a ram lamb from Samantha Allen and Allen Shortt’s Derg flock, Co Tyrone, which sold for a joint top price of 8,000gns.
Averages were generally up on the year at the Northern Counties Branch Suffolk sale at Carlisle, where ram lambs led the trade, topping at 8,000gns twice for two Northern Irish consignees.
First at this price came from Samantha Allen and Allen Shortt's Derg flock, Co Tyrone. A Jalex Charlie son, out of a Fourscore dam, it sold to Messrs Bowdler, Ellesmere, Shropshire.
The second 8,000gns lot came from Co Down-based Mark Priestley's Limestone flock. This one, by Malinhead Cannonball, out of a home-bred Limestone dam, sold in a four-way split to Stuart Milltown, Aberdeenshire; Claycrop Farms, Newton Stewart; J. Lathangie and Son, Glenrothes, Fife; and C.G. Paterson, Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
The Derg flock were back in the frame again, taking the day's second top of 7,000gns for their last lamb through the pen, another same-way-bred Jalex Charlie son, which sold to Messrs Sharp, Tenbury Wells.
The pre-sale show overall champion, another ram lamb from the Limestone consignment, made 5,200gns. Home-bred by Cairnton Chaos, it sold to Messrs Denby, Carlisle.
At 5,000gns was the overall reserve champion, a ram lamb from J.T. and J.B. Cannon, Newton Stewart. This Cairness Crafty son, out of a home-bred ewe, found a new home with the Bridgeview flock of Paul and Georgia Delves, Powys.
Leading the female section was a 3,000gns bid for the pre-sale show reserve female champion, a home-bred Sportsmans Starman-sired ewe lamb from Rodger Denby, Carlisle. It sold to Richard Batty's Tidalview flock, Milnthorpe, Cumbria.
Next at 2,800gns and leading the shearling gimmers was a home-bred Rhaeadr Rex daughter from Clare Whitticase, Glanmarton.
AVERAGES: 5 shearling rams, £1,251 (-£41 on 2024); 92 ram lambs, £1,458 (+£488); 19 shearling gimmers, £1,127 (+£489); 3 ewe lambs, £1,503 (+£836).
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Scottish Region Jacobs see 2,200gns top
The Jacob Sheep Society's Scottish Region annual sale, this year split between Lockerbie and Carlisle marts because of bluetongue restrictions, saw bidding reach 2,200gns and 2,000gns in Lockerbie, and 800gns in Carlisle.
READ MORE: Deerpark Sharkira leads Antrim Limousin line-up
Sale leader at 2,200gns was Aberlour, Morayshire, breeder Ian Forsyth with his 2021-born Munro-bred two-horn ram Kinloch Kaiser, by Beiliau Maserati. It sold to J.R. Hardman, Windermere, who also bought Ulverston breeder George Fell's two-horn Walthwaite ewe lamb for 800gns in Carlisle, this one by Beiliau Churchill.
The strongest trade of the sale was for rams and next highest under the sale leader was Huntly's Adam Christie with a four-horn ram lamb, Adamski Quantum. Home-bred by Adamski Leonardo and mid-January born, it sold at 2,000gns to Ian Forsyth.
Next up at 1,700gns and selling to Adam Christie was the Lockerbie sale champion, a four-horn end-of-January-born ram lamb from Wyn and Siwan Harries, Llandeilo.
Hope Hamilton is by the Sizer-bred Laurels Hamilton. Laurels flock owner David Sizer, Cleatlam, Darlington, was himself the buyer at 1,000gns of Adam Christies' four-horn ram lamb Adamski Quarterback by Bentley Star Walker.
A 1,100gns bid from Messrs Ridout and Higginson, Congleton, Cheshire, bought the four-horn ram lamb Hyndshaw Simba from Carluke-based breeder Helen Baillie in the Lockerbie sale. The February-born lamb is by the MacMillan-bred Luruha Randan.
A second 800gns bid in the sale's females section came for an Oldtown two-horn ewe lamb from Ian Forsyth, by Kinloch Kaiser, and selling to Messrs Scott, Huntly.
J.R. Hardman also paid 650gns for Mr Fell's Carlisle champion, a two-horn shearling ewe by Moorhouse Admiral. Also at 650gns and in Lockerbie was a two-horn Edingale ewe lamb from Robert Locker, Greenlaw, and by his own-bred Edingale Hughhefner and selling to Ridout and Higginson.
At 700gns, the Co Tyrone-based Colhoun Family's Carlisle consignment saw their ewe lamb Kingarrow Belinda by Crumkill Ezekiel, bought by the Gorringe Family, Dallington, East Sussex.
