Monday 12th October 2026

 

THIRD SALE OF MULE AND CONTINENTAL GIMMER LAMBS

 

Forward: 2275 Gimmer Lambs, Comprising 2049 Mule Gimmer Lambs, 17 Masham, 114 Suffolk Gimmer Lambs, 37 Cheviot Mule Gimmer Lambs, 38 Continental & Other Gimmer Lambs & 20 Gimmer Shearlings.

The third annual sale of gimmer lambs at Hawes Auction followed two successful sales, with trade proving more challenging on the day. Following the strong prices achieved at the first two sales, a number of buyers were now fully stocked, while the ongoing drought across southern areas continues to cause concern, with many farms still desperately short of grass and already utilising winter fodder supplies. This resulted in some southern buyers choosing not to travel north for the sale.

There was still plenty of interest throughout the sale, with the quality of lambs on offer being much as expected for a third sale of the season. Stronger lambs showing plenty of promise and looking like making good breeding sheep regularly sold in excess of £150. The overall market average was £138, with the sale topping at £210 for a pen of Mule gimmer lambs from JF & GR Howard, Raydaleside.

A much-admired run of Suffolk gimmer lambs from D Alderson, Brignall, sold to £192, £190 and £188, with all Suffolk-cross gimmer lambs averaging £169.54. Texel-cross gimmer lambs sold to £175 from WM & JE Shuttleworth, Barbon, while Cheviot Mule gimmer lambs were presented by G Barraclough, Rosedale.

The annual Gregg Day end-of-season sale of all breeds of breeding sheep, gimmer shearlings, gimmers and breeding rams takes place on Saturday 7th November 2026. Entries close on Thursday 29th October 2026.

 

Mules Average:                   £136.4

Suffolk Average:                 £169.5

Mule Shearlings Average: £168.5

Continental Average:         £140.8

Cheviot Average:                £136.1

Masham Average:              £135.6

 

Total Average £138.4

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Leading Prices: 

Mule Gimmer Lambs – JF & GR Howard, £210, £185, £155, JC Fawcett, £200, WI & AM Atkinson, £188, £160, £152,

K & HJ Fawcett, £188, £160, A & F Watson, £185, £158, HW & G White, £175, £164, £158,  JH Sharp & Sons, £172, £150,

TM Barrass & Son, £172, £156, £154, N & R Hird, £170, £160, W & C Iceton & Son, £170, TG & B Todd, £170, T & A Hird, £170 x2, Bainbridge Bros, £170, £162, £152, PA Raine, £168, £160, Middleton Livestock Ltd, £168, TM Barrass & Son, £168,

W & A Lambert & Son, £165, NA Edgar, £162, MJ & JD Handley, £160, A & AJ Lambert, £158, £155, A Sharples, £158,

GT & MA Wearmouth, £158, GD & AR Barningham, £158, W & M Buckle, £155, RR Akrigg, £155, LH Seymour, £154,

JJ & JM & RJ Milburn, £152, TG & B Todd, £152 x2, P Dinsdale & Son, £152, H & M Plews, £150, AJ Pratt, £150, SE Hunter, £150,

NW & ME Mason & Son, £150.

Suffolk - D Alderson, £192, £190, £188, £170, £168, G Barraclough, £162, £158, £155, £138, SE Hunter, £145, MJ & JD Handley, £128. 

Masham - WI & AM Atkinson, £152, £120, DL Mudd, £102. 

Continental x - WM & JE Shuttleworth, £175, ED Bousfield, £152, £148, Collier Holme, £126, £112, A Denby, £124. 

Mule Gimmer Shearlings - ED Bousfield, £170 x2, RN Hoggarth, £140.

Cheviot x - G Barraclough, £170, £130, MJ & JD Handley, £145, KJ burrow, £135, Collier Holme, £130, £100.

BFL X - WM & JE Shuttleworth, £140.

Herdwick x - JM & AM Morland, £105.

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Saturday 10th October 2026

 

Sale of Swaledale Gimmer Shearlings and Gimmer Lambs

Sale Kindly Sponsored by JG Paxton & Sons, Machinery Sales.

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Forward: 2524 Sheep comprising 196 Gimmer Shearlings and 2328 Gimmer Lambs.

 

The Annual Show and Sale of Swaledale Gimmer Shearlings and Gimmer Lambs at Hawes Auction enjoyed a successful day, with a buoyant trade throughout and strong interest from buyers travelling from across the United Kingdom, from Devon to the Scottish Isles. Quality sheep were in demand, with the best types attracting keen competition and regularly achieving strong prices.

Thanks go to our pre-sale judges, Helen Drinkall, Oakenclough, and Craig Hutchinson, Bowes, for their time and expertise. A special mention also goes to our sponsors, JG Paxton & Sons Ltd, for their continued support.

