A sale-topping 3000gns for a shearling ram and an eye-catching 2500gns for the supreme champion ewe lamb were among the highlights at the 44th Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders’ annual two-day show and sale of pedigree rams and females at CCM Skipton.
Top of the shop on price fell to John North’s local North Craven Loxley flock, Giggleswick, with the second prize shearling ram, Loxley Hercules. He’s by the Garngour Craftsman son, Mullan Foxtrot and out of a New View Buster-bred ewe and sold to James Simpson, Woodliffe.
What a swansong it proved to be for County Durham-based Steven Nesbitt’s Alwent flock, again exhibiting alongside joint vendor Michael Dent. The duo won the 2024 supreme championship with a ram lamb and returned to repeat the feat this year – this time with a ewe lamb.
Their female and overall supreme – a full sister to last year’s title winner – was a February-born lamb with by Strathbogie Yes Sir, and out of a dam by Usk Vale Crackerjack. She went on to claim top price of 2500gns among the females sale when returning to Co. Durham with the Teward family’s New View flock.
Spyros Spyrou, Gib Farm flock, Hebden Bridge, received the principle price for a gimmer shearling of 1800gns, second top call among the females, for his class winner and reserve female champion, out of a Craig Douglas Dancer-bred ewe by Coach House Gambler, himself by Clanfield Ferrari. She goes to Kirkby Lonsdale with Messrs H Chapman and Son.
Two excellent pens of shearlings rams came from Martin Furness, Westgate flock and regular vendor Andrew Pawson, trading as D Pawson and Sons, Yellow Hill flock, Blackburn. Westgate sold Preenbank Emrys sons to 2800gns and 2400gns, while Yellow Hill sold Mershott Fagin sons at 2600gns and 2500gns. These two vendors also headed the shearling ram pen averages with Westgate selling eight at £1958 and Yellow Hill another eight at £1942.
The male champion and reserve supreme overall was the first prize ram lamb from farmer and butcher, Charles Ashbridge and wife, Rachel, Hambleton flock, Cold Kirby, Thirsk. Their March-born Hambleton I’m The One, sired by stock tup Uppermill Gazza and homebred from a ewe by Allanfauld Dare Devil, also stood reserve overall champion at Ripley Show this summer, claiming a section-topping 2500gns when selling to W J and V J Case, Ulverston.
Eve Hodge, Greenarch flock, Huntlywood, in the Scottish borders, won the recorded shearling ram class, also reserve male champion, with her Greenarch Hombre, a Caron Fire Fly son, himself by Tullylagan Commander, out of a ewe by Wolfclyde Dynamo. It made 2000gns, the same vendor doing better with two other shearling rams at 2400gns and 2200gns.
From Northamptonshire, Barbara Smith, Slapton flock, Towcester, won the shearling ram show class with Slapton Hercules, out of a Langside Digger Gal daughter and sired by Whitehart First Class, himself a son of Whitehart Big Style. He made 1600gns,
From Cumbria, Jeff and Jennifer Aiken, Coniston flock, Ainstable, claimed 2200gns with a shearling ram, selling seven in total to average £1545, among them the third prize in show class at 1800gns.
Also from Cumbria, venue regulars the Priestley family, Kirkambeck, claimed 1900gns with the fifth prize shearling ram from their Brontemoor flock.
Back with the ladies, two further four-figure selling prices of 1600gns and 1000gns respectively were achieved by shearling ewes from, respectively, B I and B M Mosey, Blackdale flock, York, and S and S Beachell, Samsar flock, Beswick, Driffield.
Averages; shearling ewes £509, ewe lambs £589, aged rams £761, shearling rams £1146, ram lambs £613 (CCM)