AN overall selling average of £152.54 per head, a solid rise of £22.49 on the year, was recorded at the opening North of England Mule gimmer lamb show and sale at CCM Skipton, an early season fixture generally indicative of potential trading levels at future sales in the northern calendar.

Vendors, all members of the North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA), presented the usual tidy entry of both tupping and running lambs, with trade very much in line with expectations. While top pens saw a modest increase on the year, it was the middle and lower pens in runs that saw a nice rise.

Wharfedale father and son, Francis and James Caton, Weston Hall Farm, Weston, pulled off a tremendous double when crowned champions in both show classes, winning the flagship pens of ten class for the first time and following up on past title wins with their 20s. It was their first-ever first prize double and by far their biggest success at a high profile fixture the Catons have been supporting across two generations.

Their title-winning 10s featured lambs by two home-bred rams, P10 Weston and N1 Weston, with others by R8 Otterburn Lodge, S13 Seahouses and a Reed West Biggins ram. They made second top £330 per head, the victorious 20s, similarly bred, with the addition of some by P2 Dunhow, topping their section at £190.

Defending 10s champions, the Walker family, Brennand Farm, Dunsop Bridge, only narrowly failed to win the class for a remarkable sixth consecutive year when standing runners-up this year with lambs predominantly by home-bred tups, N9 Brennand and P10 Brennand, supplemented by Highberries and Dave Lawson sires.

However, the Forest of Bowland Walkers - Geoff and Margaret and sons, John and Rob – once again took top price in sale of £350 per head, far excelling the £280 selling price of their 2023 victors. They also finished sixth in the 10s with similarly bred lambs making £250.

Other familiar faces again featured among the prizes. Stephen and Tracey Fawcett, and daughter, Samantha, Fold Farm, Drebley, consigned the third prize 10s, away at £260, plus another pen at £200, while, from another Fold Farm, the Walker family, Appletreewick – Patrick, Janet and son Thomas – were responsible for both the fourth prize 10s and sixth prize 20s, selling at £235 and £178 respectively.

CCM chairman and former NEMSA national chairman, Kevin Wilson, Hewness House Farm, Blubberhouses – he farms with wife Daphne and son, James – had the fifth prize tens, away at £230, also finishing runners-up with their 20s, these making £182. All were by home-bred sons of the family’s legendary F1 Bighead.

From Oddacres, Embsay, the third prize 20s from John and Claire Mason, and daughter Annabel, made £165 – they also had a pen of ten at £200 – with the Hallam family, Nether Lodge, Horton-in-Ribblesdale – Paul and Sue and children Robbie, Meghan and Josh – selling their fourth prize 20s at £175, plus a pen of ten at £210.

The fifth prize 20s from the Kitching family, Grisedale Farm, Threshfield - brothers Richard and Charles, and sons Frank, Jack and Thomas - made £180, also selling a pen of ten at £210, while other £210 pens were consigned by WA&A Booth, Feizor, and Ellis Bros, Addingham Moorside.

In the mix, one-third of the sale sold in the £160-£195 bracket, which was needed to secure most other stronger pens, be they bonny, dark or lighter heads. A tremendous amount of medium lambs sold in the £140s and £150’s, just a few smaller lambs selling from £130 to £138, with £130 being the lowest sale price on the day.

CCM Auctions again awarded prizes for the highest flock averages. Heading the trade with 100 or more lambs were the prolific Catons with 200 to average £173.71, followed by the Appletreewick Walkers with 175 averaging £165.20 and the Oddacres Masons with 190 levelling at £160.42.

The leading average for under 100 lambs fell to the Drebley Fawcetts with 20 averaging £230, then the Dunsop Bridge Walkers with 79 levelling at £187.28, followed by the North Craven Booths with 73 averaging £166.25. A standalone competition for the best run of 40 lambs, judged by Paul Bolland Airton, fell to the Wilsons, with CCM stockman Gordon Banks, Barden, winning a ‘guess the overall average’ competition.

In the pre-sale prize show, tens – the victors received the Chester Knellor Memorial Trophy, along with the Ciba Geigy Perpetual Trophy – were co-judged by Thomas Walmsley, Harrogate, and Jonjoe Morris, Yelvertoft. The 20s, the winners also receiving a Ciba Geigy Perpetual Trophy, were co-judged by Winston Thorne, Umberley, and Clive Rowlands, Garrowby, Show main sponsors were Skipton NFU Mutual, supported by Carr’s Billington, WBW Surveyors, Armstrong Watson Accountants and Harrison Drury Solicitors.CCM Skipton’s second official NEMSA gimmer lamb sale is this coming Tuesday, September 24.