Overall Champion at Carlisle, Bowbridge Zoe, which sold for 3,000gns to R. Pilkington, Wrexham.
Females lead society Bleu Du Maine sale
Bidding at the Bleu Du Maine Society Show and Sale, this year split between Lockerbie and Carlisle marts because of bluetongue restrictions, topped at 2,500gns at Carlisle for a shearling ewe.
Sale leader was the female and overall champion at Carlisle, Bowbridge Zoe, a shearling ewe by the 3,000gns Danygraig Wiseguy, out of Dunelm Whatever, from Archie Stamp, Somerset, selling to Messrs Pilkington, Hope, Wrexham.
A 1,400gns bid secured the reserve champion at Lockerbie, Glan-y-Mor Zizi, a Haydon Will I Am-sired shearling ewe from Mathew Jones and Family, Gwynedd. It went home with Messrs Norman, Taunton.
At 1,100gns and topping the ewe lamb section at Lockerbie was first-prize winner Aghavilly Abby from Glenn Baird, Co Armagh. By Cysgod Yahoo and out of the three-time Balmoral champion Aghavilly Treasure, it sold to Radley Pedigree Livestock, Dumfries.
Millennium Bleu rams topped at 2,000gns for the first prize Millenium Bleu ram at Lockerbie, Aintree Zane, from R. Pilkington, Wrexham. This Powerhouse Amani son, out of Aintree Thimble, sold to Messrs Davidson and Sons, Beal, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Rams sold to 1,800gns at Carlisle for Willpower After Eight, a ram lamb from Will Price, Kidderminster. By Willpower Zento and out of a Maunby Butch-sired Langley ewe, it went to Messrs Millar, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie.
Next at 1,200gns was the reserve male champion at Lockerbie, Danygraig Zodiac, a shearling ram from Dylan and Caio Jones, Llandrindod Wells. This one by Danygraig Valentino, out of Cysgod Tina, sold to Messrs Grimley, Milton Keynes.
AVERAGES: 30 shearling gimmers, £549.15; 14 ewe lambs, £523.50; 2 aged rams, £719.25; 8 shearling rams, £689.06; 19 ram lambs, £622.82; 7 Millennium Bleu shearling gimmers, £340.50; 5 Millennium Bleu shearling rams, £1,218; 2 Millennium Bleu ram lambs, £588.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Caveman tops Rouge sale
A 2,800gns bid led the Rouge Society show and sales held at Carlisle and Lockerbie marts this year because of bluetongue restrictions.
READ MORE: Whitley Hey production sale tops at 3,300gns
Sale leader was the pre-sale show overall champion Powerhouse Caveman, a shearling ram by Tullyvallen Aga Can out of a Powerhouse ewe by 3,000gns Knighton Sugarbabe from Colin, Wendy and Owen Phillips, Herefordshire. It sold to the Messrs Mitchell, Skelton.
The same vendors also sold another similar-aged Age Can son at 2,200gns. This one out of Oldwood Action Girl sold to Messrs White, Nunburnholme.
P. Imlah, Aberdeenshire, sold Bennachie Champion, a shearling ram by Powerhouse Apollo for 1,500gns. Out of Bennachie Wild Girl, it sold to Messrs Elworthy, Crockernwell.
Rou-Tex sold to 1,200gns for Cargen Glen Captain, a shearling ram from Kerrie McDermid, Ayshire, which topped the Lockerbie sale. By Finniness Fergus, out of Ian's Vita, it sold to Seymour Farms, Leegate.
Messrs Imlah also topped the female section with the female champion Bennachie Cindy, a shearling gimmer which sold for 1,600gns. Another by Apollo and out of Bennachie Always, it sold to Messrs Gregory, Boyton, Launceston.
The same buyers also paid 900gns for Bennachie Classy, another same-way-bred shearling gimmer out of Bennachie Yvie from the same home.
Ewe lambs sold to a 700gns high for the reserve female champion, Megans Daphne, a Megans Bilbosas daughter out of Megans Amellia from Louise Elworthy, Exeter. The buyers were Messrs Belfield, Crossgate.