Swaledale Gimmer Shearlings

Quality, abortion-vaccinated gimmer shearlings were in strong demand, with plenty of buyers competing for the best types. The first-prize pen was awarded to G Calvert & Sons, Keld, and went on to sell for £400. Their second-prize pen followed closely at £380, with the consignment averaging £362.90. The third-prize pen, awarded to JA Alderson, Barras, topped the day's trade at £410. Swaledale gimmer shearlings averaged £289, an impressive £109 up on the corresponding sale last year.

Swaledale Gimmer Lambs

The annual show and sale of Swaledale gimmer lambs attracted a busy ringside of buyers, with a strong trade maintained throughout. Quality lambs were particularly sought after, with the best pens easily and regularly selling in excess of £200, and plenty of the leading pens trading around the £250 mark.

The pre-sale champion pen, awarded to JW Porter & Son, Low Oxnop, sold for £320. This home also secured the second-prize rosette, with their pen selling for £280.

The ongoing flock dispersal from JS Calvert Ltd, Reeth, attracted considerable interest, with the show gimmer lamb topping the day's trade at £385 and further lambs from this home selling to £255. The sale also included the dispersal from WH Harker, which achieved a top price of £280.

A particularly well-admired pen of 10 from G Harker & Son, Punchard, sold for £350, further highlighting the demand for quality sheep.

The overall market average for Swaledale gimmer lambs was £159, an excellent £40 up on the year.

The next sale at Hawes Auction will be the annual Gregg Day Sale on Saturday 7th November 2026, featuring all breeds of breeding ewes, gimmer shearlings and gimmers, alongside the show and sale of Swaledale breeding rams and a sale of Leicester rams and other breeding rams. Entries are now invited, with the closing date being Thursday 29th October 2026.

 

SHOW RESULTS

Kindly Judged by Mrs Helen Drinkall, Oakenclough & Mr Craig Hutchinson, Bowes

 

Gimmer Shearlings

1st - G Calvert & Sons, Keld, £400

2nd - G Calvert & Sons, Keld, £380

3rd - JA Alderson, Barras, £410

 

Gimmer Lambs

1st - JW Porter & Sons, Gunnerside, £320

2nd - JW Porter & Sons, Gunnerside, £280

3rd - B Thornborrow, Keld, £210

 

Gimmer Shearlings    

Leading Prices: JA Alderson, £410, G Calvert & Sons, £400, £380, £350 x4, EW Atkinson, £330,

GR Scarr, £290, £265, £250, £245 x2, £240, N & H Sutcliffe, £260, £250, EW Atkinson, £260, AD Lambert, £225.

Average £289.5

 

Gimmer Lambs

Leading Prices: JS Calvert Ltd, £385, £255, £240, £195,  G Harker & Son, £350, £190, JW Porter & Sons, £280, WH Harker, £280,

D & DR Alderson, £255, £250, £195, £185, RS Harker & Son, £255, £210,  £195 x2, £180, GJ & JM Scarr, £255, £180,

TW Cowperthwaite, £250, £245, £235, £210, £200 x2, £195, £192,  JT Dixon & Son, £240, £200, £190,

MR & LE Rukin, £235, £230, £205 x2, £200, £185, S Bell & Sons, £230, ME Allison, £220, K & HJ Fawcett, £220, £210, £185 x2, £180,

JR & SL Pratt, £215, £210, £200, ME Waggett, £215, £200, £195,  EW Atkinson, £210, B Thornborrow, £210, £200, MR Ewbank, £210,

J Dixon & Sons, £205, J Rukin & Son, £200 x2, H & EM Tiplady, £200, £185 x2, GA & DE Slack, £200, AD Coates & Son, £195,

M/S Hutchinson, £195, P Ewbank, £195, D Hodgson, £190, KM & KJ Curwen, £189, S Reynoldson & Son, £185, R Metcalfe, £180,

MW Dent, £180, AD Coates & Son, £180, LW & GM Atkinson, £180, S & RJ Calvert, £180. 

Average £157.2

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Friday 9th October 2026

 

SALE OF STORE LAMBS

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Forward: 2984

 

Another large show of store lambs was forward at Hawes, with a full ringside of both local and travelled buyers ensuring a strong trade across all types.

The sale topped at £144 for a Texel lamb from F Bainbridge, Barnard Castle. Other strong pens of Texels sold to £143 from AJ & L Hunter, Gunnerside. Smart pens of Beltex lambs achieved £142 from AW Brown, Kendal.

A lovely run of Tex-Dale gimmers from JG Brunton, Richmond, sold to £141, with further pens reaching £130.

A large show of 1,560 Mule lambs was forward, selling to an average of £112.10. Mules topped at £130.50 for an impressive pen from K & HJ Fawcett, Kirkby Stephen, with other pens selling to £128 from SD Thompson, Leyburn.

