A SALE-leading 3000gns for a shearling ewe, 2800gns tops twice for shearling rams from the same home and a 2200gns ram lamb high for the supreme champion, were among the highlights at the 43nd Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders’ annual two-day show and sale of pedigree rams and females at CCM Skipton (September19/20).

 Leading lady on price was the second prize shearling ewe and reserve female champion from BI&BM Mosey, Blackdale flock, Gilling East, twixt York and Helmsley. The daughter of the Strathbogie Cannonball son, Claybury Dunkirk, bred out of a Craigdarroch Clint ewe, was paraded successfully as a gimmer lamb, standing champion at Ryedale and reserve champion at Driffield.

Shown by shepherd Elliot Gisborne, the top price performer headed north to the Scottish Borders with Glen Wilson, Hawick, who also paid 2000gns for a second shearling gimmer from Blackdale, again sired by Claybury Dunkirk and this time from a Hope Valley Dazzler ewe.

Angela Nairey, Meinspride flock, Liusey, Blackburn, consigned the first prize shearling ewe, female and overall reserve supreme champion, sired by Hartside Calypso, a 2200gns buy as a shearling in 2021 who has since bred some solid shearlings himself, both male and female.

Out of a home-bred daughter of Mullan Cruise Control, a 4500gns acquisition in 2019, the reserve supreme, shown by son, James Nairey, matched his own sire’s 2200gns purchase price when claimed by B&R Lawson, Richmond.

A section top 800gns fell to the first prize ewe lamb from the Brick Hills flock, Sleights, Whitby, run by Reece and Jenny Stevenson, though shown under the names of their six-year-old daughter, Sophie, and five-year-old son, Jack. Bred by Hexel Gorgeous George, the lamb, already a reserve breed champion at a local show, remained in Yorkshire’s East Riding with AJ Chapman, Hempholme.

Best of the boys at 2800gns joint top were a brace of shearling rams from Derbyshire’s Martin Furness, Westgate flock, Wormhill, Buxton. Both were by the stock ram, Maineview Four Square, one joining the Priestley family, Kirkcambeck, Cumbria, the other Josh Ryder, Masongill.

From the Scottish Borders, Eve Hodge, Greenarch flock, Huntlywood, sold her first prize recorded shearling ram, Greenarch Great Scot, for 2600gns to James Robertshaw and Eleanor Bradley, Thornton, Bradford, who also went to 1800gns to claim a third prize Greenarch shearling ram.

Father-and-son, Graham and Oliver Taylor, did well with shearling rams from their Thirsk-based flocks, the latter’s Plane Tree holding achieving three prices at 2000gns or more, the best at 2400gns for a home-bred son of Stonehills England which went to Wharfedale with DH Ryder, Lindley, a second by the same sire also standing reserve male champion and selling at 2,000gns to JT&AO Hartley, Grindleton. Graham Taylor himself achieved 2000gns and 2200gns sales.

Steven Nesbitt, Alwent flock, Winston, Darlington, again did well with his strong ram lambs, one jointly owned with Michael Dent, Alwent Hercules, a son of Strathbogie Yes Sir, first winning the recorded ram lamb show class before progressing to become male champion, champion recorded ram and supreme champion under judge Paul Slater, Whiteley Hey flock, Macclesfield. Hercules headed the section prices at 2200gns when winging his way to Wharfedale with Northern Area Texel Sheepbreeders chairman Mark Keighley, Manderley flock, Leathley.

Mark also runs the Helmark flock with wife Helen and they caught the eye when claiming 1800gns with a home-bred shearling ram bought by Richard Wilson, Beckwithshaw. Another 1800gns shearling ram from local breeders, the Lambert family, Topstone flock, Hellifield, remained in the area when falling to Ian Mellin, Airton.

Forward were 262 head, with selling averages up on the year across all classes. Shearling rams averaged a solid £1122 per head, an improvement on the previous year’s £930. Martin Furness had the leading section average when selling four to level at £2520, followed by eight from Graham Taylor to average £1627, then seven from Eve Hodge at £1605. Ram lambs averaged £562, compared to £405 last year, the Alwent flock leading the section averages with a trio at £1260.

The Moseys topped the female averages with their shearling ewe brace levelling at £2625, this section producing an overall average of £663, well up on 2023’s £380, while ewe lambs also showed a marked increase to average £581 compared to £236 the previous year.

Show sponsors were Minexcel Nutrition and BATA Group, with full results, prices and averages at www.ccmauctions.com