Despite the roaring trade seen at many Mule ewe lamb sales this autumn, prices at yesterday’s sale of Swaledale draft ewes and gimmers was more cautious than last year, with the overall average falling back by £21.70 on last year.
The 4247 females traded levelled the day at £116.87, with the ewe average settling at £110.45 shearlings averaging £129.75.
Heading the day’s prices were a pen of gimmers from Neil Richardson, Big Fernyford Farm, Reapes Moor, Longnor, Buxton. This second prize pen sold at £250/head to Alan Barnes, Cowden. Mr Barnes also bought Mr Richardson’s third prize pen at £220.
Next best in the gimmers was a £215 sale for a pen from Alan and Fiona Alderson, while Chris Akrigg, Cray, sold his fourth prize shearling pen for the same money to J H Critchlow, Ashbourne. D and S Hollings, Pecket Well, Hebden Bridge, and D Hargreaves, Airton, both has £200 pens.
Taking top call in the older ewes was Roy Nelson, Bordley, with a pen which made £235/head having stood third in the pre-sale show. This pen sold to Derbyshire with Matthew Critchlow, Buxton.
Selling at £200/head were a pen from F C, N and M Walker, Hartlington, with these heading to S S Richardson, Great Houghton, Barnsley.
Two pens then sold at £195/head, with the first at this money being the first prize pen of ewes from Stuart and Debbie Robinson, Litton and Mike and Ruth Pearson, Horton-in-Ribblesdale. These were bought by A and C Ivinson, Ousby.
The Pen-y-ghent flock of John and Jean Bradley, Giggleswick, also sold at this price, with their pen bought by Ian Lancaster, Wiswell. (Craven Cattle Marts).
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