AVERAGES: 5 aged ewes, £142.80; 21 shearling ewes, £329; 18 ewe lambs, £400.75; 2 aged rams, £1,239; 2 shearling rams, £420; 11 ram lambs, £718.77.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Skipton Dorset highlight
The Sandy Lane flock from Sam Driver, Chisworth, Glossop, topped the fourth annual show and sale of Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset sheep at Skipton with his second prize ram lamb, Sandy Lane Humbug. An October 2024-born son of Ballymaconnelly Fury, out a home-bred dam by Burhos Anchor Man, the buyer was Alec Steff of the Waggoners flock, Burnley.
The overall supreme champion was second top at 400gns. From 15-year-old Freddie Lea, Nidderdale, September 2023-born shearling ram Braithwaite Goodfellow is by Bennachie Duns D5 and out a ewe acquired in-lamb from Jess and Maria Odgers' Quarrydale flock, Roughlee, Pendle. It sold to J.A. Agriculture, Draughton.
Shearling ewes peaked at 310gns twice, firstly for a September 2023-born home-bred ewe from Sam Driver, again by Ballymaconnelly Fury, which sold to Steve and Craig Procter, Selside flock, Kendal, who paid the same again for Paddock Leach Gwen, an October 2023-born daughter of Poorton Detonator from Northern Club secretary Stuart Alderson's Paddock Leach flock, Ainsworth, Bolton.
A 300gns bid secured the champion female, a ewe lamb from Christina Johnson's Bamburgh flock, Bamburgh, Northumberland. This September 2024-born daughter of Ballytaggart Elite, out of a home-bred ewe, sold to Ian Spendlove, Belper, Derbyshire.
Elite was also up for sale, claiming the top price of 300gns among the aged rams when joining the Ward family, Carnforth.
READ MORE: Suffolks sell to 20,000gns at national sale
Ian Spendlove also paid another 300gns for a February 2023-born ram by Ballyhamage Cracker from Alec Steff, Waggoners flock, Burnley.
Another 300gns also bid secured a third prize shearling ewe from Leicestershire's Charlotte Heaps, Dalby flock, Great Dalby, Melton Mowbray.
AVERAGES: Aged ewes, £273; shearling ewes, £237; ewe lambs, £194; aged rams, £315; shearling rams, £420; ram lambs, £630.
Auctioneers: CCM.
Prime cattle top at 670p/kg in Gisburn
A British Blue cross heifer from D.A. Wilcock, Ashton-in-Makerfield, won the prime cattle championship in Gisburn Auction Marts' July month-end show and sale and went on to sell for 670p/kg.
Topping the entry of 132 head, the 560kg heifer grossed £3,752, selling to retail butchers S.R. Hallworth, Whalley.
From the same farm, a 556kg Limousin cross heifer made 495p/kg, while a strong trade for steers saw a 570kg Limousin cross from R.T. and J. Critchley and Sons, Hutton, Preston, make 466p/kg.
The 53 prime bulls sold to a top of 422p/kg for the first prize winner, a 710kg British Blue from J.T. Baines, Middop, Gisburn, while 842kg and 804kg Aberdeen Angus bulls from R. and E. Cowperthwaite and Son, Stockdale, Settle, grossed £3,393 and £3,264, respectively.
G. Whalley, Bolton-by-Bowland, and J. M. Townsend, Laneshawbridge, both sold Blue cross bulls at 420p/kg.
Last Thursday was auctioneer Jack Pickup's last sale at Gisburn, where he has been on the beef and store cattle rostrums since 2019. He is due to take up the position of market manager and auctioneer at Leyburn Auction in North Yorkshire where he began his career as a trainee.
AVERAGES: 53 prime bulls, 381p/kg; 41 heifers, 397p/kg; 38 steers, 377p/kg; 82 cast cows and bulls, 247p/kg.
Auctioneers: Gisburn Auction Marts.
Dutch Spotted see 5,000gns top bid
The Dutch Spotted Society's Summer Selection Show and Sale, split between Lockerbie and Carlisle marts this year because of bluetongue restrictions, saw prices peaking at 5,000gns in Lockerbie and 3,000gns in Carlisle.
READ MORE: Large sheep entries led by Beltex at Garstang show
The sale leader at 5,000gns was Annan, Dumfriesshire-based Ali Jackson with his January 2025-born ram lamb Tiptop Ironman, by Whatmore Forty Winx and out of Tiptop Felise. It sold to Messrs Robb, Mauchline, Ayrshire.
The same buyer also paid 4,000gns for Ali Jackson's March 2024-born shearling ewe Tiptop Harper, which topped the sale's female section. By imported ram Dutchman IM1850, it is out of Tiptop-bred Tiptop Enchantress.
