Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their Christmas Show and Sale of prime stock incorporating a Christmas Fayre and Charity Auction on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th December 2023. Forward were 213 cattle and 1620 sheep.
59 Prime Bulls sold to 343ppk or £2647
35 Prime Steers sold to 390ppk or £2827
119 Prime Heifers sold to 600ppk or £3312
1368 Prime Lambs sold to 783ppk or £470
252 Cast Ewes & Rams sold to £255
Charity Auction
The Wednesday evening proved to be a roaring success with support from far and wide, the two chosen charities R.A.B.I and The Angel Trust were both superbly supported and the generous donators and fabulous bidders from our farming community dug deep to raise well over £7000 at the auction. Top lot at £1050 was a wonderful painting of a Highland Cow from Cotherstone based artist Alison Lamb. An exclusive carriage ride donated by John Moorhouse followed at £1000 with other highlights including a weekend holiday cottage break at £800 and a day’s shooting at £700. Sincere thanks go to everyone who came and supported, we were once again humbled as you all proved that without doubt that the farming fraternity is compassionate and generous like no other.
Cattle Show
The Wednesday evening show of steers and heifers was this year ably judged by regular DfAM supporter Harry Wood of Bowland Foods, Preston. An excellent thirty-nine cattle appeared before our capable judge with a simply stunning top end on display, the two heavyweight heifer classes in particular each had half a dozen within which were worthy of winning any show in the land yet it was ultimately two lightweight superstars which claimed the top spots. Massive congratulations must go to the Renton Family of High Highlaws, Morpeth who took both Champion and Reserve from their picture-perfect team of five homebred heifers. A beautiful 552kg red heifer by a homebred crossbred (BBxLim) bull took the highly coveted winner’s trophy; not done there and some seven years after their last Christmas DfAM clean cattle champion the Highlaws team then also took the reserve Championship with a pure bred 568kg Limousin out of a home bred cow by the prolific Lodge Hamlet. Both stunning heifers went on to sell to H Taylor & Sons Butchers, Darlington who we thank enormously for their longstanding and continued support and custom. Winning the newly awarded Jim Marks memorial trophy for the best home bred beast was also the Renton’s champion heifer, somewhat fitting that the Limousin and British Blue combination so successful for Jim and Heather Marks over many years provided the inaugural winner of what is such a highly prestigious prize to win. The Champion steer this year went to Georgina Laws of High Village Farm, Leyburn with her tremendous 725kg Limousin; already shown successfully this year by the Leyburn lass this excellent steer was an astute purchase from John Smith-Jackson of Haydon Bridge back in March and today heads away with our judge to Bowland Foods, Preston. Cumbrian raider Alan Barnett of Brinns Farm, Shap is very often close to the top and a once again worthy of special mention; the phenomenal feeding from this good home went close again claiming three red rosettes including both the heavyweight heifer classes which were as mentioned brimming with quality.
Bull Show
With the sawdust hardly settled an absolutely spectacular show of bulls appeared on the Thursday morning which was just the cherry on top of the Christmas pudding, our judge for these classes Robert Matten of Thirsk was also representing Bowland Foods, Preston. The Champion bull hailed from T A Horn of Lower Griseburn, Great Asby, Cumbria who produced an absolutely exceptional 689kg Limousin which went on to sell for an impressive 340 pence per kilo to the judge. Completing the rosette winners in the continental bull class were the Harker family of Worsall and the Hird’s of Whashton, Richmond. Few bookmakers would have given odds against the winner in the Friesian’s today as the brilliant feeding of R Hall & Son, Kilton Hall, Brotton took the honours and sold for a superb 270ppk and £1743; the prolific Brotton based bull feeders also picked up a third-place ticket with Darlington stalwart J K Metcalf of J K & C E Farming finding himself on this occasion the filling in the Kilton Hall sandwich.
