Auction mart sales round-up: Commercial sheep record set online, sheepdogs to 8,400gns at Skipton and dairy cattle to 3,500gns at Carlisle

New Suftex record price set online

The Smyth Smashers online sale of Jack Smyth's pedigree Suffolks, Suftex and genetics topped at £5,650, a new record price for a Suftex, with more than 18,000 views reported and a 100% clearance rate achieved.

Sale leader was a 2025-born Suftex ewe lamb by Sportsmans Dare Devil, out of a Big Eyes, a dam that has bred multiple all-Ireland champions. The buyers were Lucky Day Competitions, Newry, Co Down.

Making £3,600 was the first lot to be sold, a pedigree Suffolk flush ewe by Strathbogie Peaky Blinder. It has previously bred the Ballymena September 2024 top price ram lamb which sold for £4,500 as well as BB Full Monty which sold for £3,500. It sold to Messrs Porter, Lifford, Co Donegal.

Another 2025-born Sufftex ewe lamb made £3,010. By BB Bonnie Boy, out of a pedigree Texel ewe, it sold to Messrs Conaghan, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

A Tullagh Harlequin-sired Sufftex ewe lamb, out of a pedigree Suffolk ewe, made £2,050. This one sold to Messrs Moir, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Skipton working sheepdogs sell to 8,400gns

Prices in Skipton's spring field sale of 35 working sheepdogs topped at 8,400gns for a three-year-old black and white bitch, Jet, from Rob Hutchinson, Barnard Castle. By Mr Hutchinson's own Hendre Taff, and out of County Durham handler Frank Whitfield's Heyshaw Molly, Jet had a very successful nursery season, winning several trials and being placed on most occasions.

Next at 7,400gns was Gwydr Jill, a home-bred March 2023-born black and white bitch from Dewi Jenkins, Tynygraig, Aberystwyth. By his own 2016-born Clwyd Bob and out of Gwydr Lily, the buyer was Gordon Birchenall, Chinley

Shaun Richards, Eldroth, sold his tri-coloured bitch Bella for 5,700gns. Bella, by Jaff, out of Flowerscar Jess, sold to Howard Kitching, Northallerton.

A 5,200gns bid secured two-year-old black and white bitch Sugarhill Kate from Ellie Street, Hellifield. Home-bred out of Tilly by Vicky Ibbotson's Gore Hill Chap, it was bought by phone bidder Chris Purdham, Appleby. Craig Kempson, Rossendale, secured 4,800gns for his November 2022-born tri-coloured dog, Elstan Glen and at 4,600gns was a December 2022-born bitch, Sally, from Janine Ashworth, Rossendale.

Averages: Broken and registered dogs, £2, 827; broken registered bitches, £4,862.

Auctioneers: CCM.

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Badger Face Texel ram lamb sells for 4,000gns

Badger Face Texel lambs from Oliver Watson, Pennington, Cumbria, led the bidding at Carlisle's May Fair of pedigree sheep.

Topping at 4,000gns was Irt Vale Global Domination, a January 2025-born Badger Face Texel ram lamb by Cleenagh Expresso son, out of Sunnybank Black Beauty. It was knocked down to Messrs Whitham, Bingley, West Yorkshire.

Making 3,000gns was another same aged ewe lamb, Irt Vale Gabby. Another by Expresso, this time out of Royal Welsh 2024 reserve champion Knockmult Easy Pleasing, it sold to Messrs Williams, Garndolbenmaen, Gwynedd.

Dutch Spotted topped at 2,000gns three times, first for Milltown Iron Man, a ram lamb by Drumard Harrison out of Diamond Felicity from T. Jackson, Saintfield, Co Down, which sold to Messrs Riggs, Wimborne.

At the same money was another from Mr Watson, C View Iconic Lady. By Milltown Hank The Tank and out of C View Fanta, it sold to Messrs Dean, York.

