Scots Gap Primestock
Scots Gap Auction Mart
Prime Sheep
Prime Lambs
Auctioneers Hexham & Northern Marts at their Scots Gap Auction Mart centre held their Summer prize show and sale of prime lambs which was kindly sponsored by Robson & Prescott Vets and expertly judged by Mr Edward Stephenson of WMH Farm Fresh Butchers, Haydon Bridge. A small but quality show of lambs were brought before the judge who commented on the high overall standard throughout.
From his initial class prize winners he chose a super pen of well-bred and nicely finished ¾ Texel cross lambs from local producer and staunch supporter of ‘The Gap’ Mr Dave Brodie, Chesters Farm as his Champion pen and recipient of the handsome Mitchell Trophy.
The shapely pen of lambs were typical of the quality presented each week by Mr Brodie and typical of the benchmark of lambs sold at this centre weighing in at 46kg. Sold first in the sale the lambs were keenly sought after and scaled to £146 per head (317.4ppkg) with the hammer falling in favour of local livestock buyer and weekly attendee of The Gap Mr Jeff Dunn, West Farm, Ponteland. Standing as Reserve Champions were the second prize pen of Texels from Jim & Nicholas Brown which at a hefty 52kg sold for £130 to Ben Gray for Farmers Fresh, Wrexham.
A smart line-up of pairs of lambs were presented by several young handlers proving that farming at a local level at least is In safe hands with the farmers of the future keen to present their produce to a high standard. Taking the first prize rosette and The Dyke Neuk Tankard were a super pair of Millenium Bleu cross lambs from Lily Milburn, Forestburngate which weighed in at an ideal 44kg with both shape and cover-a-plenty. These were also keenly bid for and purchased by the judge for £130 (295.5ppkg) and will be available from the WMH Farm Fresh Butchers Shop, Church Street, Haydon Bridge as of next week.
Prizes;
Champion – Dave Brodie, Chesters (Texx)
Reserve Champion – Messrs Brown, East White Hill (Texx)
1st Prize Suffolk Cross – Messrs Johnson, Tuthill
1st Prize Mule – Messrs Walton, Troughend
3rd Prize Texel cross – Philip Dickinson, Rugley Walls
Young Handlers;
1st – Lily Milburn, Forestburngate (Mill. Bleu x)
2nd – Martha Dickinson, Rugley Walls (Texx)
3rd – Archie Johnson, Tuthill (Texx)
The auctioneers would like to thank our sponsors, judge, purchasers and all exhibitors for their support of the prize show.
Besides the show lambs a quality entry was presented however unseasonal weather has checked lambs coming forward and numbers fell short of requirements. Trade was on par with other centres earlier in the week and heavy, well fleshed sorts continue to sell well. The sale topped at £149 for a super heavy Texel from The Chesters with others at £140 and £136. Suffolks sold to £124 from Tuthill with Mules to £112 and Blackies to £105; both from Troughend.
Leading prices;
Texel x –£149, £146, £140 & £136 Chesters, £135 Catreen, £134.50 Tuthill, £132 Dunns Houses, Tuthill & East White Hill, £130 East White Hill & Dunns Houses, £128 Catreen, £124.50 Tuthill, £124 East White Hill & Tuthill
317.4p Chesters, 290.5p Catreen, 275.0p Rugley Walls, 273.3p Forestburngate, 272.3p Catreen, 272.0p & 268.9p Chesters, 268.3p Black Callerton, 267.4p Tuthill, 266.7p Dunns Houses, 265.2p Catreen
Suffolk x –£124 Tuthill, £123 Tuthill & Dunns Houses, £118.50 East Newham, £116 Tuthill
268.3p East Newham, 252.2p Tuthill, 252.1p East Newham
Millennium Bleu-£130 Forestburngate
295.5p Forestburngate
Continental x-£111 Shaftoe Moor
264.3p Shaftoe Moor
Mule –£112 Dunns Houses
248.9p Dunns Houses
Blackface –£105 Dunns Houses