Over 8,000 lambs went under the hammer at the annual show and sale of mule wether lambs at Skipton Auction Mart. (Wed, Aug 26)
With purchasers from many parts of the country keen to source the pick of the region’s store lamb crop, there was slightly stronger trade than the previous fortnightly sale, achieving an average of £50.75 overall. However, this represented a marked improvement on last year’s corresponding fixture, when the overall selling price per head was £38.57.
Kevin Wilson, of Hewness House Farm, Blubberhouses sent out this year’s champion pen of 50 Mule Wethers.
The vice-chairman of the Skipton Branch of the North of England Mule Sheep Association was winning the prestigious title for the first time, courtesy of judge Stephen Dorey, of Norton Disney, Lincoln, who presented the Stephen Foster Memorial Trophy. The victors sold at £52 each, £12 a head higher than last year, to DF & TP James, Worcester.
Runner-up was Granville Fairburn, of Acacia Farm, Bradford, his charges selling for £50.50 each to G & HM Pritchard, of Holyhead, Anglesey. Third in class was Patrick Walker, of WP & B Walker, Appletreewick, whose 50-strong pen was acquired for £50 per head by a buyer from Wales.
Sale averages and top prices were: Beltex to £56.80 (av £56.80), top DR Findlay, Coverham. Suffolk to £64.50, (£53.61), top SL & SD Lund, Litton. Texel to £80 (£52.47), top JA & JH Hewetson, Bank Newton. Masham to £48.50 (£48.50), top C Jackson, Otley. Mule to £52.80 (£46.64), top KA & HL Fawcett, Barden. Charollais to £50 (£46.25), top H Pye, Chipping. Swaledale to £36 (£31.82), top Mrs R Capstick, Horton in Ribblesdale. Dalesbred to £39 (£39), top C Jackson, Otley, Cheviot to £50 (£47.11), top A & D Rhodes, Diggle.