Also selling for 2,000gns was Barquhill Haven, a shearling gimmer from M. and R. McCornick, Wigtown, Newton Stewart. This one by Westbroad Diego, out of Glencoy Destiny, sold to Messrs Morton, Penrith.

Blue Texel's topped at 1,900gns for Dragon Joanna, a shearling gimmer from Rhys Williams, Lampeter. By Dragon, out of Dragon Fox Lady, the buyers were Messrs Wood, Westhill, Aberdeenshire.

Averages: Dutch Spotted - 7 pedigree ewes and lambs, £783; 26 weaned lambs, £791.53; 25 shearling gimmers, £719.46. Badger Face Texel – 2 weaned lambs, £,3675. Blue Texel, 1 pedigree ewe and lambs, £945; 4 shearling gimmers, £958.12. Suffolk - 2 weaned lambs, £420. 5 ewes and lambs, £508.20.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

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Commercial dairy dispersal sells to £3,400 high

Trade at the commercial dairy dispersal, held on behalf on T.A. Wainwright and Son, Groton, Marton, near Welshpool, at Shrewsbury, sold to a £3,400 high for in-milk Holstein and Brown Swiss cows.

Sale leader was the Red and White, Summerfield Awesome Cherry Chip Red, winner of the pre-sale show. Calved for the second time on April 29, it was giving 42kg of milk and sold to a Cheshire-based buyer.

A third calved De-Su Hartley daughter, due with its fourth calf in August, sold for £3,050, with a second calver by De Su Reginald, due in July, making £2,800.

Fresh calved heifers from the dispersal peaked at £2,700 for a Sandy Valley Earthshaker daughter, which calved on April 25, with another heifer by Skywalker Stark, due in October, made the same money.

Dry cows sold to £2,600 for a Rosylane-LCC Spock Daughter, due with her fourth calf.

Averages: Herd average, £1,900.

Auctioneers: Halls.

Young dairy cows in demand at Market Drayton

Heifers sold to £3,800 at the May show and sale at Market Drayton for the day's champion, Budworth Ryder Queen 3, from Hilltop Farming Company, Aston-By-Budworth. Pedigree cows sold to £3,600 for Clayden Camaro Farrah, a first prize second calver from the Clayden Farm Partnership, Crewe.

Making £3,200 was another from the same home, Clayden Gateway Romance, while others from J. Lomax and Son, Baldwins, made £2,850 for a second calver and £2,800 for a fourth calver. R.D.I. and H. Roberts, Llandegla, sold their first prize commercial heifer for £2,750.

Two heifers made £2,600 from M. Weaver, Stone, and Messrs Brindley, Adderley.

Averages: 13 fresh cows, £2,325, 23 fresh heifers, £2,001.

Auctioneers: Gwilym Richards and Market Drayton Market.

Younger sheep in demand at Penrith

Demand for younger sheep was strong at Penrith's second New Fair sale of 803 hoggs, ewes and shearlings with lambs at foot and geld gimmer hoggs, together with the Troutbeck sale of Swaledale, Herdwick and Hill Bred ewes with lambs at foot.

The sale topped at £190 per life for a pair of Beltex cross ewes with single Beltex lambs at foot from T.F. and G.L. Pollock, Wreay Hall Farm, which sold to A. Batey, Heathery Knowe.

T.C. Whiteford, Tercrosset, topped the hogg and lamb trade with a pen of five Texel crosses with single Beltex lambs at foot, achieving £175/life, which went home with B. Strong, Grapes Barn.

Mule hoggs proved strong to sell, easily achieving more than £150/life, topping at £162/life for Winter Bros, Clickham, with a pen of 10 with single Suffolk lambs at foot. These were purchased by J.G. Walton and Son, Rockcliffe Farm.

In the Troutbeck section of the sale, Swaledale sheep were in high demand. S.J. Robinson, Bridge End Farm, sold a pen of 12 broken-mouthed ewes with twin Mule lambs at foot to £104/ life. Herdwicks topped at £75/life for a pen of six correct ewes with seven lambs at foot from D.G. and A. Benson, High Row.