Full Show Results and Prices Below
Continental Bull (any weight)
1st T A Horn, Lower Griseburn 689kg sold for 340ppk and £2342 to Bowland Foods
2nd K & A Harker, Worsall Grove 826kg sold for 309ppk and £2552 to Worsley Wholesale
3rd Messrs Hird, Green Lane Farm 721kg sold for 325ppk and £2343 to Worsley Wholesale
Holstein / Friesian Bull (any weight)
1st R Hall & Son, Kilton Hall 634kg sold for 275ppk and £1743 to Bowland Foods
2nd J K & C E Farming, Blue House Farm 685kg sold for 247ppk and £1691 to S S Meat Wholesale
3rd R Hall & Son, Kilton Hall 577kg sold for 247ppk and £1425 to Bowland Foods
Limousin or Blonde Steer under 620kg
1st Elliot Grieves, Oakdene 534kg sold for 370ppk and £1975 to Bowland Foods
2nd M F Hall, Woodhill Farm 550kg sold for 310ppk and £1705 to Pipers Butchers
3rd J F Gibson, Hunters Hill 598kg sold for 284ppk and £1698 to Bowland Foods
Limousin or Blonde Steer 620kg and above
1st A G Laws, High Village Farm 725kg sold for 390ppk and £2827 to Bowland Foods
2nd E W Grieves, Oakdene 667kg sold for 294ppk and £1960 to Bowland Foods
Other Continental Breed Steer
1st P & N Tattersall, Town Farm 520kg sold for 315ppk and £1638 to J A Jewitt Ltd
2nd P & N Tattersall, Town Farm 517kg sold for 296ppk and £1530 to George Bolam Foods
3rd Josh Burton, West Common Top 555kg sold for 292ppk and £1620 to George Bolam Foods
Limousin or Blonde Heifer under 575kg
1st Messrs Renton, High Highlaws 568kg sold for 405ppk and £2300 to H Taylor & Sons
2nd E W Grieves, Oakdene 574kg sold for 320ppk and £1836 to Bowland Foods
3rd P & N Tattersall, Town Farm 574kg sold for 310ppk and £1779 to Bowland Foods
Limousin or Blonde Heifer 575kg and above
1st A Barnett, Brinns Farm 588kg sold for 400ppk and £2352 to J Penny & Sons
2nd Messrs Renton, High Highlaws 594kg sold for 378ppk and £2245 to H Taylor & Sons
3rd Messrs Renton, High Highlaws 588kg sold for 386ppk and £2269 to H Taylor & Sons
Other Continental Breed Heifer under 575kg
1st Messrs Renton, High Highlaws 552kg sold for 600ppk and £3312 to H Taylor & Sons
2nd H D Marks, Gilly Flatts 566kg sold for 332ppk and £1879 to Bowland Foods
3rd Josh Burton, West Common Top 498kg sold for 340ppk and £1693 to Bowland Foods
Other Continental Breed Heifer 575kg and above
1st A Barnett, Brinns Farm 594kg sold for 380ppk and £2257 to J A Jewitt Ltd
2nd J V & J A Hodgson, The Grange 627kg sold for 348ppk and £2181 to Thompson Wholesale Meat
3rd J V & J A Hodgson, The Grange 596kg sold for 340ppk and £2026 to Thompson Wholesale Meat
Native Bred Beast Any Breed/Weight/Sex
1st E W Grieves, Oakdene 542kg (AA Heif) sold for 306ppk and £1658 to J Loughlin & Sons
Haltered Beast Any Breed/Weight/Sex
1st A Barnett, Brinns Farm 573kg sold for 390ppk and £2234 to J Penny & Sons
2nd H D Marks, Gilly Flatts 688kg sold for 324ppk and £2229 to Bowland Foods
Champion Heifer, Champion & Jim Marks Memorial Trophy for the Best Homebred
Messrs Renton, High Highlaws 552kg sold for 600ppk and £3312 to H Taylor & Sons
Reserve Champion
Messrs Renton, High Highlaws 568kg sold for 405ppk and £2300 to H Taylor & Sons
Champion Steer
A G Laws, High Village Farm 725kg sold for 390ppk and £2827 to Bowland Foods
Prime Lamb Show
We gladly introduced a new face to our list of judges this year as we welcomed all the way from Derbyshire Matt Prince of Highfield House Farm Shop, Chesterfield who duly made an excellent job of placing the twenty-two pens forward to show. Coming out on top this year were brothers Alan and John Ramsay of W Ramsay & Sons, Blakeley Hill Farm, Station Town, Wingate with their winning pen of Texel’s; a marvellous trio absolutely full of flesh with incredible length and loin they tipped the scales to 60kg and sold for a splendiferous £470 per head to the judge. Reserve champions this year were the top pen from last years winners the Askwith Family, Low Mown Meadows, Crook; a great pen of 46kg Beltex sired lambs typical of the good stamp we are now accustomed to from the Crook based family went on to sell for £330 to Bowland Foods, Preston. More success followed for the Askwith’s when winning the any other breed class with their Dutch Texel sired lambs whilst regular selling Richard Bailes of Cole Hill Farm, Elwick came out on top in the Suffolk class.
