Kirkby Stephen: Saturday, October 31

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd Kirkby Stephen Mart held their annual Luke Fair sale of breeding sheep on Saturday when a catalogue entry of 4,707 sheep were on offer.

Topping the sale at £620 was a Beltex Shearling ram from Messrs Hodgson, Green Farm Shap, which was purchased by Messrs Thompson, Bromley Green, Ormside.

Topping the females section at £290 were a pen of four 3 crop Swaledale ewes from Messrs Coates, Aygill Farm, Muker, which were purchased by Messrs Skidmore, Hangings Wells.

For what was a wonderful, full range and variety of breeding sheep, sold to a fantastic trade for all classes, with a packed ringside of buyers from as far afield as Cornwall,, being in attendance. Over 1,400 more sheep were sold on the same sale last year.

Swaledale ewes lead the day’s trading with over 1,200 being sold to average £86.74, which includes many correct below only and four to seven crop ewes in this average.

Leading Prices

Ewes - Swaledale £290, £260, £180, £175, £122 Aygill Farm; £170, £102 Long Green; £155, £150, £136, £135, £104, £102 Hoggarths; £140, £132, £110, £104, £100 Wemmergill; £132, £108 New Hall; £130, £105 West Stonesdale; £128 Lockthwaite; £125, £110, £102 Uldale Farm; £120, £102 Ellergill; £115 Whitewall; £108 Hole House; £102 Easterbeck House; £102 Bar Gap: Texel £114, £108, £102 Stoney Head; £105 Argill House; £102, £100 Nelson Farm: Beltex £102 Montgomery Road: Suffolk £94, £80 Stoney Head: Mule £92 (2), £90, £88 (2) Stoney Head; £86 Town Foot: Kerry Hill £92, £82 Nelson Farm: Cheviot £84 Dry Howe: Rough Fell £76 Whins.

Gimmer Shearlings - Swaledale £135 Barras Farm; £132, £108, £102 (2), £100 Wemmergill; £126 Dousgill; £115, £100 Bar Gap; £110 Cranberry; £108 Whitewall: Texel £130, £116, £112 Wath Farm (Bowman); £100 Nixon Terrace: Bluefaced Leicester £128 Lockholme Hall: Mule £125 Stoney Head; £112 Montgomery Road; £108 (3) Stoney Head; £106 Ashfield: Beltex £110 Montgomery Road.

Gimmer Lambs - Zwartble £130, £120 Decklyn; £78 Bullflatts: Texel £120, £112, £100 Wath farm (Bowman); £81 Shawcote Farm; £80 Easterbeck House; £76 Aisgill Farm; £74 Narthwaite; £74, £72 Starrah: Swaledale £100, £78, £70 (2) Mount Pleasant; £91 Punchard House; £88, £74, £68 New Hall; £88, £84, £75, £72 (2) Wemmergill; £84 Argill House; £80, £66 Haithwaite; £78 High Stennerskeugh; £74 Slip Cottage; £72, £68, £64 Easterbeck House; £70 Cranberry; £70 High Blackton; £70 Garnthwaite; £70 Low Rigg; £66 Whitewall; £63 Woolpits Hill; £62 Dousgill Farm; £62 Hillhouse; £60 Aygill Farm; £60 Birch Bush; £60 Ashfield: Mule £85, £84, £82, £75 Blades Field; £84, £82, £72, £70 Park House; £83, £82, £74 Argill House; £82, £80, £70 Croft House; £76 High Green; £76 Bowderdale Head; £75, £70 Cranberry; £74 Low Dubbs; £74 Dry Howe; £74 Hartley Castle; £72 Lockholme Hall; £72 Holme Lea: Beltex £74, £70 Starrah.

Breeding Rams - Beltex £620, £400 Green Farm (Hodgson); £480 Stoney Head; £320 Calf Close; £220 Montgomery Road; £200 Wharton Dykes: Texel £640, £360, 3280 Stoney Head; £400 (2), £310 Spring Hill; £340 The Croft; £300 Leases; £360 Spring Hill (AS Bell); £240 Argill House: Swaledale 300 High Stennerskeugh: Bluefaced Leicester £280, £230 Montgomery Road; £260, £200 Seal Houses; £200 Fountain Head; £200 Caw House Farm; £200 Throstle Hall.