Auctioneers: Penrith and District Farmers' Mart.

Hampshire Down online export sale tops at £3,400

In the Hampshire Downs online Northern Ireland export sale, prices peaked at £3,400 for a shearling ewe from Sean and Gillian Doyle, Co Down. By Creelly Ultra and out of a Loughbrae ewe, it has previously won championships at Balmoral Show and found a new home with Messrs Hamill, County Tyrone.

Next at £2,100 was an April 2025-born ewe lamb from Peter Lawson, Co Antrim. This one by Kildowney Cannonball, out of a Glenbrook ewe, won first prize ewe lamb at Balmoral Show. It sold to Messrs Vevers, Lockerbie.

A ram lamb from Jake Wells, Co Armagh, sold for £1,500. By Whistlinthorns Warrior and out of a Whistlinthorns ewe, it went to Messrs Taylor, Taunton.

Another from Messrs Lawson, this time a Kildowney Cannonball-sired ram lamb, out of a Glenbrook ewe, made £1,400 selling to Messrs Short, Halifax.

At the same money, was a shearling ewe from the same home. This one by Yarcombe Flashman sold to Messrs Laird, County Tyrone.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Penrith dairies to £3,500

Penrith's dairy sale topped at £3,500 for a Dairy Shorthorn, Churchroyd Golden, giving 38 litres from I.R.G. Collins and Partners, Dewsbury, who also sold a Holstein second calver, giving 49 litres, for £3,000 with both bought by H.M. Dent, Darlington.

A blue-roan Dairy Shorthorn cross in-calf heifer from S. Armstrong and Sons, Moorriggs, due at the beginning of June, made £2,800. This consignment of four in-calf and freshly calved Dairy Shorthorns averaged £2,662.50.

D.W. Cannon and Son, Low Abbey, sold Holstein heifers to £3,000 twice and a Jersey heifer giving 25 litres for £2,700 to S. and D.C. Bland, Abbott Lodge.

Auctioneers: Penrith and District Farmers Mart.

Strong trade for hoggs with lambs

At Carlisle's show and sale of hoggs with lambs the championship went to the winning pen of continental hoggs from Messrs Livingstone, Kirtlevale, which went on to sell for £225/life (£450/outfit).

The reserve championship went to the same home with the second prize pen of continental hoggs which sold at £222. This run of 78 lives averaged £196.36/life topping at £250/life for a pair.

James Winter, Clickham, won with his pen of five Suffolks with Texel lambs which later sold for £180/ life.  Messrs Whiteford, Tercrosset, sold a run of 40 Suffolk cross Texel hoggs to average £192.45 topping at £228/life for a pair of Texels. Hoggs with lambs averaged £161.87. 

Ewes and lambs averaged of £115.31/life.  Top price went to a three-shear ewe with a single lamb from Messrs Browell, Quarryhouse, which sold for £185/life. The same home also topped the shearlings with their first prize pen of Texel shearlings which sold for £198/life.  Mules with lambs topped at £128 for shearlings with lambs from Messrs Richardson, Alston.   

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Breeding cattle at Pateley Bridge

The show and sale of breeding cattle at Pateley Bridge was judged by Damian and Richard Stelling, Grewelthorpe who awarded first prize to a second calved Limousin cow with a Limousin bull calf at foot from I. Barrett and Son, Summerbridge, which they went on to buy for £3,050.

Second prize went to a Limousin heifer with a Limousin heifer calf at foot from C., B. and R. Taylor, Winksley, which sold for £3,500 to J.A. Stoney and Son, Bewerley.

The entry of 106 store cattle topped at £2,790 for a Limousin steer from C.E. Nelson, Blazefield.

Heifers sold to £2,210 for a Limousin consigned by C. Swires and Son, Bewerley.

Averages: Steers, £1,828.42; heifers, £1,466.76.

Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart.

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