Another 4,000gns bid from Messrs Corbett, Gloucestershire, in the male section in Lockerbie secured the supreme champion Elite Invictus, a January 2025-born ram lamb by Diamond Freaky Freddie from L. Reid, Mouswald, Dumfries.
Making 3,000gns in Carlisle was N. Brown, Irthington, Carlisle, with January 2025-born ram lamb Irthing Valley Ice Cole. This one by Longfield Hum Dinger and out of Tiptop Easy Girl sold in a half share to Messrs Jewitt, Barnard Castle, Co Durham and Messrs Shortt, Strabane, Co Tyrone.
A 2,500gns bid from Middlemoor Farm, Richmond, North Yorkshire, in Lockerbie, bought Cnwch Hawaii 5 Oh which topped the shearling ram bids. The March 2024-born ram is by Woodies Falcon.
Messrs Marrs, Carlisle, paid 2,000gns for Brampton, Cumbria-based J. Whiteford's January 2025-born ram lamb Blackjack I'm the Man in Carlisle. This one is by Hazelberry Gee Wizz.
AVERAGES: 1 aged ram, £1,260; 6 shearling rams, £1,193.50; 38 ram lambs, £1,024.57; 2 aged ewes, £498.75; 11 shearling gimmers, £1,236.13; 22 ewe lambs, £965.04.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Breeding sheep trade strong at Partney Fair
Breeding gimmers were the trade of the day at Partney Fair Show and Sale of MV and non-MV accredited breeding sheep and store lambs at Louth. The day's top call came from Tom French, Spalding, who sold a pen of Texel gimmer at £350. The champion pen were Suffolk half-bred gimmers from Woolhall Investments, Spalding, which sold for £300. G. and H. Rogerson, Dunston, sold Mule shealings to £245 twice.
Aged ewes sold to £208 for R. Wood, Friskney.
Ewe lambs sold to a top of £196 for R. L. Hartley, Louth.
Just shy of 1,000 store lambs were forward for sale which sold to an average of £122.48, up more than £20 on the year.
Topping the store section was a pen from J. W. English, Ashby by Partney, at £166, with others from Shaw Bros, Binbrook, and T. R. Baxter, Alford, selling to £150
Breeding rams sold to a top bid of 1,050gns for a Texel shearling from P. Weaver, Newark, which went home with C. Goulsbra, Louth.
AVERAGES: Breeding rams, £711.64; gimmers, £243.21; breeding ewes, £212.83; store lambs, £122.48.
Auctioneers: Louth Livestock Market (Masons).
Zwartbles reach 2,000gns
Prices reached 2,000gns at the Zwartbles Premier Society Show and Sale, held between Lockerbie and Carlisle marts this year, because of bluetongue restrictions.
The sale leader at Lockerbie was a January 2025-born ram lamb from A., H., A. and R. Francis, Carmarthen. This Barmurrie Kool Kid son, out of a Pistyll dam, sold to Messrs Millar, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie.
Heather Hourston, Orkney, sold her January 2024-born shearling ram, Didcot Magic, for 1,400gns. This Didcot Lexus son went home with Messrs Brandi, Cupar, Fife.
Making 1,200gns was another from the Francis' pen, Pistyll Major. This shearling ram by Danygraig Hustler sold to Messrs Northway, Slamannan, Stirlingshire.
Two 1,600gns bids led the female section, including for the female and overall champion in Carlisle, Coquet Nook Nina, from E. Thornton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire. This January 2025-born ewe lamb by Whitestone Giovanni sold to Messrs Hodgson, Carlisle.
Goldies Magical, a January 2024-born shearling gimmer from T. and I. Goldie, Dumfries, took the other 1,600gns bid after standing female and overall champion in Lockerbie. A Wallridge Moor Kapow daughter, it went home with Messrs Crum, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.
AVERAGES: 7 shearling rams, £742.50; 24 ram lambs, £570.50; 2 aged ewes, £262.50; 15 shearling gimmers, £606.90; 23 ewe lambs, £536.97.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Record dairy trade at Market Drayton
A new market record price of £4,200 was set at Market Drayton's dairy sale, with heifers not far behind at £4,000.
Sale leader was second calver Heathleigh Country Present 2 from L. Horton and Sons, Northwich, which sold giving 43kgs daily after recording 9,250kgs as a heifer.
A pedigree red and white heifer, Arh Rita Red 25, made £4,000 for A.R. Hough and Partners, Warrington, with commercial heifers from Shutt and Mansell, Newport, selling at £4,000, £3,700 and £3,100.
R. and J. Madders, Adbaston, sold a commercial second calver at £3,900 and a heifer at £3,600.
Back in the cow trade and a second calver from J.M. and S.E. Jackson, Hinstock, sold at £3,720, with a brace of fourth calvers from D.J. and E. Guy, Middlewich, selling at £3,320 and £3,300.