AVERAGES: 14 shearling gimmers, £598.57; 13 ewe lambs, £426.23; 7 shearling rams, £1,305; 14 ram lambs, £427.50; 2 Rou-Tex shearling rams, £1,050.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
New centre record for Mules at Hawes
The annual show and sale of Mule and continental breeding ewes and gimmer shearlings at Hawes attracted a strong trade, with the first prize pen of Mule shearlings from J.R. and L.A. Capstick, Killington, topping the sale at £360 to set a new centre record when selling to judge, Joe Throup, Skipton. Further consignments of Mule gimmer shearlings from the Capsticks sold between £265 and £300.
The first prize winning continentals from the same home sold to £300 and were bought by fellow judge Chris Ladds, Kendal.
Other leading prices saw Mule gimmer shearlings from R. Atkinson, Scorton, topping at £275, with two pens from Simon Yates, Masham, selling to £270. Mule gimmer shearlings overall levelled at £236, up £2 on the year, while continental gimmer shearlings averaged £230, showing an increase of £9 on the year.
READ MORE: Beltex Premier Sale sees Lionheart roar to 60,000gns lamb record
The breeding ewes on offer were also topped by Messrs Capstick, who sold lots at £255 and £250.
The sale also included the flock reduction from R. Marwood and Son, Newsham, who sold at £250 and £248.
Suffolk cross ewes from S.R. Crossland and E.J. Boby, Low Row, sold to £245. Mule ewes, both one and two-crop, reached £222 for Messrs Capstick, while one-crop Mule ewes from P. and T.L. Edmondson, Kirkby in Furness, sold to £220.
Auctioneers: Hawes Íæż½ã½ã Auction Mart.
Hazelberry reduction tops at 5,000gns
A 5,000gns bid led the trade at the Hazelberry reduction sale of Dutch Spotted sheep on behalf of Callum and Jen Dodd, Tundergarth, Lockerbie, held at Lockerbie mart, which also included entries from a handful of other Dutch Spotted flocks across Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Sale leader was Hazelberry In Your Dreams, a ewe lamb by Drumhirk Decider, out of Hazelberry Felicia, which is a full sister to the 18,000gns Hazelberry Heavan, from the Dodds.
Hazelberry Highness, a shearling gimmer by imported sire Dutchman, out of Damson Cartmel, sold for 4,000gns to Messrs Roberts, Dunfermline.
Tom and Louise Nash, Wiston, Haverfordwest, sold their ewe lamb Merryboro Iris Moon Glow for 3,000gns. By the imported sire McDermotts Fireman and out of Merryboro Glamorous, it sold in a half share to Messrs Sloan, Dumfries, and Messrs Jackson, Annan.
Three lots sold for 2,000gns. The first at this price was Diamond Freaky Freddie, a February 2022-born ram by Carlaustan Extrover bred by E. Allen, Co Armagh, and consigned by the Dodds who bought it in 2022.
Freaky Freddie daughter, Hazelberry Hooter, a shearling gimmer from the same home, also sold for 2,000gns to Messrs Morrin, Annan, with the same buyers paying the same again for same-way-bred shearling gimmer, Hazelberry Honeysuckle.
AVERAGES: 2 aged rams, £1,417.50; 2 shearling rams, £1,050; 8 ram lambs, £1,575; 11 aged ewes, £596.59; 16 shearling gimmers, £1,040.16; 18 ewe lambs, £1,009.85.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Breed averages up at Bentham Ram-Page
Demand for rams was strong across the board at Bentham's Ram-Page showcase, with averages up on the year among all the breeds on offer. The first prize cross-bred ram from W. and C. Ingram, Inverurie, sold to the day's top price of £3,500 with the pen selling to an overall average of £2,210.
READ MORE: Thame Sheep Fair averages hit by ongoing bluetongue restrictions
Frank and Sue Towers, Wray, sold cross-bred rams to £2,400 with the commercial end around £1,000 and the pen of 24 averaging £1,357, up 698 on the year.
