Tow Law Store Cattle
Store Cattle
Hexham and Northern Marts held their special annual ‘Tow Law’ Prize show and sale of store cattle and suckled calves and offered and increased entry of 735 head from uplands of Northumberland, County Durham, Cumbria and The Scottish Borders.
The prize show schedule was kindly sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health and this year was expertly judged by Mr William Miller, Wigton, Cumbria and from a small but select entry he made his awards as follows;
Store Steer/Heifer
1st – Little Bavington (BBx Hfr); 2nd – Little Bavington (BBx Str); 3rd – Glower-oer-Him (Limx Hfr).
Suckled Calves
Limx Steer; 1st – Miller Hill; 2nd – Heatheridge; 3rd – Whiteside
Limx Heifer; 1st – Whiteside, 2nd – West Biggens.
Other Contx Steer; 1st – West Biggens (BBx); 2nd – West Biggens (BBx).
From a smart line-up of class winners Mr Miller tapped out the Black & White Blue cross steer calf from Michael Reed, West Biggens, Weardale as his Overall Champion and recipient of the Colin Mitchelson Memorial Plate & The Tow Law Perpetual Trophy. A well-grown and weighty bullock the smart sort had bags of style and shape and was expertly presented and exhibited by stockman Lewis Stephenson and looked every inch the Champion on the day.
With another nod towards the bullock classes it was the jet black first prize Limousin cross steer from Messrs Graham, Miller Hill, Gilsland that was brought forward to stand as Reserve Champion and this one also was a credit to breeders Steven and daughter Rachael.
Both families have a long and distinguished career breeding and rearing cattle for sale at Hexham and their top quality sorts; from County Durham and Cumbria respectively always figure highly in the rankings and are always sought after.
The sale proper began as usual with a good entry of over twenty-five consignments of older, forward sorts and a marginally improved show on the week met with a sharper demand. Trade on the day peaked with a super Limmy Bullock from Ian and Anne Hamilton, Claywalls which flew to £2900 and capped a run of 16 smashing bullocks that returned at £2541 throughout.
The sale leader was followed by a younger beast from Lewis Forster, West Nubbock who witnessed his cracking 16 month old limmy bullock rattle up to a personal best at £2880 – selling way beyond the expectations of the well-known Hexham herdmaster. With well-bred heifers topping at £2520 Lewis saw his run of seventeen level at £2265 from 11-16 months of age.
James Herdman, Edlingham Newtown brought forward another tremendous run of his trademark Charolais cross cattle from the heather-clad tops near Alnwick and he too was delighted with his trade on the day peaking at £2850 for his lead steer with another at £2560 to average £2351 for 17 sought after sorts.
Another at £2850 was the first from Messrs Ballantyne, Cowburn Rigg, Haltwhistle and the quality offered on this day by the noted Roman Wall producers was nothing short of phenomenal. The bullock was followed by a heifer with similar shape in abundance and a real dazzler that realised £2700 and contributed to an average of £2602 for a smart quartet for the brothers Ballantyne.
Likewise Roly and Stuart Carr came forward from Little Bavington and having earlier triumphed in the store beast class they were then rewarded with the handsome HH Mews Memorial cup and a trade to match which topped at £2750 for the prize winning heifer and with another at £2720 they averaged £2531 for two steers and three heifers on the day.
A super run of Simmental bullocks were sent south to Hexham for the first time from The Scottish Borders by Gala Farming from their Holybush holding and the journey over the Carter Bar certainly paid dividends. The fifteen hefty and well-grown bullocks topped at £2600, £2560 and £2520 and together with a good offering of 18 heifers averaged a deserved £2137 throughout. Any borders farmers contemplating the same strategy are invited to contact Andrew Hutcheson on 07955 275403 who will be happy to assist.
The second focus of the day was a tremendous run of continental cross calves, many from the Tow Law and Weardale area and two such producers were the aforementioned Reed Family of West Biggens and The Watsons of Baal Hill.
Messrs Reed, fresh from consigning a great run of cattle two weeks earlier presented another sterling batch which included the champion calf that changed hands at £2600 to a YFC purchaser and their lead heifer at £2200. These combined with nine other super calves saw a great return of £1960 for 11 sold on the day.
Bruce Watson & Family are equally as well-regarded for their top-quality calves bred on the slopes above Wolsingham and yet again these were well received at Hexham. A very sweet run of seventeen steers were consigned and topping at £2320 with another at £2300 the family were deservedly rewarded with an average of £2040 throughout for their smart calves.
