Longtown Store & Breeding Sheep Sale Report

BORDER EWE SALE

C & D Auction Marts Limited had forward a catalogue entry of 9,685 head, comprising 3,698 horned sheep and 5,987 Cheviot ewes, gimmers and ewe lambs their Annual Border Ewe Sale at Longtown on Wednesday 30th September 2015.

Buyers were present from all over. All sheep were shown in excellent bloom and condition. North Country Cheviots met a very strong trade with Hill Cheviots steadier on the year, averages unfortunately were down. Top Northies were gimmers at £140 from Preston Mains and Longburgh Fauld, others to £128 Binsey and West Hills. Ewe lambs sold to £110 North Synton, £100 Lanefoot. Draft ewes sold to £110 and £107 Side, £100 Archbank.

Hill Cheviots were shown in first class condition. Included in the sale was a part dispersal from Eskdale Forestry Ltd., Clerk Hill, Eskdalemuir, selling stock ewes to £82, gimmers to £75, ewe lambs to £50.

Hill Cheviot gimmers sold to £115 Drycleuchlea, £110 Longburgh Fauld. Ewe lambs to £60 Stirkfield Farms, £58 Chanlochfoot. Draft ewes to £110 Stirkfield Farms, £105 Sorbie, £92 Castle Crawford.

Horned ewes, shearlings and ewe lambs were forward to busy ring of buyers. Shearlings and ewe lambs saw trade fast and better than experienced in many other centres. The ewes however, would be £3-£5 back in most cases with only young ages and character lots realising premium prices.

The 1,676 Blackface ewes topped at £82 from I. & G. Aitchison, Side, Newcastleton, purchased by Mr Dinnin, Nether Albie, Waterbeck, others £80 Side, £76 Craigieburn and The Side, £70 Clonrae, £68 Megdale, £66 The Side.

The 1,125 Blackface shearlings sold to £155 from Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill, purchased by Mr R. Carruthers, Pike, others £145 Wanwood Hill, £124 Hilbrough, £120 Chapel House, £116, £112 Hilbrough, £110 Wanwood Hill, £100 Sunnyside.

675 Blackface ewe lambs topped at £74 from Mr Campbell, Holm of Daltallochan, purchased by R. Fraser, Sunnyside, Longtown, others £68 Wanwood Hill, £64 Sorbie, £62 Holm of Daltallochan, £60 Clonrae, Sorbie and Megdale.

Swaledale shearlings sold to £108 from Mr Hope, The Barrocks to Mr Dodd, Low Closegill, others £100 Doddick, £92 Deadwater, £88 Dumblar Rigg.

Swaledale ewes to £66 from L. Pollock, Dumblar Rigg, purchased by R. Fraser, Sunnyside, others £64 Dumblar Rigg, £54 Border Rigg, £51 Whitegates.

Longtown North Country Cheviot Rams to £800

At their Annual Show and Sale of North Country Cheviot Rams, C & D Auction Marts Limited sold 92 rams to average £295 overall (£293 last year) with shearlings averaging £306 and strong demand particularly for the better sheep.

Judging was in the capable hands of Mr Hamish Waugh, Effgill, Langholm whose awards were as follows:-

Shearling Rams

1^st – Messrs Thomson, Hownam Grange.

2^nd – Messrs Davies, North Synton.

3^rd – Snowhill Partners, Ericstane.

Two Shear Rams

1^st – Archbank Farming Co., Archbank.

2^nd – Archbank Farming Co., Archbank.

3^rd – W. & W. Dunlop, Commonside.

Topping the sale at £800 was the second prize shearling from G. Davies & Partners, North Synton, Ashkirk, which was bought by A. Metcalfe, Little Water, Bampton. The first prize shearling from W. & J. Thomson, Hownam Grange went at £500 to J. & D. Longlands, Tonehall, Birtley, Hexham. At £700 Snowhill Partners, Ericstane, Moffat sold at hill bred shearling, 3^rd prizewinners to D.A. & M.A. Teasdale, Grindon Hill, Haydon Bridge. North Synton took £680 for another shearling, sold to J. Davidson & Son, Adderston Shiels, Hawick and had another at £520. K.O. Stones, Nun Cote Nook, North Yorkshire sold at £650 with other prices including Ericstane £580; Allanshaws, Stow £560 and £500; Carruthers, Waterbeck £550; Whiteknowe, Penton £550 and £540; Whitehouse, Jedburgh £520, £500; Broomhillbank, Lockerbie £480.

Top price two shear was a hill bred ram from M. & S. Wilson & Son, Newbank, which sold at £540.