Tup Tup Chalice

Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their second annual ‘Tup Tup Chalice’ show and sale of breeding rams on Tuesday 5^th September 2023. Forward were 335 head.

Show – Our judge for the evening John Weighell of Foxton Livestock, Barnard Castle went about his duties admirably in testing conditions as the temperature soared with eight tremendous classes before him. The eventual Champion came from the MV accredited ring, the winner of Class 3, a fabulous pedigree Charollais shearling from the good pen of Tom and Judith Hunter of Newtown Farm, Hunmanby took the spoils. The humdinger from Humnmanby was an excellent long stretchy example of the breed, a tup which has played his part in the successful Hunter show team this summer later sold to T Lawson & Son, Sands Farm, Sedgefield for 920 guineas. The reserve championship went to last year’s winners Andrew and Colin Whitfield of High Castledene Farm, Consett who once again turned out a superb pen of crossbred three-quarter Texel and one quarter Beltex commercial tups. The muscle machine from the father and son team later went on to sell for the evenings top price of 1400 guineas and will now take up residence beside the Cleveland Way at Highcliffe Farm, Guisborough with Wendy Hanson.

Champion – T & J Hunter, Newtown Farm (Charollais)

Reserve – A S Whitfield, High Castledene (Texel-Beltex)

Class 1. MV Accredited – Best Tup Lamb (any breed or cross)
1^st T Nesbitt & Son, Alwent Hall (Texel)
2^nd P Lupton, Greenholme Farm (Suffolk)
3^rd R G & R Findlay, Quarry Farm (Beltex)

Class 2. Non-Accredited – Best Tup Lamb (any breed or cross)
1^st P Dawson, Park Head (Texel)
2^nd W Hill, Stub Thorn Farm (Suffolk)
3^rd Medd & Dowson, West Whorley Hill (Suffolk)

Class 3. MV Accredited – Best Pure Shearling Tup (Continental)
1^st T & J Hunter, Newtown Farm (Charollais)
2^nd D Whitcher, Foulrice (Charollais)
3^rd H Askwith, Middle Mown Meadows (Beltex)

Class 4. Non-Accredited – Best Pure Shearling Tup (Continental)
1^st W M Reed & Son, Lands Farm (Texel)
2^nd D Barron, Newacres (Texel)
3^rd D Barron, Newacres (Texel)

Class 5. MV Accredited – Best Pure Shearling Tup (Native)
1^st P R Wilkinson, Stoneley Woods (Suffolk)
2^nd P R Wilkinson, Stoneley Woods (Suffolk)
3^rd D Whitcher, Foulrice (Suffolk)

Class 6. Non-Accredited – Best Pure Shearling Tup (Native)
1^st W Hill, Stub Thorn Farm (Suffolk)
2^nd R N Kirby & Son, Barstow Hall Farm (Suffolk)
3^rd S Dodsworth, Woodbrae Farm (North Country Cheviot)

Class 7. MV Accredited – Best Cross Bred Shearling Tup (any cross)
1^st T & J Hunter, Newtown Farm (Beltex-Charollais)
2^nd L Van Geffen, Alum Grange (Beltex-Texel)
3^rd T & J Hunter, Newtown Farm (Beltex-Charollais)

Class 8. Non-Accredited – Best Cross Bred Shearling Tup (any cross)
1^st A S Whitfield, High Castledene (Texel-Beltex)
2^nd G Hodgson, Rose Hill (Beltex-Charollais)
3^rd G Hodgson, Rose Hill (Beltex-Charollais)

Sale – We have long wished for some decent harvest weather this year however we were also very aware that the blazing sunshine outside combined with a vastly increased entry of tups was unlikely to create us the fastest of trades. In fairness to the buyers who were certainly due an easier shift having paid so handsomely at this event last year they were still willing to push on for the best but they consistently left the rest. The reserve champion from the Whitfield pen topped the trade selling for 1400 guineas as this good home topped our signature tup sale for the second year running. Suffolk shearlings probably enjoyed the trade of the evening and credit must go to first time vendor P R Wilkinson, Stoneley Woods, Bransdale who having earlier claimed the top two tickets in their class sold for impressive 1100 and 1020 guineas respectively. The buyer’s pick’s from the plethora of pure Texel shearlings also sold well; a familiar name in our prime lambs but on his maiden tup voyage to DfAM was marauding Midlander Phil Weaver of Little Manor Farm who led the way when he turned out a terrific sort at 1020 guineas. Pick of the Weardale chargers were the pure Texel shearlings of W M Reed & Sons, Lands Farm topping at 1000 guineas whilst the neighbouring dale of Teesdale was best represented on the night by a great pen of Texel shearlings from J C Thwaite & Son, Cragg Hill Farm at 980 guineas. Lamb buyers were perhaps in shortest supply however strong Suffolk’s from Deborah Whitcher, Foulrice bucked the trend selling for 840 and 700 guineas with W Hill of Stubb Thorn Farm also reaching 700 guineas with a Suffolk.

Leading Prices (Guineas)
Lambs
Suffolk – 840 700 600 480 D Whitcher. 700 300 W Hill. 550 P Brannen. 500 P Lupton. 500 J T & E Midgley. 500 320 J Wilkinson. 440 J Howard. 300 Medd & Dowson.
Charollais – 500 400 D Whitcher.
Texel – 450 320 T Nesbitt & Son.
Zwartbles – 400 J C & A Metcalf.

Rams (shearling or older)
Cross Bred – 1400 820 750 700 600 580 520 A S Whitfield. 700 T & J Hunter. 600(x2) D Whitcher. 600(x3) C Foxton. 550 520 G Hodgson. 550 P Lupton.
Suffolk – 1100 1020 P R Wilkinson. 820 750 R N Kirby & Son. 680 620 600 W Hill. 640 500 L Stainthorpe. 520 J Wilkinson. 500(x2) J T & E Midgley.
Texel – 1020 P R Weaver. 1000 780 720 W M Reed & Sons. 980 920 820 750 J C Thwaite & Son. 780 D Barron. 750 680 T Common & Son. 750 720(x2) C Foxton. 750 Richard Bailes.
Charollais – 920 T & J Hunter. 600 500 C W Marwood. 580 520 500 D Whitcher. 520 G Hodgson. 500 C Dougherty.
Blue Texel – 500 400 C R McLaren. 360 C H Tindale. 350 J Allan.
British Rouge – 450(x2) I E & A C Teasdale.
Beltex – 400 C A & J G Skidmore. 300 P N & V J Noble.
Dutch Spotted – 250 W Wearmouth & Son. 240 N & N Foster. 220 J G Atkinson.