£105,000 breed record at Kirkby Stephen Swaledale ram sale

On Thursday, the sale topped at £105,000 for the overall champion shearling ram of the day consigned by Messrs W Richardson & Son, Ghyll House, Dufton, selling to P Hallam, High Birkwith, Houghton-in-Riversdale and J Nelson & Son, Bull and Cave Farm, Clapham.

Then on Friday, the reserve champion shearling ram consigned by Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside Farm, Glenridding, was purchased, also for £105,000, by Messrs Tully, Burncroft Farm, Eggleston and Messrs White, Rigg Farm, Middleton in Teesdale, with Messrs Lightfoot retaining a share.

Other highlights from Friday saw Messrs Coates, Aygill Farm, Muker, sell a ram to £40,000 to Messrs Richardson, Ghyll House, Dufton. Messrs Folder, Wescoe, Keswick sold the fourth placed ram to make £35,000, selling to Messrs Allinson, West Briscoe, Baldersdale; Messrs White, Rigg Farm, Middleton in Teesdale and Messrs Hutchinson, Valley Farm, Bowes. Messrs Wear, Howe Green, Hartsop sold a ram to £28,000 to Messrs Tunstall, Highfield House, Brough; S Hardisty & Son, How Hall, Ennerdale with Messrs Wear retaining a share.

Messrs Bland, Thwaite Bridge House, Hawes sold the overall champion to make £20,000 to Messrs Harker, Grayrigg Hall, Kendal and Messrs Hargreaves, Meadow Bank, Burnley.

In total, 340 rams sold to average £2,734.44 (up £262.72 on the year). An overall two-day average of £2,606.25 (up £333 on the year) was achieved for 595 rams sold.

On the Thursday, 364 shearlings rams were on offer. After the sale-topping £105,000 for the overall champion shearling ram of the day, next, selling to £42,000, was from J Nelson and Son, Bull and Cave Farm, Clapham, which went to RS & BA Harker, Overthwaite and A & JA Iveson, East House, Hawes with J Nelson and Son, Bull and Cave Farm retaining a share.

MR & LE Rukin, Gatehouse Farm, West Stonesdale, Richmond sold a ram to £25,000 to PE & KA Sowerby, Oakbank Farm, Barras and J & SJ Bland, Thwaite Bridge. R Hargreaves, Meadow Bank, Barley sold rams to £20,000 selling to Messrs Buckle, Buckles Farm and GA & DE Slack, Stoneriggs.

The trade soared from the start with demand remaining strong for well built and marked rams throughout the sale – 14 rams sold between £10,000 and £105,000, and 38 between £5,000 and £105,000. In total, 316 rams sold averaged £2,493.89 (plus £407.74) with an overall clearance rate of 87 per cent.

The opening day of the sale, last Wednesday, saw a catalogued entry of 186 aged and ram lambs on offer. Topping the sale at £4,500 was lot 22, a three-shear ram from Messrs Emerson, Haggate Farm, Eastgate, which was bought by Messrs Pritchard, Evistones Farm, Rochester.

Next, selling for £3,800 was the reserve champion aged ram, a three-shear ram consigned by Messrs Dalton, South Wellhope, Lanehead which was bought as a half shear between T Brogden, Helbeck and Messrs Beckwith, New Hall.

Messrs Wearmouth, Parkside, Barnard Castle sold, a two-shear ram to make £3,000 which was purchased by Messrs Ivinson, Hole House, Ousby.

Taking the first placed aged ram and overall championship was lot 114, a two-shear from Messrs Hutchinson, Bail Hill, which went on to sell for £400 to Messrs Hern, Eastfield Farm, Warcop.

An overall aged ram average of £663.44 was achieved, with well marked, strong aged rams in strong demand and selling well to a busy ringside of potential buyers.

Ram lambs topped at £2,200 for a lamb from Burncroft Farm, Barnard Castle, which sold to Messrs Wear, Howe Green, Hartsop.

This same home also sold ram lambs to £155, £1,200 and four at £1,000 with one of these lots 168 taking the ram lamb championship and sold to Messrs Pattinson, Pinfold House, Daddry Shield.

The reserve prize ram lamb was awarded to Messrs Scott, Force Garth, Barnard Castle which sold for £800 to Messrs Collinson, Billing Shields Farm, Eastgate.

An overall ram lamb average of £523.75 was achieved.

Thursday results

Shearling ram: 1 No 323, W Richardson & Son, Ghyll House, 2 No 569, S Bentley, Lanehead Farm, 3 No 396, JW Dent & Sons, Naby View.

Special prize for the best shearling ram in 'C' District: 1 No 323, W Richardson & Son, Ghyll House, 2 No 610, Messrs Cockbain, Rakefoot Farm, 3 No 357, R&PE Hargreaves, Meadow Bank.

Shearling ram (small breeders): 1 No 202, RJ White, Rigg Farm, 2 No 595, SA&ADC Raine, Garth Nook Farm, 3 No 558, AT& A Bainbridge, Ash Dub.

Special prize for best shearling ram (small breeders) in 'C' District: 1 No 252, K Fawcett, Argill House, 2 No 529, S Buckle, Bleathgill Cottage.

Best ram shown by a 'C' District member: 1 No 252, K Fawcett, Argill House, 2 No 529, S Buckle, Bleathgill Cottage.

Best ram (small breeders): 1 No 202, RJ White, 2 No 595, SA&ADC Raine, Garth Nook Farm.

Best two shearling rams: 1 No 323, 324, W Richardson & Son, Ghyll House.

Champion ram: No 323, W Richardson & Son, Ghyll House. Reserve: No 569, S Bentley, Lanehead Farm.

Friday results

Shearling ram: 1 No 842, J&SJ Bland, Thwaite Bridge, 2 No 917, Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside Farm, 3 No 931, R Hutchinson & Sons, Valley Farm.

Special prize for the best shearling ram in 'C' District: 1 No 917, Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside Farm, 2 No 1021, Messrs Folder, Wescoe, 3 No 874, H Crocker, Townend Farm.

Shearling ram (small breeders): 1 No 698, B Richardson, Big Ferney Ford, 2 No 1029, TW Hutchinson, Bail Hill, 3 No 873, RJ Cloughton, East House.

Special prize for best shearling ram (small breeders) in 'C' District: 1 No 874, H Crocker, Townend Farm, 2 No 995 J Kelsall, Summerlands Farm.

Best ram shown by a 'C' District member: 1 No 917, Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside Farm, 2 No 1021, Messrs Folder, Wescoe.

Best ram (small breeders): 1 No 698, B Richardson, Big Ferney Ford.

Best two shearling rams: 1 No 917, 919, Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside Farm, 2 No 933, 931, R Hutchinson & Son, Valley Farm.

Champion ram: No 842, J&SJ Bland, Thwaite Bridge. Reserve: No 917, Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside Farm.