Entry numbers and prices up at Skipton
Skipton Auction Mart’s annual show and sale of gimmer shearlings, one of the largest fixtures of its kind in the North of England, attracted a much-increased entry of over 5,000 sheep, up by over 1,700 on the previous year, and achieved an overall average selling price of £146.41 per head, a rise of £11.83 on 2010. (Tues, Aug 23)
Mule shearlings were notably strong, with the 3,272 entry averaging £155.97 each, up £18.73 on 2010. Buyers again showed particular interest in NEMSA-tagged consignments from regular vendors, many of which had been bought at last year’s annual Skipton Mule gimmer lamb show and sale, itself one of the UK’s top fixtures of its kind.
Mule shearlings sold to a high of £218 each for the second prize pen from the Littondale sheep farming family headed by James Hall, of Darnbrook Farm, Darnbrook. They were bought by Craven Cattle Marts’ chairman Anthony Hewetson, Bank Newton.
The Halls, who run some 2,000 Mule, Swaledale and Blue Faced Leicester sheep on their 3,000-acre Yorkshire Dales holding, which is dominated by Fountains Fell, were also responsible for the champion pen of Mule shearlings.
With it went the Edgar Boothman Memorial Trophy, presented by Edgar’s brother James Boothman, of Linton. It is a familiar piece of silverware to the Halls, who also lifted the trophy in 2008 and 2009, and only narrowly missed out last year when finishing as runners-up. Their 2011 victors sold for £212 per head to Angus Dean, Threshfield. They also sold a third pen at £192.
The third prize Mule shearlings from JV Fox, Clitheroe, sold for £205 to GW Whitwell, Austwick, with other Fox pens selling at £195 and £180 twice. The fourth prize winners from David Coates, Coniston Cold, realised £180 when joining MP Jennings, Cowling. Mr Coates also had pens sell at £180, £176 and £174
Other leading Mule shearling prices were: J&E Greenhalgh, Clitheroe, £202 twice, £195, £180 and £175, S Bargh, Ingleton, £195, M&B Allen, Staithes, £188 and £180, WA, VJ & JA Towler, Clitheroe, £184, JC & I Walton, Hellifield, £180, £175 and £172, WB Woodsworth, Bolton Abbey, £180 and £172, RG Johnson, Felliscliffe, £176.
The gimmer shearlings fixture, combined with 4,628 prime sheep sold at the previous day and 11,696 store lambs catalogued for sale on Wednesday, heralded the busiest week of the year to date at Skipton, with over 20,000 head of sheep sold over three days.
East coast sheep farmer Mike Allen, of Borrowby Grange, Staithes, presented the first prize pen of ten Masham gimmer shearlings, a title he also won in 2009, as well as presenting the top price pen last year.
Mr Allen, who has a flock of 350 Masham, Mule and Beltex sheep, headed the prices again this year when his charges sold at £155 per head to Michael and David Wilson, Beckwithshaw, who also bought the 2010 champions. David is chairman of Masham Sheepbreeders’ Association. Masham shearlings averaged £133.59, up £10.77 on 2010.
First prize in the Continentals class fell to a pen of pure-bred Texels from Tim Jackson, of Raygill Farm, Goosnargh, Preston. Mr Jackson, joined by his 89-year-old father Joe, is a gardener by trade, breeding Texel sheep as a hobby. His class winners headed the prices at £195 apiece when joining William Warren, Cleckheaton. Texel shearlings averaged £128.20.
Show judges were: Mules - Bob Wearmouth, Southwaite, Kirkby Stephen, and Annabel Sugden, Laycock, Keighley. Mashams – Andrew Fisher, Pateley Bridge. Continentals - Robert Towers, Farleton, Lancaster.
The show was sponsored by Skipton-based JACS Trade & DIY Warehouse, represented by Gavin Haworth, who also holds farming interests as a leading light with Northern Area Jacob Sheep Breeders.