More hill lambs are now coming forward, with new buyers around the ringside looking for these types. Cheviots topped at £119.50 from RW Ridley, Richmond, with a ringful selling to £118.50 from TR Fothergill, Hawes.

A total of 240 Swaledale lambs was forward, selling to an average of £78.86. The sale topped at £94 from AJ & L Hunter, Gunnerside, with other strong pens reaching £89.50 from SE Hunter, Barnard Castle.

Next Store Lamb Sale: Friday 23 October

Vendors are kindly requested to advise the office of the number for the next sale.

 

Continental x to £144, F Bainbridge, Baldersdale, Av. £114.8

Beltex x to £142, AW Brown, Carnforth, Av. £119

Mules to £130.50, K & HJ Fawcett, Stainmore, Av. £112

Suffolk to £128.50, J Alderson & Son, Howgill, Av. £116

Cheviot to £119.50, RW Ridley, Hurst, Av. £111.8

Horned to £94, AJ & L Hunter, Gunnerside, Av. £77.8

 

Total Average £110.7

 

Leading Prices:

Texel x - F Bainbridge, £144, AJ & L Hunter, £143, £125.50, £124, £122, £121, JG Brunton, £141, £130, £127, AJ Pratt, £134,

T Metcalfe, £130, K Metcalfe & Sons, £129.50, C Stanley, £129, JJ & E Labbate, £128.50, HJ Thwaite, £127, AL Dawes, £125.50, £121,

AT Pratt, £125, AW Brown, £125, £120.50, RJ Cloughton, £124, £120.50, £120,  K & M Sowerby, £124, JR Davidson & Son, £124,

RW Ridley, £123, £121, SE Hunter, £121.50, A Sharples, £121.50, JA & E Metcalfe, £121, R & H Hird, £121, T Metcalfe, £120.50,

JR Blades, £120.

Beltex - AW Brown, £142, D & SM Pratt, £130 x2, MJ Fothergill £126, SE Hunter, £121, A & NJ Heseltine, £121, Booth Brothers, £119,

LA Booth, £119, JA & E Metcalfe, £114.50, £107.

Mules - K & HJ Fawcett, £130.50, £128, SD Thompson, £128, K Metcalfe & Sons, £126.50, SJ & M Richardson & Son, £125.50,

HJ Thwaite, £123, CR & MJ Birkbeck, £122.50, D Stephenson, £122.50, C Hird & Son, £121.50, £113, K & M Sowerby & Son, £120,

B Spence & Sons, £119.50, JH Capstick, £119.50, W & C Iceton & Son, £119, HJ Thwaite, £119, Handley, £118.50,

JW Porter & Sons, £118.50, A & NJ Heseltine, £118, A Fawcett & Sons, £118, DL Mudd, £117.50, JS & D Cloughton & Son, £117.50,

JR Davidson & Son, £117, A & H Watson, £117, R & H Hird, £116.50, SD Thompson, £116.50, JL & JA Sunter, £116.50,

J & JH Whaley, £116, F Bainbridge, £115, JH Pedley, £114.50, B & J Knowles, £114.50, C Hancocks, £114, AT Pratt, £113.50,

JC Fawcett, £113.50, JH Sharp & Sons, £113.50, WC Porter & Son, £113, N Iveson, £113, CR & MJ Birkbeck, £112

JR Davidson & Son, £112.

Suffolk - J Alderson & Son, £128.50, £119.50, £117.50, SM Iveson, £123, C Hird & Son, £117, RF & RD Kettlewell, £116.50, £104,

JR Davidson & Son, £116, D Stephenson, £115.50, MC & AE Staley, £115, R & H Hird, £113.50, Woodend Farms, £111, SE Hunter, £102.

Cheviot - RW Ridley, £119.50, KJ Burrow, £118.50, £112, TR Fothergill, £118.50, £113, E Blackburn, £117.50, £107, Allen & McGregor, £114, Collier Holme, £114, £108.50, AJ Pratt, £106.

Zwartble - K Slee, £118, £117.

Masham - LC Scarr & Son, £113, £100.

Horned - AJ & L Hunter, £94, £86, £75.50, SE Hunter, £89.50, J Alderson, £88, WC Porter & Son, £87, RK Ridley, £86.50,

HG Lynas & Son, £84, AJ Pratt, £84, RW Ridley, £84, £82, £78, C Hird & Son, £81, Allen & McGregor, £79, AL Dawes, £79,

RI Capstick, £78, J Alderson, £77, £76, BE Hall, £76, RK Ridley, £75.50, £74, LC Scarr & Son, £75, M Kearton, £72.50,

M Kitching & S Smith, £72.50.

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Tuesday 6th October 2026

 

Forward: 1278 Sheep comprising 948 Prime Lambs, 330 Cast Ewes and Rams. 