Lamb Show Results
Best Pen of 3 Lambs sired by the Texel
1st W Ramsay & Sons, Blakeley Hill 60kg sold for £470 to Highfield House Farm Shop
2nd J D Brannen, Red Barns 47kg sold for £167 to Bowland Foods
3rd Askwiths, Low Mown Meadows 56kg sold for £192 to Roots Farm Shop
Best Pen of 3 Lambs sired by the Beltex
1st Askwiths, Low Mown Meadows 46kg sold for £330 to Bowland Foods
2nd W Ramsay & Sons, Blakeley Hill 55kg sold for £208 to J A Jewitt Ltd
3rd W Ramsay & Sons, Blakeley Hill 45kg sold for £188 to Bowland Foods
Class 15 – Best Pen of 3 Lambs sired by the Suffolk
1st Cole Hill Farm, Elwick 55kg sold for £175 to Country Valley Foods
2nd Cole Hill Farm, Elwick 53kg sold for £150 to Country Valley Foods
Best Pen of 3 Lambs sired by Any Other Breed
1st Askwiths, Low Mown Meadows 55kg sold for £265 to Worsley Wholesale
2nd J D Brannen, Red Barns 48kg sold for £180 to Bowland Foods
3rd P J Tindale, Preston Tilery 45kg sold for £190 to Bowland Foods
Champion Pen of Lambs
W Ramsay & Sons, Blakeley Hill 60kg sold for £470 to Highfield House Farm Shop
Reserve Champion Lambs
Askwiths, Low Mown Meadows 46kg sold for £330 to Bowland Foods
Sale of Prime Stock
Prime Bulls (59) – Wow, up another gear! Bidding fast and furious throughout with some high-quality animals included left us with an unbelievable all-inclusive sale average of a gigantic 297ppk and £2154 per head, averages which are surely unrivalled anywhere in the land? Over half of the bulls forward sold beyond 300 pence per kilo with five over 330 pence. Top of them all at a brilliant 343 pence was a stunning 757kg British Blue bull from A C Bentham, Fletcher Hill Farm; the show winning Cumbrian cracker followed at 340ppk with another super sort from the Harker’s of Worsall next in line at 339ppk closely followed by J B Luck & Son, Bowes at 338ppk. Some marvellous gross values with no less than forty-four bulls surpassing £2000, of these an amazing eleven went beyond £2400 and six of these passed £2500. Top spot at £2647 was shared between two vendors as a hefty 939kg Charolais bull from the frequent selling D Richardson & Co, Bracken House equalled a super 846kg Limousin from Foxton Livestock, Abbey Farm. The Friesian feeders successful in the show dominated their section, the Hall’s of Kilton Hall top per kilo at 275 pence with their red rosette winner but pipped to the post by J K & C E Farming for top gross value as they produced a 687kg bull to top at £1765. Below are some of the days absolutely fabulous leading averages.
J B Luck & Son, Bowes sold 2 to average 324ppk and £2463
K & A Harker, Worsall sold 2 to average 322ppk and £2367
J H & M & N W Brown, Darlington sold 4 to average 322ppk and £2364
T A Horn, Appleby sold 2 to average 320ppk and £2147
G K, K N & G J Hird, Richmond sold 3 to average 316ppk and £2224
A C Simpson & Son, Witton-le-Wear sold 3 to average 312ppk and £2471
Continental Bulls – Top prices ppk 343 AC Bentham. 340 300 TA Horn. 339 309 K&A Harker. 338 311 JB Luck & Son. 331 J&P Armstrong. 329 324 320 319 JH&M&NW Brown. 325 319 306 GK KN & GJ Hird. 324 310 304 AC Simpson & Son. 320×2 308×2 303 AG Watson & Sons. 319 308 299 296×2 D Richardson & Co Ltd. 318 JK&CE Farming. 318 Foxton Livestock. 307 287 TF Bothroyd. 307 304 TW Clark & Son. 303 301 T&DI Allen & Son. 293 JK Gregory. 289 LS Staley.
Lead Grossing Continental Bulls £2647 £2376 £2368 £2287 £2263 £2257 £2186 £2166 D Richardson & Co Ltd. £2647 Foxton Livestock. £2596 A Bentham. £2552 K&A Harker. £2528 £2397 JB Luck & Son. £2501 £2472 £2441 AC Simpson & Son. £2492 £2411 £2363 £2190 JH&M&NW Brown. £2412 £2284 £2266 £2245 £2162 £2149 AG Watson & Sons. £2350 T&DI Allen & Son. £2348 TF Bothroyd & Son. £2346 J&P Armstrong. £2343 JK&CE Farming. £2343 £2252 GK KN & GJ Hird.
