At Skipton on Wednesday CCM Auctions held their second catalogue sale of store lambs where another sizable entry was forward for sale. A packed ringside of buyers helped propel the trade along quickly with prices very pleasing, especially those seen for Mule wethers so early in the season. Best Beltex and smartest Texel Lambs were either side of £70, stronger Suffolk and Continental store lambs mid to late £60’s, medium types around £60 into the early £60’s and the smaller types mid £50’s. The top prices are at the bottom of the report, but its always worth noting how large level lots sell well at Skipton. The top price of the day of £73 was for a pen of 32 Beltex from Andrew Naylor, Barden, next was £72 for a pen of 50 Beltex/Texel from Annabel Sugden, Chris Dawson sold his run of 600 in 50’s and 60’s topping at £71.50 with a bottom of £65.50, Matt & Ted Mason sold their run of 311 Texel’s in just 4 lots, sizes of 40, 104, 105 and 62 topping at £69.50. Robert Metcalfe made £68 of his first prize pen of 50 Suffolk x, Ned Simpson topped at £68 with a pen of 50 Texel cross, Michael Wilson of Crimple Head made £67.50 of a pen of 60 Texel crosses whilst Tom Heseltine of Bolton Abbey hade a pen full of 100 ¾ Texels at £67.50. The largest lot of the day came from Stuart & Stephen Gamble of Thorpe who sold 126 Texels in one hit at £63 each. Buyers like coming to Skipton and being able to source large level lots of 50’s to 100’s where possible in a short space of time, the 4,718 store lambs today were sold in just 2 hours 5 minutes. Also please note, Gimmers are best sold as mixed pens with wethers unless they are of a superior quality and size suitable for breeding.

Mule Wether Lambs have also been a traditional feature at Skipton sales, and there was a good early season selection today of 458 head. A nice Mule Wether could make mid £50’s, smaller ones either side of £50, the breed average was £53.09, prices being about £4-£6 up on the year. Top prices saw Granville & Paul Fairburn, Marriforth sell a pen of 91 at £56, John Mason of Embsay sold 50 also at £56, S&T Fawcett, Drebley sold 42 at £55.50, John Harker, Lofthouse sold a pen of 50 at £55, Martin Brown, Bedale sold 50 at £54.50, and Keith Verity of Middlesmoor sold 22 Dales Mules at £54.50.

The show results today were as follows and our thanks to Top Tags and Laurence Pierce Wool Merchants (Grace Dobson) for their generous sponsorship.

Show of Pens of 50 Down Cross Lambs (Judge: Mr Tony England)

1^st - RD Metcalfe & Son, Brearton. 50 Suffolk cross @ £68 per head

2^nd – Mrs CA Foster, Bolton Abbey. 50 Suffolk cross @ £64 per head 

3^rd  - SL&SD Lund, Littondale. 50 Suffolk cross @ £59.50 per head

Next Sale is Wednesday 10^th August –

Entry of 8,000 Store Lambs expected.

Also this day, The Lingfields Summer Sheep Fair -

800 – 1,000 Continental, Suffolk x, Mule and Halfbred Breeding Ewes

also special sale of Suffolk and Continental Rams

Current Entries Inc: 40 Suffolk x G Shlgs; 200 Cheviot Mule/Texel x Shlgs; 10 Dorset Ewes RWR; 1 Dorset Rams; 80 Suffolk & Texel cross Ewes 3 Crop.

ENTRIES CLOSE MONDAY 1^ST AUGUST

FARM TO FARM SALES

170 North of England Mule Shlgs and 165 Scotch Mule Shlgs (All reared Lambs)

Contact Ted Ogden 08755 958211 for more details.

PRINCIPLE PRICES

Store Lambs

3,170 Texel – Av £62.71

£71.50 £68 £67.50 C Dawson, £71 D Wood, £71 JH Baker, £70.50 Swinbank & Briggs, £69.50 W Mason & Son, £68 E&AM Simpson & Son, £67.50 JM Wilson & Son, £67.50 C Dibb

547 Suffolk – Av £61.03

£68 RD Metcalfe & Son, £67 C&RH Weatherhead, £65 B Mckenzie, £64 JR Metcalfe, £64 Mrs CA Foster

276 Beltex – Av £68.02

£73 AR&FT Naylor, £72 J Sugden, £70 £67 WM&E Dugdale, £69 RG Johnson & Son, £67.50 JGE Heseltine & Son

203 Charolais – Av £57.67

£63.50 59 BG&LM Hawksworth, £56.50 GA&J Allison, £55 JR Metcalfe.

458 Mule – Av £53.09

£56 E Fairburn & Son, £56 AJ Mason, £55.50 S&T Fawcett, £55 J&K Harker, £54.50 K&R Verity, £54.50 AM&HV Brown

14 Zwartbles  – Av £65.50

£65.50 P&T Harsley

Breeding Sheep

Suffolk G.Shlgs to £140 (Av £137.63

Suffolk 2 shear Ewes to £130 (Av £120.00)

Texel G.Shlgs to £131 (av £131.00)

Texel Ewes Correct to £116 (av £109.34)