 

PRIME LAMBS

There was a slightly larger entry of prime lambs forward at Hawes this week, selling to a similar underlying trade to the previous week. The overall market average was 310p/kg, which is slightly back on the previous week, although this figure includes a larger proportion of hill lambs. With a good ringside of buyers forward, there was demand for more lambs than were presented, and vendors could have sold more to advantage. This comes against the backdrop of a reduction in deadweight bid prices.

Heavy-weight lambs peaked at £218 from J Scarr & Sons, Askrigg, for Texel lambs, with other heavy-weight Texels selling to £200 from DA & MA Brown, Leyburn. This was followed by £194 from T Dent & Son, Swinithwaite for heavy-weight Texels.

The consignment from JR & LA Capstick topped at £188, with their smart consignment of Beltex crosses and Texel lambs topping the pence-per-kilo section at 371p/kg. Well-fleshed, handy-weight Continental lambs with plenty of shape regularly sold between 330p/kg and 370p/kg, with well-finished lambs continuing to attract strong competition.

There was another good entry of Mule lambs forward, once again selling to a healthy market average of 300p/kg. Plenty of well-fleshed lambs traded in excess of this level, with 45–50kg, well-finished Mule lambs particularly sought after by buyers.

There was a nice increase in the number of Swaledale lambs forward this week, with vendors pleased with the returns achieved. The strong demand for well-finished hill lambs continues to provide a good outlet for Swaledale and Mule lambs through Hawes.

For further information on the current prime lamb trade or to discuss marketing your lambs, please contact Ian Atkinson on 07957 256337.

 

Beltex to 371p, JR & LA Capstick, Killington, Av. 335p/kg

Texel to 350p, A & H Watson, Kirkby Lonsdale, Av. 314p/kg

Suffolk to 342p, BC Gregg, Ellingstring, Av. 308p/kg

Mules to 309p, J Dixon & Sons, Downholme, Av. 300p/kg 

Swaledales to 284p, P Ewbank, Pateley Bridge, Av. 261p/kg

 

Total Av. 310p/kg    

 

Texel x – J Scarr & Sons, £218, £175, DA & MA Brown & Son, £200, £156, £152.50,  £151.50, T Dent & Son, £194, £152,

H Kirkbride & Son, £185, £164,  WA Dinsdale & Son, £180, A Lodge, £180, £163, £161, R Moore & Son, £178,

WS & EM Hartle, £168, £164, J Rukin & Son, £166, £164, £161, £158, £152, JR & LA Capstick, £164, T Pounder, £164, BC Gregg, £161,

AT Lambert & Son, £160, £150, KR & SN Dinsdale, £159.50, LC Scarr & Son, £158, Whyte & Percival, £154, ME Bainbridge, £154,

JR & LA Capstick, £154, BR Fawcett, £152, K Calvert Ltd, £151, JJ & E Labbate, £150, R Moore & Son, £150, R Wood & Son, £150.

Beltex - JR & LA Capstick, £188, £178, £161, £148, BC Gregg, £170, £166, AT Lambert & Son, £162, BR Fawcett, £161,

T Pounder, £159, £154, £148, R Marwood & Son, £155, £154, £153, JW & JH Burton & Son, £155, £143, A & NJ Heseltine, £154, £145,

K Calvert Ltd, £151, £140, SM Iveson, £150.50, H Kirkbride & Son, £142, H & EJ Mason, £131.

Mules - A Lodge, £156, J Scarr & Sons, £155, £147, HG Lynas & Son, £155, DA & MA Brown & Son, £155, £142.50, AT Pratt, £154,

S Bell & Sons, £154, £143, ME Bainbridge, £153, JW & JH Burton & Son, £152, JJ & E Labbate, £150, WA Dinsdale & Son, £148, £139,

A & NJ Heseltine, £146, RM Wilson, £144, CT & JE Willoughby, £143, £132, R & PR Banks & Son, £142, J Allison & Sons, £142, £140.50, N Iveson, £141.50, BE Hall, £139, P Dinsdale & Son, £135.50, JF & GR Howard, £135, A Fawcett & Sons, £134, A & H Watson, £132,

M & A Aconley, £130.

Suffolks - M & A Aconley, £166, BC Gregg, £156, £154, DA & MA Brown & Son, £151.50, SM Iveson, £151,

J & JH Whaley, £150.50, £139.50, KJ Burrow, £150, £145.50, £145, £144, H Kirkbride & Son, £148, Spout House Farms, £148, £144,

JF & GR Howard, £138, K Mason, £134.

Romney - JW & JH Burton & Son, £149.

BFL - WA Dinsdale & Son, £146.

Cheviot – KR & SN Dinsdale, £145, £140, £130.