J. Garth and Son, Clapham, topped the Texel section £1,850, with this consignment going on to average £1,533 (+£675).
Suffolks topped at £1,450 for one from J.H. Towers, Tunstall, while Simon and Rachael Garth, Clapham, sold to a top of E1,400 in the Beltex section. Charollais peaked at £1,000 for Robert Towers, Ingleton.
Auctioneers: Bentham Auction Mart.
High of 1,300gns for Ryelands
The Ryeland Flock Book Society Sale, this year held at Ludlow and Brecon Marts owing to bluetongue restrictions, saw prices reach 1,300gns at Ludlow and 600gns at Brecon, although the recent dry weather and bluetongue movement restrictions resulted in clearance rates and averages taking a hit.
It was the turn of the Coloured Ryelands to open the sale this year. Sale leader at 1,300gns at Ludlow was Night Star Electra a second-prize shearling ewe from Tim and Gill Glover, York. By Ryeside Coloured Antonio, out of a Womble ewe, it sold to David Drake, Doncaster.
At 1,100gns was Thirsk-based K. and M. Atkinson-Shaw's ewe lamb, Coxwold Fanny Craddock. This one by Ryeside Coloured Brigadier out of a Colourful-bred dam, sold to S. Sweeting-Dawson, Huddersfield.
The female champion was a ewe lamb from the Valkyrie flock of S. and J. Wright, Llandovery, which sold for 600gns.
Another 600gns bid came for a Ryeland shearling ewe from A. Davies' Catherton flock, Garthbrengy, which topped the trade in Brecon, selling to G. Price, Brecon.
Leading the male section at 500gns was Mansel Eclipse, a shearling ram from R. and A. Howell, Gower. By Mansel Yolo, it sold for 500gns to J. Stone, Norwich.
In the Ryeland section, females led again with prices reaching 850gns twice.
First at this price was Lodgeway Ferrero Rocher, a February-born ewe lamb from S. Briggs and M. Whitehurst, Leigh. By Cagedale Bollinger, it will join the Na Then flock of R. Dilworth, Thornton.
Another 850gns bid secured the female champion, Chase Eva, a shearling ewe from the same home, which sold to P. Wills, Truro.
Top-priced Ryeland male at 600gns was Ryeside Fennec Fox, a ram lamb from Ryeside Ryelands, North Yorkshire, which also sold to Messrs Wills.
Ryeland shearling rams sold to 500gns for Mansel Emperor, another from Messrs Howell, which sold to S. Archer, Hexham.
AVERAGES: Ludlow – Coloured Ryeland - shearling ewes, £372; breeding ewes, £165; ewe lambs £395; shearling rams, £275; ram lambs, £279; Ryeland - shearling ewes, £272; breeding ewes, £145; ewe lambs, £354; shearling rams, £297; breeding rams, £180; ram lambs, £275. Brecon – Coloured Ryelands -- shearling ewes, £311; ewe lambs, £264; shearling rams, £287; ram lambs, £230; shearling ewes, £600; Ryeland - breeding ewes, £280; shearling rams, £257; ram lambs, £250.
Auctioneers: McCartneys.
Cattle averages soar at Barnard Castle
Breeding and store cattle met a strong demand at Barnard Castle, reflected in the day's high prices and store averages, which were up three-figures across the board.
In the breeding cattle section, top price went to a cow and calf outfit from M. and E.M. Wilson, Lunedale, which sold for £4,600. The same home also sold their first prize Limousin heifer with a Limousin bull calf for £4,300.
Store cattle sold on the same day also met a sky-high trade, reflected in the averages. Topping the sale at £2,740 was a Limousin heifer from D.A. and A.M. Gill, Barnard Castle, with a Limousin bullock from the same home making £2,680. Topping the feeding bull section was a Limousin at £2,700 from D. and P.H. Brown, Aldbrough St John.
Mark Robshaw, Tadcaster, judged the prize show of feeding bulls and store cattle and awarded the overall champion to a Limousin bullock from J.W. Dent and Sons, Lartington, which sold for £2,600. The reserve champion ticket went to a Limousin heifer from C. and R. Metcalf, Barningham, which sold for £2,400.