Dennis and Stuart Charlton, Whiteside have brought cattle to this ‘Tow Law’ sale for a number of years and always get on well in the show and sale rings. With two rosettes under their belts the father and son team saw both steers and heifers peak at £2380 and both classes followed with others at £2370 to provide a more than satisfactory return at £2235 for nine bullocks and four heifer sisters sold.
As mentioned earlier this same week a sizeable catalogue of entries inevitably means that a number of vendors may well, initially be sceptical about a later turn in the sale. Such is the demand for cattle at this point in the season the auctioneers are confident that maximum return can easily be attained at any point in any sale. Testament to this claim was the great pen of calves from The Shorts of Ouston who came down from the heights of Whitfield and sold steers to £2340 and heifers to £2170 to level at £2020 for ten sold – another rewarding afternoon for Dennis, Colin, Mark & Josh after their first at The Bellingham sale just 24 hours earlier.
Another such case, perhaps even more so was that of Messrs Fletcher, East Murton who, likewise came back to Tyne Green for a second sale this week and ‘took their turn’ later in the sale selling ten month old Limmy steers to £2260 and heifers to £1690 to witness their stylish five level at £1932 per head.
An increasing number of vendors are being alerted to the fact that young bulls are in demand and can easily be sold to advantage here at Hexham and one example is that of Tommy & Di Harrison, The Old Potato House, Mickley. They presented three pure-bred Hereford bulls at twelve months and topped at £2040 to average £1853 – not bad for bulls considered ‘short of the mark’ for their nationally renowned ‘Moralee’ Hereford herd and marketed into the store sector.
Leading prices;
Cattle 22-30 Months
Limousin x steers – £2800 & £2660 Lowes Fell, £2580 Claywalls
Charolais x steers – £2460 & £2360 Little Harle
British Blue x steers – £2140 Satley
Limousin heifers – £2560 & £2350 Low Barns
Charolais x heifers – £2120 Colwell Hill
Cattle 17-21 Months
Limousin x steers – £2900 Claywalls, £2850 Cowburn Rigg, £2660 Claywalls x2, £2600 Devonport Farms, £2580 Claywalls, £2540 Cornhills, £2520 & £2450 Claywalls, £2440 Ridley Stokoe, £2420 Lowes Fell & Claywalls, £2400 East Matfen, £2380 Lowes Fell, £2360 Claywalls, £2320 Satley & Ridley Stokoe, £2300 Ridley Stokoe x2, £2280 West Nubbock, £2220 Claywalls, £2000 East Shaftoe, £2180 East Matfen & Ricknall Grange, £2160 Cheviot, £2100 Burmoor, £2080 Ridley Stokoe, £2020 Cheviot & Ridley Stokoe
Charolais x steers – £2850 & £2560 Edlingham Newtown, £25550 Little Harle, £2520 Edlingham Newtown, £2510, £2150 x2 & £2480 x3 Little Harle, £2460 Edlingham Newtown & Little Harle, £2440 Claywalls, £2400 Edlingham Newtown, £2380 Claywalls & Little Harle, £2340 & £2320 x2 Little Harle, £2300 Edlingham Newtown x2, £2240 & £2160 East Shaftoe, £2040 The Tofts
Angus x steers – £2240 Cooper House, £2180 Demesne & Cooper House, £2100 Demesne, £1860 Blueburn, £1800 Ogle Dene
British Blue x steers – £2150 Devonport
Simmental steers – £2680 Carrick, £2620 Satley, £2600 Hollybush, £2580 Satley, £2560 Holybush, £2540 Satley, £2520 Holybush, £2480 Satley, £2460 Satley & Carrick, £2440 x2, £2420 & £2400 Holybush, 2380 Satley, £2320 Satley & Carrick, £2300 Holybush & Carrick, £2280 Carrick x2, £2200 Satley & Carrick, £1920 Comb Hills
Luing steers – £1960 & £1860 Blueburn