Friesian Bulls – Top prices ppk 275 253 247 R Hall & Son. 257 247 JK&CE Farming.
Lead Grossing Friesian Bulls £1765 £1691 JK&CE Farming. £1743 £1558 £1425 R Hall & Son.
Native Bulls – Top prices ppk 274 F Fabi. 244 JC&P Tallentire.
Lead Grossing Native Breed Bulls £1887 F Fabi. £1610 JC&P Tallentire.
Clean Cattle (154) – Lightning didn’t quite strike twice as last week’s absolutely staggering clean beef trade was almost emulated but being honest, not quite. Including rather more than usual OTM’s the sale averages still look good with the show cattle amongst them levelling the steers up at 294ppk and the heifers at 315ppk resulting in a whole sale average of £1875 per head. The remarkable show winners dominated the top prices; nothing was ever really likely to catch the fast pace set by the Renton’s champion heifer or Georgina Laws’s champion steer but the sale did pleasingly include eleven cattle over 350ppk and a further thirty between 330ppk and 349ppk whilst over forty cattle sold beyond £2000.
Renton Highlaws, Morpeth sold 5 heifers to average 426ppk and £2489
A Barnett, Shap sold 4 heifers to average 379ppk and £2224
B Walker, Dalton-on-Tees sold 2 heifers to average 353ppk and £2191
H D Marks, Bishopton sold 2 heifers to average 340ppk and £2032
J H & M & N W Brown, Darlington sold 4 heifers to average 334ppk and £1910
Foxton Livestock, Barnard Castle sold 2 heifers to average 333ppk and £1792
W Swinbank & Sons, Caldwell sold 4 heifers to average 330ppk and £1805
M F Hall, Ponteland sold 5 heifers to average 327ppk and £2126
R Hirst, Neasham sold 10 heifers to average 327ppk and £1773
Steers – Top prices ppk 390 AG Laws. 370 294 EW Grieves. 338 314 WJ Smith & Partners. 324 HD Marks. 324 316 307 304 297 288 278 TW&PT Moss. 315 296 290 P&N Tattersall. 314 298 Askwiths. 310 JH&M&NW Brown. 310 MF Hall. 306 TN Callender. 305 298 279 C&N Waters. 292 Josh Burton. 286 284 RO Gilson. 284 JF Gibson & Son. 270 W Swinbank & Sons. 265 261 JM Smith.
Lead Grossing Steers £2827 AG Laws. £2229 HD Marks. £2181 W Swinbank & Sons. £2061 £1947 £1701 C&N Waters. £2043 £2008 £1936 £1852 JM Smith. £2028 TN Callender. £1988 £1895 £1811 £1793 £1674 £1670 £1618 TW&PT Moss. £1979 £1947 RO Gilson. £1975 £1960 EW Grieves. £1963 £1821 WJ Smith & Partners. £1957 £1934 Askwiths. £1698 JF Gibson.
Heifers – Top prices ppk 600 405 386 378 376 Renton Highlaws Ltd. 400 390 380 348 A Barnett. 358 349 B Walker. 348 340 336 324 323×2 JV&JA Hodgson. 348 332 HD Marks. 348 347 346 340 336 333 329 324 R Hirst. 345 335 331 327 JH&M&NW Brown. 343 TW&PT Moss Ltd. 340 Josh Burton. 338 334 328 322 MF Hall. 338 331 328 W Swinbank & Sons. 336 IR Appleton. 334 333 Foxton Livestock. 330×2 JE Jordon & Son. 330 TN Callender. 330 RO Gilson. 329 P&N Tattersall. 327 WJ Smith & Partners.
Lead Grossing Heifers £3312 £2319 £2300 £2269 £2245 Renton Highlaws Ltd. £2640 RO Gilson. £2352 £2257 £2234 £2053 A Barnett. £2346 £2303 £2186 £2135 £2132 £2098 £2082 M&G Chantrell Ltd. £2237 £2146 B Walker. £2204 £2130 £2115 £2112 £2067 MF Hall. £2185 HD Marks. £2181 £2067 £2026 £1960 £1913 JV&JA Hodgson. £2079 £2070 £1929 AC Simpson & Son. £2075 £2035 JH&M&NW Brown. £2047 TW&PT Moss Ltd. £2033 £1986 £1914 R Hirst. £1983 JE Jordon & Son. £1968 £1890 A&MJ Henshaw.