AVERAGES: 22 bulls, £2,156.36 (+£700 on 2024); 84 bullocks, £2,004.52 (+£515); 125 heifers, £1,919.11 (+£550).
Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Íæż½ã½ã Auction Mart Co.
Store cattle trade strong at Cockermouth
The show and sale of 522 store cattle at Cockermouth saw some 30 cattle selling for more than £2,500 and a top price of £2,980 for a Charolais heifer from I. Powley, Green Marsh, with the day's top-prize winners also brought out by the same home.
The judges, David and Chloe Huyton, Clitheroe, awarded the championship rosette to Messrs Powley's British Blue steer, and reserve champion to a Limousin heifer from the same family.
AVERAGES: Steers, £2,105.34 (+£686.46 on 2024); heifers, £1,972.42 (+£616.09); bulls, £1,538.33 (+£514.77).
Auctioneers: Mitchells.
High of £3,500 four times for Carlisle dairy
Carlisle's monthly dairy sale topped at £3,500 four times, with the trade for milking cattle averaging £2,681.
The Wadsworth family, Newton Stewart, sold three heifers at the day's high price by Hannity, Hardball and Captivate. Their nine in total averaged £3,287.
Kaemuir Holsteins had the fourth at £3,500, Kaemuir Envoy Breeze, by Bomas Envoy, which was sold giving 42kgs. Their group of cows and heifers averaged at £3,043.
Dry cows sold to a top of £3,000 for Boclair Lambda Elegance, from the Innes family, Nairn. This three-year-old, due in September with its second calf, sold to Carldanton Lambda Leroy.
In-calf heifers topped at £3,200 for one from Edward and Linda Wilson, Southwaite. Due in September, it sold to Westcoast Guarantee sexed.
AVERAGES: 41 Holstein cows in milk, £2,472.81; 89 Holstein heifers in milk, £2,681.77; 8 British Friesian cows in-milk, £2,031.81; 5 cross-bred cows and heifers in-milk, £1,536; 4 faulted cows and heifers in milk, £1,567.50; 15 Holstein dry cows, £2,052.85; 5 Jersey dry cows, £1,080;
71 Holstein in-calf heifers, £2,123.11; 10 short-bred heifers, £1,418; 17 Pro-Cross in-calf heifers, £1,966; 14 bulling heifers, £1,186.43; 6 maiden heifers, £950.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Loxland milkers dispersal
The dispersal of the entire milking portion of the Loxland herd of Holsteins, on behalf of Ray Whitaker, who farmed with his brother, Bryan, was held on farm at Loxley near Uttoxeter and saw 163-head average £1,924.85.
Top price was 3,150gns, paid by Phil Manning of the Etsill herd, Shropshire, for Loxland Kitty 144, a Bomaz Accolade daughter, tracing back to the show cow CRF Vic Birch Kitty. It was giving 44kg daily, having calved in May.
Brian Mould, Stafford, paid 2,720gns for the fifth calver Loxland Mandy 101, with a 2,700gns bid securing the calved heifer Loxland Sonya 283 for Peter Wilson, Uttoxeter. Both are due again in the autumn to the Aberdeen-Angus bull.
AVERAGES: 163 milkers, £1,924.85.
Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank.
Calf trade flying at Bentham
The Summer Calf Show at Bentham saw calves sell for more than £1,000 three times, with a run of British Blues from A.J. and A.J. Gibbons, St Michaels, leading the trade at £1,090, £1,010 and £1,000. Janet and Doug Wallbank, Preston, showed a quartet of Charolais bulls which topped at £940.
Judge David Bell, Wigton, gave the champion rosette to a Charolais heifer from Dave Harrison, Wray, which later sold at £800 to Sarah and Paul Alpe, Waddington, Clitheroe. Simon and Jane Foster, Calton, stood reserve with their first place Hereford bull, which sold for £590 to Maurice Lawson, Ingleton.
Auctioneers: Bentham Auction Mart.
Visit our Shows and Sales Hub for all the latest from around the rings
