THE 2023 breeding sheep season at CCM Skipton Auction Mart again launched with the traditional opening annual show and sale of gimmer shearlings, when 5,271 head at a fixture regarded as one of the keynote early sales in the northern calendar sold to an overall all-breeds average of £164.95 compared to £174.14 for 5,091 head the previous year. (Tues, Aug 22).

Overall, shearling ewes found a mixed reception, with, as anticipated, the top third of the entry, both Continental and Mule, in very good demand, many making £200-plus. The middle third of sheep were a variable trade, though as buyers filled trailers and left at the back end of the day the strong middle order of sheep looked particularly good value at £145. Prior to that, the category was £155-£165.

In the five breed show classes for pens of ten, all but one of last year’s victors successfully defended their crowns.

CONTINENTAL The first prize pen of pure Texel was consigned by Angela Nairey and Stan Lucas, and son James, Bank Hey Farm, Blackburn, becoming the third recipients of the James Boothman Memorial Trophy, donated and presented by mart regular, Linton’s Thomas Boothman in memory of his late father.

Involved with the breed for some 38 years - they have lambed almost 300 Texel ewes this year – the family’s red rosette winners, by a mix of home-bred and bought-in tups, sold for £260, a second similarly bred pen of ten, also third prize winners, doing better at £270, which was top price in section and top call of the day when claimed by Richard Crabtree, Clifton, Otley.

Again standing runners-up were the Coverdale family, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, their three-quarters home-bred Texel, out of Cheviot Mules and all grass-fed, making £230, plus another at the same price, along with other pens at £225 and £220.

Continental shearlings met a strong attendance ringside, the best three-quarters bred sheep with size and power regularly making £200-£260. D&SJ Pinder, Newton-In-Bowland, sold 80 Texel Cheviots from £200-£215, with Sam and Jen Bradley, Addingham, selling a run of 85 once and twice-crossed Texels all between £210 and £220.

Also doing well with Beltex pens were MJ Beckwith and WG Beckwith, both Gargrave, at £260 and £220 respectively, plus the Robston Partnership, Bingley, £230, who also consigned Charollais pens at £260 and £220.

Strong sheep with skins and length frequently made £185-£210, first-crossed shearlings with size and frame again £180-£200, the next grade down regularly away at £170-£185. Leaner sheep with frame sold at £155-£165, harder farmed types £130-£150, with very few pens of three-quarters bred shearlings short of size making either size of £130. A run of well-sold Herdwick crossed Texels regularly achieved £130.

NORTH OF ENGLAND MULE The first prize pen of Mule shearlings again came from the Ribble Valley in the hands of James Towler and partner Sammy Fawcett, Steelands Farm, Grindleton, retaining the Edgar Boothman Trophy, also presented by nephew Thomas.

All were again purchased at last autumn’s annual North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA) gimmer lamb sales, including six at Skipton by Bluefaced Leicester tups from Chris and Christine Ryder, Blubberhouses, and John and Rose Tennant, Bordley, the others by Chris Sharp, Chapel-le-Dale, and Dunn family, Breck House, Bransdale, rams. All the shearlings had lambed as hoggs and they sold at a section-topping £260 to Tom Walmsley, Haverah Park, Harrogate, another Towler pen making £230.

The Fox family, Withgill, Clitheroe, stepped up on their third prize class win in 2022 to stand runners-up this year, their pen away at £232, the third prize pen from JW Hall & Son, Darnbrook, Malham Moor, doing better at £250, plus another at £228. W&M Oldfield, Gisburn, also sold Mules to £225.

Mule shearlings were almost a three- tier market, the best and strongest end, mainly vaccinated against Enzo and Toxo, regularly hitting £180-plus and in very strong demand, with a long list achieving £200-plus. A middle of the road Mule met a variable trade between £150-£180, with customers again keen to secure vaccinated sheep in the top end of that price range.

CHEVIOT MULE The Darnbrook Halls - father and son, both James, and brother William – also made a major impact when winning the Cheviot Mules show class for the third year in succession with daughters of traditional Bluefaced Leicester tups. They have now been involved with the breed for four years, running both North of England and Welsh Mules. Their class victors, which sold for £190 and went to Cheshire with S Norcott & Son, Knutsford, were supplemented by the runners-up, these away at £175, the third prize pen from W&M Bland Kirkby Malham, making £165.

Top price in class of £210 fell to WF Alton & Son, Kirk Deighton, selling locally to Ashley Thwaite, Hellifield, followed by a £195 pen from RG Walter & Son, Retford, another at £175 from DR Kayley, Halton West.

ASSOCIATION MASHAM The annual Masham Sheep Breeders Association show was won for a remarkable fifth year running by WD Douthwaite & Partners, Kirkby Overblow, who run their Mashams on a second farm at Menwith Hill.

Again shown by Chris Douthwaite and daughter Amanda, who remains Masham Sheep Breeders chairman, their first prize pen, comprising home-bred shearlings by Teeswater tups from David Newbould, Dallowgill, and Ernie Bainbridge, Reeth, with others acquired as lambs from Alec Lambert, Bainbridge, sold at £190, matched on price by the second prize pen from the same home, with others at £192 and £185 twice.

The third prize winners from KA Liddle & Partners, Stainburn, made £185, the same vendor also heading the section prices with a £195 pen going the Strickland family, Kendal, Mike and Betty Allen, Staithes, also catching the eye with a £192 pen.

NON-ASSOCIATION MASHAM The remaining show class for non-association Masham gimmer shearlings again fell to father and son, Mark and Freddie Harrison, who trade as V Verity & Son, West End, Summerbridge. Also by Ernie Bainbridge tups, they made £160, followed at the same price by the runners-up from the same home, both again falling to the Stricklands.

SUFFOLK A few pens of Suffolk shearlings sold to £195 from D&D Collins, Wigan, another at £170, this price also matched by a pen from TJ Burke, Agden, Cheshire, with others from the same home at £165 and £160.

SHEARLING BREED AVERAGES Mule £163.32 (2022 £176.85 -£13.53), Masham £167.94 (£187.20 -£19.26),Texel £173.47 (£175.61 -£2.14), Suffolk £160.37 (£151.14 +£9.23), Cheviot Mule £168.93 (£185.66 -£16.73), Charolais £197.78, Beltex £186.13, Zwartable £144.29.

BREEDING EWES & RAMS Also in the mix were 528 ewes and 22 rams. Ewes were good to sell, some nice 2/3-crop Continentals making £160-£195, while 2-crop Mules sold to £205.

Texel and Cheviot Mule show classes were both judged by former CCM yardman Charlie Clark, now farming north of the border in Newton Stewart with parents Robert and Vicky, Mule by Beckwithshaw’s Colin Ryder and nephew Tom, and Masham by John Dawson, Clapham. Co-sponsors were the British Wool Marketing Board, WE Jameson, Top Tags Animal ID and Denton Cars.