Prime Lambs (1368) – Not big numbers on offer as the weather plays havoc with any outdoor feeding systems, trade dearer again with more buyers in attendance as the lamb pot is maybe to coming to the boil nicely before Christmas. Todays weighed straight sale averaged a pleasing 273 pence per kilo and £127 per head, still the leaner grass-fed lambs look worth more through the store ring but the well-fed sheep are extremely sought after by all the buyers. No doubting the top spot as our fabulous Champion’s from the Ramsay brothers smashed their way to 783 pence per kilo and £470 apiece. Show lambs aside the best fed and bred lambs were topped by the regular selling M & A Gaskin at £170 and 339ppk, the same good home also sold lambs to £163 whilst both W R Thompson and T H Richardson & Son reached £162 with lambs which weren’t in the show classes.
Lambs- Top Prices PPK 783 420 417 378 376 375 W Ramsay & Sons. 717 481 375 342 Askwiths.422 302 PJ Tindale. 375 355 302 JD Brannen. 339 309 294 M&A Gaskin. 335 325 AG Laws. 331 322 304 Northfield Farms. 330 311 Cole Hill Farm LTD. 327 RG&G Rutter. 327 322 304 x2 300 WA Wardman LTD. 321 A&CA Stanwix. 315 304 302 x2 300 x2 JV&JA Hodgson. 314 T Lawson & Son. 310 304 R Wood & Son. 308 307 293 TH Richardson & Sons. 300 297 PJ&MP Gilhespy. 297 C Moralee & Sons. 297 292 W Denham.
Lead Grossing Lambs- £470 £210 £208 £198 £188 £185 W Ramsay & Sons. £330 £265 £199 £192 Askwiths. £190 PJ Tindale. £180 £167 JD Brannen. £178 £153 AG Laws. £175 £162 £150 £148 Cole Hill Farm LTD. £172 £162 £160 £154 £144 TH Richardson & Sons. £170 £163 £156 £151 x2 M&A Gaskin. £162 WR Thompson. £155 R Wood & Son. £154 £148 x2 £147 £144 JV&JA Hodgson. £152 J&A Layfield. £151 A&CA Stanwix. £150 C Dawson. £150 £143 D&PH Brown. £150 RO Gilson. £149 £148 T Lawson & Son. £149 £148 £145 £144 WA Wardman LTD. £147 J Hird.
Charity Lamb – Thus far not mentioned and not included in the above averages and prices but certainly more than worthy of its own column is the generous donation of a prime lamb with all proceeds going to wonderful local charity The Angel Trust. The Beltex lamb most kindly given by Michael and Jamie Gilhespy of Low House, Ponteland was sold and regifted numerous times by our generous and remarkable gallery of buyers to eventually raise an incredible £2230. Thanks to all concerned from both DfAM and everyone at The Angel Trust.
Cast Ewes & Rams (252) – Less numbers combined with a fresh face in the buyer’s gallery resulted in the sharpest trade seen for quite some time. The 224 ewes averaged £98 with 28 tups levelling at a brilliant £122. Top of the day at £255 was a terrific Texel ewe from the aforementioned generous Gilhespy’s of Ponteland, all the big lowland ewes sold £130 plus today and often the top side of £150. F Ward of Rogerley Hall sold four Texel’s to top the tups at £178 whilst A Elliot of Derwent Grange rang the bell topping the Mule’s with eight at £128 and achieving the same with horned ewes selling eleven Swaledale’s for £76. Other highlights included Herdwick’s to £70, Hill Cheviot’s to £79, Zwartbles to £98 and the unusual Valais Blacknose to £116.
Lead Grossing Cast Sheep- £255 £212 £186 £152 £142 £126 £120 PJ&MP Gilhespy. £178 £136 F Ward. £176 £98 GP Addison. £165 £115 £112 Gray. £156 AF Smith. £150 £136 K&PM Lough. £148 O’Conner. £148 £132 Elemore Hall. £141 £125 £120 £107 WA Wardman LTD. £133 £117 S Coote. £128 A Elliot. £127 FW Hodgson & Son. £123 £95 N Medd & Son. £116 J Bolton. £116 AT Willis. £112 Anthony Tindale. £112 £107 JC&A Hutchinson. £108 £103 W Denham. £103 Raby Home Farm. £101 M&J Dryden. £96 JK Gill & Son.