Limousin x heifers – £2700 Cowburn Rigg, £2460 Ridley Stokoe, £2420 Glower-Oer-Him, £2380 Luns House & Ridley Stokoe, £2280 East Matfen, £2260 Lowfield, £2220 East Matfen & Warksfield Hed, £2200 Luns House x2, £2180 Ridley Stokoe, £2120 Holybush & Ridley Stokoe x2, £2080 Warksfield Head, £2060 & £2040 Middle Heads, £2000 Lowfield, Warksfield Head & Middle Heads, £1980 East Matfen, Luns House & West Nubbock
Charolais x heifers – £2380 Demesne, £2200 Demesne & Comb Hills, £2180 & £1080 Tone Hall, £2060 Cooper House, £2040 Harnham Hall, £1980 Tone Hall, £1900 Colwell Hill, £1880 Colwell Hill & Harnham Hall, £1860 Colwell Hill, £1820 & £1800 East Shaftoe
British Blue x heifers – £2200 Little Bavington, £1920, £1880, £1860, £1820 & £1800 Shaftoe Moor
Angus heifers – £2180 Demesne, £1840 & £18000 Lowfield
Angus x heifers – £2120 Demesne, £2040 Blueburn & Lowfield, £1900 Comb Hills, £1880 Blueburn x2 & Lowfield, £1800 Holybush
Simmental x heifers – £2000 & £1800 Holybush
Cattle 12-16 Months
Limousin x steers – £2880 West Nubbock, £2580 Little Bavington, £2480 Cowburn Rigg, £2400 Warksfield Head, £2380 Whiteside & West Nubbock, £2350 Miller Hill, £2340 Spital Shield & Ouston, £2320 Cornhills, £2300 West Nubbock x2, £2270 Tenter House, £2260 Lands Farm, £2240 Cornhills, £2230 Kirkhouse, £2220 Little Bavington & Ouston x2, £2180 Crook Dene, £2160 Tedcastle & West Nubbock, £2130 Lands Farm, £2120 Ricknall Grange & Lands Farm
Charolais x steers – £2440 & £2340 Edlingham Newtown, £2240 Tenter House, £2180 Edlingham Newtown, £2120 East Shaftoe & Tenter House, £1800 Tenter House
British Blue x steers – £2240 Warksfield Head
Angus x steers – £1910 & £1740 Ravensworth Grange
Hereford steers – £2040 Old Potato House
Limousin x heifers – £2750 & £2720 Little Bavington, £2520 & £2320 West Nubbock, £2280 Cowburn Rigg & West Nubbock, £2250 Kirkhouse & Crook Dene, £2230 Tenter House, £2220 Whiteside & West Nubbock, £2200 Tenter House, Edges Green & Crook Dene, £2180 Kirkhouse, £2170 Ouston, £2100 East White Hill, Warksfield Head & Miller Hill, £2080 Warksfield Head, £2070 Lands Farm, £2060 Edges Green x2 & Spittal Shield, £2040 Spittal Shield
Charolais x heifers – £2300, £2160, £2080 & £2040 x2 Tone Hall, £1960 Hallbankgate, £1950 Colwell Hill & Chapel House, £1880 Hallbankgate, £1850 Colwell Hill, £1840 Cooper House, £1820 Hallbankgate, £1780 Colwell Hill
Angus x heifers – £1940 West Farm, £1800, £1720 & £1700 x2 Lowfield
Simmental x heifers – £1750 & £!610 West Shields
Cattle 6-11 months
Limousin x steers – £2370 Whiteside, £2360 Lands Farm, £2340 Miller Hill, Whiteside & West Nubbock, £2320 Whiteside & Baal Hill, £”300 Baal Hill, £2280 Heatheridge, £2260 Whiteside, West Biggens & East Murton, £2240 Werst Biggens, £2220 Miller Hill, £2220 Whiteside x2, £2170 Lands Farm, £2160 Lands Farm& Whiteside, £2150 Lands Farm, £2130 Heatheridge, £2100 Miller Hill & Baal Hill x2, £2090 Baal Hill, £2080 Spittal Shield & Lands Farm, £2060 Dyke Nook & Heatheridge, £2050 Heatheridge, £2040 West Biggens, £2020 Dyke Nook, £2000 Baal Hill x2, Lands Farm & Heatheridge
British Blue x steers – £2600 West Biggens, £2370 Whiteside, £2200 West Biggens, £1900 Baal Hill
Charolais x steers – £2020 Newbiggin
Angus x steers – £1920 Miller Hill, £1670 & £1570 Penpeugh
Limousin x heifers – £2380 Whiteside, £2200 West Biggens, £2140 & £2090 Lands Farm, £2070 Dukesfield Hall, £2070ukesfield Hall, £2020 Whiteside & Lands Farm, £2010 Dyke Nook, £1930 Burnbank, £1820 Dyke Nook, Burnbank & East Murton
Charolais heifers – £1840 Newbiggin