Swaledale - SM Iveson, £123, P Ewbank, £121, BE Hall, £107, £105, 

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CAST EWES 

Another strong and fast trade for all types of ewes and rams here at Hawes, with 8 active buyers all keen to purchase ewes.

The sale topped at £202 for a Texel ewe from D. Hodgson, Askrigg, who also sold Texel Mules to £198. The best-end continental ewes were selling at £180+.

More Mule ewes were forward, with a top of £166 from D. Hodgson, Askrigg.

Massive Cheviot ewes sold to a top of £192, with other ringfuls selling to £140 from J.R. Blades, Muker.

Rough Fell ewes sold to £122 from T.R. Mason, Kirkby Stephen.

Another big show of Swaledale ewes were forward, with many of these being sharper on the week. The best end was selling at £110+, topping at £120 from P. Ewbank, Pateley Bridge. Medium Swaledale ewes sold at £65–£75, with smaller-end ewes £45+.

More tups were forward, with all selling to full value. Teeswater tups sold to £162 from Bainbridge Bros, Marrick, while Bluefaced Leicester tups sold to £162 from J. Allison & Son.

 

Continentals to £202, D Hodgson, Askrigg

Cheviot to £192

Mules to £166, D Hodgson, Askrigg

Beltex to £162, SM Iveson, Hawes

BFL to £138, TW & GM Hartley, Dent

Swaledale to £120, P Ewbank, Pateley Bridge

Roughfell to £122, TR Mason, Kirkby Stephen

Dorset x to £106, M Kitching & S Smith, Burniside

 

CAST RAMS

BFL to £162, J Allison & Sons, Arkengarthdale

Teeswater to £162, Bainbridge Bros, Marrick

Dalesbred to £130, Owlands Farm, Hurst

Swaledale to £123, J Dixon & Sons, Downholme

 

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Monday 5th October 2026

 

ANNUAL SHOW & SALE OF SWALEDALE EWES AND GIMMER SHEARLINGS

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Forward: 596 Swaledale Sheep, comprising 569 Ewes and 27 Shearlings.  

Ewes Averaged £270.68

Shearlings Averaged £260

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The Annual Show and Sale of Swaledale Draft Ewes was held at Hawes Auction today, with a larger pre-sale show than has been seen for a number of years. Thank you to all our vendors for supporting the show with a quality entry of sheep, and to our judges, Mr Paul Ayrton and Mr Simon Garth, for giving their time and expertise.

The quality tup breeding potential end of the entry met a very good trade, with some outstanding individual sheep and smaller lots attracting strong competition. The commercial end of the sale was a more selective trade, although the sheep on offer looked very buyable for those looking for useful breeding ewes.

Pens of ten three-crop ewes sold to a top of £440 from MR & LE Rukin, West Stonesdale, purchased by JC Walker & Son, Dunsop Bridge. This was followed by £400 for the leading pen of ten from Ms Brogden, Kirkby Stephen, with further pens selling to £360 from P Hallam and £340 from B Thornborrow.

The commercial ewes today looked very buyable and, with the opportunity to purchase good quality commercial  swaledale breeding sheep at sensible money, we would encourage Mule gimmer lamb breeders not to shy away from attending this sale to source good Swaledale breeding ewes.

There was considerable interest in a number of smaller lots of sheep fit for ram-breeding purposes. An individual ewe from P Hallam topped the sale at £1,700, purchased by CC & DA Fawcett, with another much-admired pair from the same home selling to £1,300, purchased by JS Tully.

An individual ewe from JR & SL Pratt, which had been successfully shown, sold to £1,600, purchased by TS Brogden.

A much-admired run of ewes from F & MP Allinson & Son created considerable interest ringside, with pens of five selling to £820, £680 and £650. Their run of 20 ewes averaged an impressive £607.50.

The sale also included the part dispersal of the Swaledale flock from JS Calvert, Reeth. Their consignment peaked at £520, purchased by Elliot Hutchinson, with further ewes from the same home selling to £430 and £410.

The quality ram producing sheep continue to meet a strong demand, and the commercial ewes on offer today represented good buying for those looking for useful breeding sheep. The sale also demonstrated that there are opportunities for Mule gimmer lamb breeders to purchase good Swaledale breeding ewes at sensible money.

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Show Results

Kindly Judged by Paul Ayrton, Lancaster & Simon Garth, Clapham

 

Ewes

1st - M & EM Wilson, Lunesdale, N/S 

2nd - P Hallam, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, £360 

3rd - MR & LE Rukin, West Stonesdale, £440

 

Swaledale Ewes

Leading Prices: P Hallam, £1700, £1300, £580, £520, £360, £300, £230, JR & SL Pratt, £1600, £650,  £240,

F & MP Allinson & Son , £820, £680, £650, £280, JS Calvert Ltd, £520, £430, £330, £310, £270, MR & LE Rukin, £440, £300, £295, £230, M/S Brogden, £400, B Thornborrow, £340, £240, WH Harker, £305, ME Allison, £265, J Dixon & Sons, £265,

REC Simpson & Sons, £260, £230, GR Scarr, £260, £255, £250, EW Atkinson, £255, £245, G Calvert & Sons, £255, £252, £242 x2, £230, AD Coates & Son, £250, R & H Hird, £250 x2, G Lambert, £245, £230,  ME Waggett, £235, RW & MA Suttill & Son, £230,

M & EM Wilson, £230.