AVERAGES: 7 fresh cows, £3,234; 33 fresh heifers, £2,270.
Auctioneers: Gwilym Richards and Market Drayton Market.
NI Dorsets sell to 2,700gns
The Northern Ireland Dorset sheep breeders' club premier sale saw a top bid of 2,700gns for a ewe lamb from Elaine Gilmore and Peter Breen's Ballymacnamee flock, Newtownards. By Ashvale Ferdie, out of a Ashvale dam, it sold Andrew and Grace Sloane's Dullaghan flock, Omagh.
At 2,300gns next and leading the ram lamb section was Ashvale Heartbreaker from Caroline McKeown, Ballyclare. This Downkillybegs Evolution son sold to Laura Weir.
A 1,700gns bid secured Ballymaconnelly Hubert, a Bencran Ferarri-sired ram lamb from Samuel and Elaine Caldwell, Ballymena, which sold to N. Murphy.
The same home also sold Ballymaconnelly Harold for 1,000gns, another same-way-bred ram lamb which went home with R. McCaughern, Ballymoney.
Ms McKeown's Ashvale flock also came out on top in the shearling ram section, with Ashvale Grandslam selling for 850gns to Christine Murphy. This one is by Ballyhamage Del Piero and out of a Drumlin dam.
AVERAGES: Shearling rams, £630 (+69.70); ram lambs, £807.70 (+£242.48), shearling ewes, £507.15 (+£55.65); ewe lambs, £485.24 (+£73.39).
Auctioneers: Ballymena Livestock Market
Breed averages hold at Bentham
Bentham's early breeding sale saw a busy ringside of buyers despite bluetongue restrictions affecting some attendance, with breed averages generally showing an increase in most sections.
Trade was plentiful for Texel cross shearlings with W. Dixon, Cabourne, topping the day's sale at £340 with others from the same home selling to £330 and £325 and the consignment averaging £307.50. The biggest show of Suffolk cross shearlings seen in Bentham topped at £305 for P. Jackson, Grimsargh, with best Suffolk cross Mules selling at between £250 and £270 and a cut selling below £240 to £250, with lesser sorts around £200.
An annual consignment of two shear Mule ewes from M.J. Lawson, Wigton, sold to £200 to average £193 (+£20 on the year) with shearlings from N. Barker, Burton-in-Kendal to £242 with his consignment averaging £234 (+£15 on the year).
Auctioneers: Bentham Auction Mart
Shropshire's to 820gns
Shropshire sheep realised a top price of 820gns at the breed's national show and sale at Shrewsbury.
The sale leader was Apiary Bryn, bred by Charles and Jan Morris, Stoney Stretton, Shropshire. It sold for 820gns to Anne Mottershead, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, for her Hills Flock.
Making 720gns was the supreme champion Redgate Thor from Jeanette and Robert Hares Millenheath Flock, Whitchurch, Shropshire. By Redgate Weatherman, it sold to M. Lewis and M. Sneath, Winnington, Market Drayton.
Three-shear Apiary Bevan from D.W.P. Davies, Llanymynech, Powys, made 520gns and sold to Abi Davies, Myddle, Shropshire.
A 450gns bid topped the female section for a shearling ewe by Hansnett Archie from the Coleman family's Goblindale Flock, Ellesmere, Shropshire. It was purchased by the Davies Family at the Gornall Flock, Llanymynech, Powys.
AVERAGES: 4 senior rams, 328gns; 10 shearling rams, 361gns; 3 ram lambs, 443gns; 22 shearling ewes, 341gns; 16 ewe lambs, 247gns.
Auctioneers: Halls.
High of 228p/kg twice for Thirsk pigs
At Thirsk's weekly sale of prime and cull pigs, prime gilts topped at 228p/kg twice from N.J. Houlston, Ample Carr, with their 125kg and 126kg gilts which came to £287 and £285/head and were purchased by Timm's Family Butchers, Pickering.
The Houlstons sold a further pair of 124kg gilts to make 218p/pk or £270 which were bought by Frank's Family Butchers, Thirsk.
Cull sows topped at 74p/pk for a single, 185kg sow from R.H. Metcalfe, Ripon, which was purchased by Andrew Wilson Butchers, Calf Close Farm or £216/head from Paul and Brian Phillips, Warlaby, which was bought by L. Wood and Sons Butchers, Scammonden.
An entry of cull boars topped at 53p/pk for George Normington, which was purchased by Andrew Wilson Butchers, or £139/head from R.H. Metcalfe, Ripon, which was bought by Cheale Meats Ltd, Essex.
Auctioneers: Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart.
