Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their annual ‘Hill of a Day’ sale in conjunction with a sale of breeding sheep and gimmer lambs on Tuesday 8th October 2024. Forward were 946 head comprising of…
574 Aged Ewes sold to £240
213 Shearling Ewes sold to £300
130 Gimmer Lambs sold to £250
29 Rams & Ram Lambs sold to £700
Breeding Ewes – A sharp trade for all breeds as the ewes set the tone for what was an excellent sheep trade throughout. A flock reduction of 190 very genuine continental, Cheviot and Texdale ewes from F & J S Gargett, Westwick Farm, Barnard Castle had attracted buyers aplenty and sold very well to average £164 with the top sixty, two to four shear ewes all selling between £190 and £200. A dispersal followed from J J M Lonsdale, Smailsburn, Rookhope and they too found plenty of support from far and wide to see their Blue Faced Leicester ewes top at £240, Mule’s at £170 and warranted Swaledale’s at £95. Hill sheep trade looked buoyant across the board as over 200 Swaledale ewes, many of which were only guaranteed in the udder, averaged £74.80 with a top of £105 from T E Dobson, Unthank Farm. North Country Cheviot’s sold to £210 from J Brittain, Newton-le-Willows and Herdwick’s sold to £68 from S M Rigg, Spanham Farm who were also dispersing their flock today.
Leading Aged Ewe Prices
Blue Faced Leicester – £240 J J M Lonsdale. £200 £135 £132 £130 S Straughan. £155 £115 P J Tindale.
Continental – £200 £198 £195 £192(x2) £172 £162(x2) £150 £142(x3) 140 £135 F & J S Gargett. £135 P J Tindale. £118 S Straughan.
Mule – £175 £172 J J M Lonsdale. £105 P J Tindale. £102 A Naisbitt.
North Country Cheviot – £210 £180 J Brittain. £155 £150 £130 £125 £95 C L I’Anson.
Suffolk – £135 A Naisbitt.
£Swaledale – £105 £70 T E Dobson. £100(x2) £75 R K & S Ridley. £95 £92 £90 £62 J J M Lonsdale. £65 H W & M Alderson. £58 W Wearmouth & Son.
Herdwick – £68 S M Rigg.
Shearling Ewes – A single North Country Cheviot from K O Stones, Nun Cote Nook Farm led the trade at £300, behind her a magical Mule trade developed to see that breed average £214 with tops of £240 from yet another dispersing firm A & B Herworth, Crake Scar Farm. A very varied show of continental shearlings was well sold, the best by a distance were five Beltex from F Watson, Beacon Hill reaching £275 with a solitary pen from the Gargett dispersal next in line at £190. Swaledale shearling ewes were in demand to see them average £108 with a splendid top of £170 from T E Dobson, Unthank Farm.
Leading Shearling Ewe Prices
North Country Cheviot – £300 K O Stones.
Continental – £275 F Watson. £190 F & J S Gargett. £125 P J Tindale. £110 A Naisbitt. £105 £100 S M Rigg. £100 S Straughan.
Mule – £240 £238 £228 £220 £215 A & B Herworth. £220 £215 £210 D Rutter. £220 £215 £200 J R Mann. £185 J J M Lonsdale.
Swaledale – £170 £125 T E Dobson. £105 J J M Lonsdale. £90 A Toward.
Gimmer Lambs – An absolute flyer for the second time this season at our gimmer lamb sales to see them all in average £144 with the marvellous Mule lambs levelling at a massive £154. More on the Mule’s in a moment however topping the day at £250 were a smart pair of Badger Faced Texel’s from J W & J Collin, Intake Farm. The prolific sale topping T E Dodson, Unthank Farm were at it again with their Mule lambs as they reached £180 with their top pen and sold a run of forty to average £167.50; a similar number from O M Wearmouth & Son, Howgill followed closely averaging £150 with atop of £165. Thanks go to Edward Scott of Middridge Grange who ably judged the Mule lambs in this mornings show with the Dobson’s of Unthank placing first (see photo) and third being split by the top pen from the Wearmouth’s in second.
Leading Gimmer Lamb Prices
Continental – £250 J W & J Collin. £155 N E L Bell. £150(x2) £138 L O Stephenson. £140 £132 £130 F Watson. £100 D Rutter. £90 Thomas I’Anson.
Mule – £180 £175 £160 £155 T E Dobson. £165 £150 £145 £138 O M Wearmouth & Son. £155 £128 £110 R L Carter.
Cheviot – £100 Borrowdale & Wearmouth. £100 R M Guy.
Breeding Rams & Ram Lambs – Excellent, twenty-six of the twenty-nine were away to new homes as a competitive ringside of buyers generated a sharp trade across the board. A top call of £700 was shared thrice as a smart Suffolk shearling from I Spedding, Harelaw Farm was duly matched by Blue Faced Leicester crossing type lambs from both C Hodgson, Hill House West and D G Sayers, Hollin Hill Farm. The Texel tups topped at £650 from D Rutter, Low Farm and £600 from I Spedding, Harelaw whereas North Country Cheviot’s sold to £350 from K O Stones, Nun Cote Nook.
Leading Ram Prices
Suffolk – £700 I Spedding.
Blue Faced Leicester – £700 500 £450 C Hodgson. £700 £600(x2) £500 D G Sayers. £550 £400 C & J C Stephenson. £245 £220 S Straughan.
Texel – £650 £400 D Rutter. £600 £550 £450 I Spedding. £400 £350 W & M Knaggs & Son.
North Country Cheviot – £350 K O Stones. £200 J R Carter.