 

Shearlings

Leading Prices: JS Calvert Ltd, £410, £340, £270, £195 x2, P Ewbank, £300, WH Harker, £250, ME Allison, £250, MW Dent, £205.

 

Leading Flock Averages 15 or more Sheep: 

F & MP Allinson & Son £608 for 20, P Hallam £456 for 28, MR & LE Rukin £323 for 37, JS Calvert Ltd, £295 for 18,

B Thornborrow £262 for 30, JR & SL Pratt, £255 for 54, ME Allison £254 for 18, GR Scarr £248 for 41, G Calvert & Sons £240 for 70,

R & H Hird £232 for 41, REC Simpson & Sons £230 for 30, G Lambert, £228 for 28, EW Atkinson, £228,

RW & MA Suttill & Son £211 for 40, J & SJ Bland, £209 for 17, AD Coates & Son £195 for 19.

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Thursday 1st October 2026

 

THE ANNUAL SALE OF BLUEFACED LEICESTER RAMS & FEMALES ON BEHALF OF THE BLUEFACED LEICESTER SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Kindly Sponsored by I’ Anson Bros & Castle Farm Vets

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Forward: 635 Sheep comprising 501 Ram Lambs, 82 Shearling Rams, 13 Aged Rams and 2 Ewes, 19 Gimmer Shearlings & 18 Gimmer Lambs. 

 

Hawes Auction was the place to be for a truly wonderful day at the Great Annual Show and Sale of Bluefaced Leicester Sheep, with the sale once again attracting the very best breeders and buyers from throughout the country. A day that will live long in the memory saw records smashed, with an electric trade throughout the ram lambs and outstanding demand for quality females.

The ram lamb trade could only be described as electric from the very first lot, with buyers competing keenly for the very best sheep on offer. The new breed record was achieved for the Champion Ram Lamb, Hewgill W001 from Messrs Lord, a much-admired Marriforth V034 sired lamb which had created significant interest throughout the day. When he entered the ring, eager bidding followed, eventually selling for a phenomenal £88,000.

Demand remained exceptionally strong throughout the sale, with an impressive 23 ram lambs selling for £10,000 or more, demonstrating the tremendous strength and depth of quality forward.

The Female Champion was awarded to Highberries R047, exhibited by Neil and Mary Marston, which went on to sell for an impressive £6,000.

A huge thank you must go to all the vendors, buyers, breeders, sponsors, judges and everyone who travelled from throughout the country to make this such a memorable day at Hawes Auction. A special thank you must also go to all the Hawes Auction staff, who put in a tremendous effort throughout the 15-hour marathon sale. 

The atmosphere around the market was fantastic, and the support for the Bluefaced Leicester breed was clear to see. It was a privilege for everyone at Hawes Auction to be part of such a memorable day for the breed.

The official Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders’ Society report, including full sale results and photographs, will follow in due course.

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Ram Lambs

1st & Overall Champion - 290 - M/S Lord, Hewgill, £88,000

2nd & Overall Reserve Champion - 405 - J Hunter & Sons, Steel, £20,000

3rd - 417 - I Montgomery, Mistyburn, £10,000

4th - 668 - E Fairburn & Sons, Marriforth, £7,000

5th - 406 - J Hunter & Sons, Steel, £13,000

6th - 418 - I Montgomery, Mistyburn, £4,000   

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Leading Prices:

M/S Lord, £88,000, £14,000, £12,000, £8000, Midlock Farms, £32,000, £20,000, £11,000, £7000, £6500 x3, £5000,

WC Porter & Son, £28,000, £16,000, £9000, £7000, £5000,  J & A Brown, £24,000, £10,000, M Thornborrow, £22,000,

J Bell, £22,000, £12,000, £9000, £5000, J Hunter & Sons, £20,000, £13,000, £9000, £8000, £5000, K & HA Ridley, £16,000, £5000,

A Mckillop, £16,000, G Loughery, £16,000, £6500, £6000,  E Fairburn & Sons, £14,000, £7000,  J Mcquistin, £11,000,

WA Dinsdale & Son, £10,000, I Montgomery, £10,000, CD & RF Kitching, £10,000, J Lee & Sons, £9000, KA Brown & Sons, £8500,

