Gimmers
Hexham Auction Mart
Mule Gimmers
Hexham and Northern Marts held their Grand Opening Sale of Mule gimmers with an increased offering of 2915 Mule gimmers which comprised of both ex Northumberland Blackface and Swaledale dams.
This years entry suffered from the difficult summer growing conditions and some sheep forward were noticeably lacking the power of previous years. This in some instances and the fact some purchasers were struggling for grass also, created a two tiered trade. Strong bodied sheep sold extremely well and saw an increase of £15-20 on the year with many exceeding £300.00. Sheep that had a harder summer were harder to cash.
This year’s pre-sale show was judged by Coquetdale producer Mr C Rutter alongside Shepherdess Miss L Fawcett, Burradon Mains. Classes were once again split for breed type and if they had reared lambs or not.
The Champion pen and taking the Joe Arthur Memorial Challenge trophy this year once again for the second year in a row was Mr RS Walton, Coatyards and brought out for sale by daughters Susan Scott and Gillian Robson. The Championship was taken by their ex Blackface gimmers but also the Coatyards team took the Reserve with their ex Swaledale class winners.
The Champion pen went on to realise £300.00 and the reserves went on to achieve £290.00.
Leading the sale and even though being sold late in the day, this did not deter regular buyers off the Tenter House. Their fabulous pen of ten ex Blackface gimmers that had reared lambs sold to £330.00.
Joe Vickers, Rennington brought his annual consignment of 200 ex Blackface bred gimmers that consisted of gimmers that had reared and hadn’t reared lambs. Mr Vickers sold two pens of gimmers that had reared lambs to £320.00.
Topping the ran dry gimmers was a very powerful but smart pen of homebred ex. Blackface gimmers from Mr J Herdman, Edlingham Newtown which went on to sell for £315.00 twice for two pens of 20.
Leading the ex Swaledale gimmer trade came from the Short Family of Ouston. Their run of 88 homebred gimmer shearlings went on to sell to £300.00 and average £274.81.
The company would like to thank John Warren ABP for continued support and sponsorship of the sale once again.
Leading prices;
Mule-£330 Tenter House (Blackface), £320 Rennington South Farm x2 (Blackface Bred), £315 Edlingham Newtown x2 (Blackface) & Rennington South (Blackface), £310 Edlingham Newtown (Blackface) & Carry House (Blackface), £305 Croft Cottage (Blackface), £300 Coatyards (Swaledale), Low Barton Farm x2 (Blackface), Carry House (Blackface) & Ouston (Swaledale), £295 Coatyards (Swaledale), Lees Farm (Blackface), Rennington South (Blackface), Whitehill (Swaledale), Newbiggin (Swaledale), Low Barton Farm (Blackface) & Carry House (Blackface), £192 Ouston (Swaledale), £290 Claywalls (Blackface), Rennington South x3 (Blackface), Houxty (Blackface), Low Barton Farm (Blackface), £285 Lightbirks (Swaledale), Coatyards (Swaledale), Claywalls (Blackface), Newbiggin (Swaledale), Tenter House (Swaledale), £282 Lightbirks (Swaledale) & Carry House (Blackface)
Cheviot Mule-£305 Lowes Fell x3, £300 West Mill Hills, £290 West Mill Hills & Flotterton
Presiding over the Suffolk cross and Texel cross classes was also Mr Robson of Ryal and from a smaller but select entry of show pens he made his awards as follows;
Suffolk Cross
1st – Messrs Walton, Coatyards (NRL)
2nd – Messrs Walton, Coatyards (NRL)
Texel Cross
1st – Messrs Gibson, Thornton Tower (NRL)
2nd – Messrs Lumley, Newbiggen (NRL)
1st – Messrs Nixon, Stotsfold (RL)
2nd – Messrs Nixon, Hesleywell (RL)
Having suffered a particularly arid summer the majority of consignments came forward in lesser condition than last year and as a result buyers were distinctly more selective at the ringside with only the best of offerings selling with ease, the remainder proving harder to place.
The leading pens within the Suffolk cross entry were undoubtedly the outstanding examples from Messrs Walton, Coatyards whom, having triumphed taking both the champion and reserve awards in the mule classes were then further delighted to top at £340 and £325 for their first and second prize pens which the judge commented were by far the best within the class. Mr Robson went on to add the gimmers held all the desirable traits of the popular commercial cross-breed; length, shape, colour and conformation but these also with a particularly fine degree of femininity often lacking in such sheep
Leading prices;
Suffolk-£340 & £325 Coatyards, £320 Rennington South Farm, £315 Elilaw, £295 Flotterton, £280 & £275 Middle White Hill, £270 Elilaw, £260 & £255 Flotterton, £250 Middle White Hill
Prior to the catalogue of Texel cross gimmers a choice offering of pure bred females were presented and these sold well throughout. A flock reduction on behalf of Messrs Bissett, Middle Dukesfield saw the peak of the trade for some very well-bred and presented gimmers going back to a noted ‘Roxburgh’ bloodline. These topped at £620 for the pen leader with others to £560, £500 and £440.
Leading prices;
Texel-£620, £560, £500 & £440 Middle Dukesfield, £390 & £320 Thirwell
The cross-bred portion saw all manner of both quality and demand with the best easily sold but those perhaps harder summered or those leaning too much towards the terminal sire proving harder to sell than at last years sale.
The lead pen from Messrs Forster, Lowes Fell shared joint top spot, these fine ten sorts bred from Cheviot Mule mothers whilst Messrs Gibson, Thornton Tower sold a pen bred from Blackie bred North of England Mule mothers. Both pens sold to £320 to crown a great days trading for both noted Tyne Valley stock rearing families.
Leading prices;
Texel x-£390 Townhead, £320 Lowes Fell & Townhead, £305 Thornton Towers, £300 Thornton Towers & Lowes Fell, £290 Thornton Towers, £270 East Mayland. Light Birks, Thornton Tower & Newbiggen
In addition to the gimmer entries a number of stock ewes were presented on the day and, in relation, these met with good demand.
The offering of stock Mule sheep from Carry House on behalf of the retiring Martyn Archer drew a keen crowd to the ringside. The entire run of big, square, stylish Mule ewes bred from Hexham Blackies by noted Carry House crossing Leicesters sold exceptionally well peaking at £295 for a pen of one crop ewes with two crops selling to £282. Trade throughout for the Carry House run was buoyant and encouraging for the dispersal of The Blackface ewe flock from the same noted address which will take place at this centre on Monday 29th September.
Other ewes sold to £170, £165 and £155 twice from Howard Robson, Dale House, Allendale for 2&3 crop Swaledale bred Mule ewes whilst older, harder summered 4&5 crop ewes from Matfen Home Farm trade to a top of £150 on three occasions.
