Reduced numbers ensured improved clearance rates of 92-93% at a two-day show and sale of Swaledale shearling rams at Hawes where prices peaked at £62,000 and 329 head averaged £2420 – up £82 on the year for 130 fewer forward.
The celebrations starting early on the first day when Derbyshire breeders, Paul and Sue Hallam and family sold High Birkwith General 1, for £62,000.
Reserve champion at the pre-sale show, this lad is by Young General, a tup of their own breeding which they kept for own use and out of a ewe by £55,000 Oakbank Endeavour. General 1 was knocked down to Robert Wear, Howe Green; Messrs Lawson, Howith and Tom and Phillip Hutton, Setmabanning, with the Hallams retaining a half share.
Less than an hour later, the day’s second highest price of £22,000 was paid for John and Jean Bradley’s Penyghent King Pin, from Penny Grange. Sired by a Robert Hutchinson, Valley Farm ram and out of a ewe by a £24,000 Aygill King Pin, he sold jointly to John Richardson, Ghyll House and Ian Bell, Spenrigg.
The Howe Green flock of Robert Wear and sons Adam and Thomas sold their pen leader for £20,000 to Neil Richardson, Big Fernyford. Howe Green Tully 2 is sired by the £18,000 John Tully, bought as a lamb in 2022, and out of a ewe by a home-bred shearling who’s twin brother also sold for £30,000 at Hawes in 2020.
The No 2 made £13,000 to Dan Bower, Grove Farms and David Harker, Overthwaite. He is sired by the £20,000 Bull and Cave and out of a ewe by the £34,000 West Briscoe tup. Minutes later, the Harker family took £10,000 for a son of an £18,000 Paul Hallam, selling half to Richard Hargreaves while retaining the other share.
The champion on the first day from Steven and Alison Bland and family which also won the award for the best conformation, made £14,000 when selling to Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside and David Allinson, West Briscoe. He is sired by the £18,000 Kingshaugh Deano.
Brian Porter and family from Oxnop, also enjoyed a good day taking £10,000 for a son of a £16,000 Brian Thornborrow. He sold jointly to Andrew Harrison, Beck Head and the Brogden family, Helbeck.
David Harker and daughter Annie of Overthwaite, topped the second day’s trading at £37,000, with Quarry JB 10, a son of a £10,000 Jonathan Brunton, out of a ewe by £21,000 Howith. The buyers were Martin Wilson, Arnigill House and Richard Harker, Grayrigg Hall.
John Richardson and sons Ben and Josh of Ghyll House were again in the money too with four shearlings attracting five-figure prices.
Their pen leader which was awarded the championship on the second day, went on to make £28,000, when selling to the Porter family of Oxnop. Got by a David Harker, Overthwaite ram and out of a ewe by their own Ghyll House Keeper, he goes back to their old Tan Hill show ewe.
The same show ewe was the mother of their £12,000 Ghyll House Oh Boy, a son of Ghyll House Mint, purchased by Richard Hutchinson, Redgate.
Ghyll House 007 made £16,000, selling to Martin Allan, Knock Hall. The same way bred as the family’s £34,000 reserve champion sold at Kirkby the previous week, he is also by Ghyll House Mint, and out of a ewe by £90,000 Valley Fandango
Their fourth big price at £12,000 was bred the same way as the champion, and headed home with Dan Bower, Grove Farms.
Selling at £26,000 on the second day was the fourth prize winner from Craig Ridley, Haltcliffe, purchased jointly by Steven Bland, Cotegill and John Bradley, Penny Grange. A son of a Robert Tennant, Hemplands-bred ram, he is out of a ewe by their home-bred Pele, a son of a £50,000 Grayrigg Hall.
Steven and Carol Porter and son Will were also in the money, taking £20,000 for Summer Lodge Scarr 4, which sold three ways to Richard Hargreaves, Meadow Bank; Richard Harker, Grayrigg Hall and Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside. This shearling is by a £20,000 Graham Scarr and out of a ewe by a £46,000 Mark Rukin.
Tops for Robert Tennant of Hemplands at £15,000 was Hemplands Scorpio, a son of a £28,000 Valley, out of ewe by a £30,000 Naby. Matthew Lawson, Buddle House, was the final bidder.
Andrew Harrison and daughter Helen, Beck Head, took £10,000 from Robert Wear, Howe Green, for a son of a £17,000 Bull and Cave ram.
Aged rams and tup lambs were also sold on the first day.
Nine old tups sold to average £1056, with a top price of £2000 paid for a four-shear Naby ram from BR Fawcett. Six tup lambs averaged £317, having peaked at £700 for an entry from Helen Scott, Forcegarth.
Leading Prices
Shearling rams – Wednesday – P Hallam, £62,000, £6000, £4000, £3200; M, J and JE Bradley, £22,000, £5500; EJ and RJ Wear, £20,000, £3800; RS Harker and Son, £18,000, £13,000, £10,000, £9000, £4000; S and A Bland £14,000, £3800; JW Porter and Sons, £10,000; T Metcalfe and Son, £9000, £5500; Messrs Lightfoot, £7000, £6800; AM Dixon, £5500; WM Hutchinson and Son, £5000; DW and K Hutchinson, £4500; AJ and RE Marston, £4200; B Thornborrow, £4200, £3500; P Edmondson, £4000; JW Dent and Sons, £4000, £3200; E and K Bland, £4000; R Hallam, £4000; WP Walker and Son, £3800; WA and A Booth, £3500; JR Rukin, £3400; JR and SL Pratt, £3000.
Thursday – RS and BA Harker, £37,000, £16,000, £4400, £3800; W Richardson and Son, £28,000, £16,000, £12,000 x2; Haltcliffe, £26,000; SW Porter, £20,000, £9500; RT Tennant, £15,000; A and J Harrison; £10,000, GS Coates; £8000, MR and LE Rukin, £8000, £6500; D and EM and ID Brown, £7500, £5000; MR Ewbank, £5000; PE and KA Sowerby, £4000; SA Harker, £4000; JC White, £3800; WJ Porter, £3800; J Nelson and Son, £3800; Messrs Lawson, £3200; F and MP Allinson and Son, £3200, £3000; JE Cowperthwaite, £3000.
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