230.00
The Steel – 150 @ £213.37
Yatesfield – 50 @£207.50
Linkshead – 25 @£205.00
Quarry House – 167 @£203.56
Pitland Hills – 50 @ £200.00
Whiteside – 200 @ £198.88
Penpeugh – 10 @ £198
The Hole – 52 @ £195.79
Great Chesters – 115 @ £188.90
Hotbank – 79 @ £187.28
The Stobbs – 24 @ £177.33
Edges Green – 52 @ £170.23
Leading prices;
£750 Carry House, £350 Shitlington Hall, £250 Brownsleazes, £240 & £235 Shitlington Hall, £230 Carry House, £225 Shitlington Hall & Brownsleazes, £222 Carry House, £220 Pitland Hills, Quarry House, Carry House & The Steel, £218 The Steel, £215 Hole Farm, Carry House, Yatesfield, Shitlington Hall, The Steel x2 & Brownsleazes, £212 Quarry House, Shitlington Hall & The Steel, £210 Whiteside & Quarry House, £208 Whiteside, £205 Whiteside x2, Linkshead & Hotbank, £202 Quarry House x2 & The Steel, £200 Yatesfield & Great Chesters
Texel & Other Continental Ewe Lambs
The Annual Prize Show & Sale of Texel cross, Suffolk cross, Continental cross and Blackface Ewe Lambs also took place this day and reduced entries of all such classes confirmed the trend of reducing sheep numbers on the northern upland fells.
The lowland Ewe Lamb classes were ably judged by Mr D Brooke, Marwood Farm, York who made his awards as follows;
Texel Cross (pen of 10)
First – R Thornton & Sons, Cornhills
Second – R Thornton & Sons, Cornhills
Third – T Common & Son, Low Ardley
Suffolk Cross (pen of 10)
First – C R Fawcett, Well House
Second – M W & C M Ridley, Shitlington Hall
Third – J Browell & Son, Quarry House
Continental Prize List (pen of 10)
First – T J Lee & Son, Hackford
Second – T J Lee & Son, Hackford
Third – F Johnson, West Shipley
Blackface Ewe Lambs
Additionally, the Browell Brothers, Ridley & Lewis, Quarry House, as well as consigning both Mule and Suffolk cross Ewe Lambs for sale also caried out the judging of the Blackface Ewe Lamb class.
A small but quality show were presented for the judges who awarded the Gordon Swan Trophy, won for the second year in succession by Father and Daughter duo Geoff Paxton & Fiona Goodfellow, Greenleighton, who were once again delighted to triumph in the class with a very correct and upstanding pen of sweet lambs that were very true to type.
Blackface Prize List (pen of 15)
First – G & S Paxton, Greenleighton
Second – Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill
Third – A Murray & Sons, Sewingshields
Leading prices;
Texel x – £242 Low Ardley, £195 & £174 Cornhills, £170 Lamberton, £166 Cornhills, £165 Nilston Rigg, £160 Low Ardley & Cornhills x2
Suffolk x – £195 Well House, £190 Shitlington Hall, £185 Quarry Huse, £180 Well House, £176 Shitlington Hall, £170 Quarry House & Shitlington Hall
Blue Texel – £222 Longsteads, £156 & £155 West Shipley
Dutch Spotted Texel – £158, £156 & £148 Hackford
Blackface – £205 Wanwood Hill, £182 Greenleighton, £175 Wanwood Hill, £165 Sewingshields & Greenleighton, £160 Wanwood Hill & Sewingshields, £155 Wanwood Hill & Greenleighton
Gimmers
Leading prices;
Texel x – £260 Gunnerton Demesne, £235, £230 x2 & £220 Wesley House