S Pedley, £8000, W & D Lawson & Son, £7500, £6000,  E Hodgson, £7500, D McCrystal, £7000, W Ridley, £6800,

M/S Lawson, £6200, WM Reed & Sons, £6000, £5000, CT & JE Willoughby, £5800, NC Marston, £5800,

C Campbell, £5500, Breckhouse Enter Ltd, £5500 x2, E Harkin, £5500, JW Porter & Sons, £5500, A Ainslie, £5500,

C & M Richards, £5200, J Allison & Sons, £5200, JA & R Caton, £5000. Av. £2934

 

Leading Flock Averages:

M/S Lord, £16,800 for 8, J Hunter & Sons, £8875 for 8, Midlock Farms Ltd £8608 for 12, WC Porter & Son £8070 for 10,

J Bell £6340 for 10, K & HA Ridley, £7833 for 3, M Thornborrow, £7075 for 4, J & A Brown £5900 for 7, G Loughery, £5366 for 6,

I Montgomery £5067 for 3, D McCrystal £4750 for 2, JA & R Caton, £4500 for 2, A Mckillop £4414 for 7, WM Reed & Sons, £4233 for 6, KA Brown & Sons £4225 for 4, CD & RF Kitching £3975 for 4, WA Dinsdale & Son £3940 for 5, E Fairburn & Sons, £3800 for 11, 

A Murray, £3750 for 2, W  & D Lawson & Son £3689 for 9, J Mcquistin & Son £3600 for 6, C Campbell £3450 for 2,

JW Porter & Sons, £3350 for 2, A Campbell £3250 for 2, E Harkin £3100 for 2, C & M Richards £3200 for 2,

Breck House Enter Ltd £3063 for 8.

 

Shearling Rams

1st - 85 - RW & RA Booth, Smearsett, £4,000   

2nd - 111 - R Hargreaves, Barley, £4,200

3rd - 73 - AR Edmondson, Hawkswell, £1,800

4th - 104 - SD Thompson, Aysgarth, £1,200

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Leading Prices:

R Hargreaves, £4200, £2500, RW & RA Booth, £4000, NC Marston, £3800, £2200, £1600,

Breck House Enter Ltd, £3800, £1800, £1400, £1000, G & HR Shields, £3500, £1400, CD & RF Kitching, £2500,

AR Edmondson, £1800, £1500 x2, £1200, R & AR Hunter, £1600, £1400, £1400, £1100, Midlock Farms, £1500, NM Peacock, £1400,

E Fairburn & Sons, £1400, JC & N Throup, £1200, H Stenton, £1200, SD Thompson, £1200, £1000, E Fairburn & Sons, £1100, £1000 x2, DIL & E Jones, £1100, £1000.

Average: £1119

 

Aged Rams

1st - 86 - RW & RA Booth, Smearsett, £6,000

2nd - 106 - NM Peacock, Maunby, £500

                

Leading Prices:

I Montgomery, G Loughery & D McCrystal £12000, RW & RA Booth, £6000, £5000, CT & JE Willoughby, £3000,

Breck House Enter Ltd, £2000, £1200.

Average: £2530

 

FEMALES

Ewes

1st & Female Champion - 115 - NC Marston, Highberries, £6,000

 

Leading Prices: NC Marston, £6000, CT & JE Willoughby, £500.

Av. £3250

 

Gimmer Shearlings

1st & Reserve Female Champion - 155 - G & HR Shields, Skeughdale, £4,200

2nd - 152 - GE Jackson, Lakeber, £2,500

3rd - 124 - A Ainslie, Linkshead, £2,000

4th - 150 - GE Jackson, Lakeber, £2,600

                 

Leading Prices:

G & HR Shields, £4200, £1600, GE Jackson, £2600, £2500, £1600, £1300, £1000, NC Marston, £2200, A Ainslie, £2000, £600,

JC & N Throup, £1200, £800, £700, £500, P Sowerby, £900, WM & JE Shuttleworth, £800, £700, £500.

Av. £1368

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Gimmer Lambs 

1st - 126 - A Ainslie, Linkshead, £1,400

2nd - 117 - HW & G White, Ribblesdale, £1,000

3rd - 137 - A & D Mckillop, Giants Causeway, £1,000

4th - 148 - C & M Richards, Mcffi, £800                               

 

Leading Prices:

A Ainslie, £1400, £1000, C & M Richards, £1100, £800, HW & G White, £1000, £800, A Mckillop, £1000, £500, P Sowerby, £500,

CT & JE Willoughby, £500, I Borthwick, £500 x2.

Average: £644

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The legendry Hawes Bluefaced Leicester sale once again lived up to its status as one of the most exciting sales in the tup sales calendar in the UK. With the pre-sale show kicking off at 7.15am and the hammer dropping on the final lot at 11.50pm it was safe to say it was an action-packed day. A new auctioneering line up saw Bradley Thompson join Ian Atkinson in the box, with young apprentice Elliot Hutchinson keeping an eager eye out for bids too. There was also the ever-dependable Raymond Lund, the voice of Hawes, taking a stint during the afternoon too. The trade was fast and buyers keen to try to buy their picks from some great pens of tups, and although trade did drop off a bit towards the end, there was a great atmosphere throughout the day. 635 sheep went through the ring, with 501 tup lambs averaging £2934, up £346 on the year, reflecting the healthy trade for the mule gimmer lambs.

 Over the past few weeks rumours have been swirling around the Bluefaced Leicester community of a star lamb from the Hewgill stable and from its first public outing in the pre-sale show it didn’t disappoint, full of power and style with a sharp head on it, it stood out head and shoulders above the rest, with the judge Malcolm Coubrough having no hesitation in putting him to the top of the line. The anticipation built up during the afternoon as the Hewgill flock neared the ring and the old ring, which has some history over the years, was full to capacity. Bradley started the bidding at £2000, which then shot away in the blink of an eye it raced to £50,000 before pausing slightly whilst everyone caught their breath, bidding flew again to £82,000 with several groups bidding, but then it slowed and finally edged up until Bradley dropped the hammer at £88,000, with a local consortium of breeders, WM Hutchinson, Kirkby Redgate, W Richardson & Son, Ghyll House and Robbie Hallam, High Birkwith, joining forces to bring in these genetics. The lamb himself is by Marriforth V34 bought out of Carlisle last year for £3200, proving to be a sound investment and his mother is by the old V45 Hewgill which proved a consistent breeder for the Lord family over the years. The whole pen enjoyed a cracking trade, with the next two lambs, again by the Marriforth, each making 5 figures. The second one sold for £12,000 to Midlock and Marriforth with the third into the ring, a long stretchy sheep, fetching £14,000, selling to the Riddings and Sealhouses flocks. The Lords ended their run with an astonishing average of £16,800 for 8 tups sold.

 It was down to the last alley of the famous “Golden Acre” before the Midlock flock went through the ring. Once again they brought with them a wonderful pen of lambs, full of power and breeding. They topped out with a bid of £32,000 for a powerful lamb by the homebred V7, which is by the £32,000 Hewgill T1, has been one of their main mule getters, going back to MIdlock F80, which was Champion at the Highland Show On its mothers side it goes back to the Midlock F70 ewe which also as well as proving to be a top breeding sheep also was a Highland Show Champion herself. He was knocked down to Obie Sharp, Newbigging Walls, who had been chasing hard on the Hewgill lamb, and the Campbells from the Happrew flock. Midlock also saw a bid of £20,000 for a lamb by the V1 Cottage, which was purchased for £28,000 last year out of Hawes, with its mother by the Shitlington. Taking this smart boy home, back into the Lake District, were the Hodgson-McGills flock from the Micklemoss flock near Windermere.  There was also a bid of £11,000 for a Midlock son of the V1 Bennand, selling to Paul Brown, Oakbank to help the Midlock pen level at £8608 for their 12 lambs.

 The Riddings flock is one of the most respected within the breed, consistently breeding good sheep which go on and breed well and their mule gimmers are some of the first people go and study at the Hawes gimmer lamb sales. This year they had a great run of mules and won the prize for the best run of 100 lambs and interest in their pen of lambs was always going to be high. Their first lamb was by the £10,000 Steel, a son of Midlock Magic, which stood Champion at Hawes last year and out of a ewe by the Skeughdale tup, which the sire behind their record breaking tup a few years back. He was sold in a £28,000 deal with Jimmy Bell & Rachel Buckle from the Cottage flock teaming up with Finlay Robinson from the Beeches flock to acquire his services. Another lamb from the Riddings by the T16 Midlock, which is proving to a great breeder, went on to make £16,000, selling to A MacGregor and G McDougall. The Riddings flock sold 10 lambs to level at £8070.

  It was a great day for Alec & Anders Brown as they produced a cracking lamb which went on to make a personal best for them, selling for £24,000. He is by V14 Hewgill which they bought off the Lords privately last year, he has crossed well, with 5 lambs in their top pen at Castle Douglas, which took reserve Champion place. He is out of one of their best ewes, a daughter of the N14 Hewgill, which also bred the tup lamb sold to Martin Allan and Will Sedgley last year. He sold to Messrs Pye, Emmetts and Chris Hewitt, his full brother will be headed to Carlisle later this week. They also sold another for £10,000. This was a son of the S6 Carry House selling to Messrs Fallows at Burnton. 

 Following on from a successful year on the show circuit this year and in the sales ring last year the Cottage flock from Jimmy Bell & Rachel Buckle continued their good run, selling to a top of £22,000 for W2 Cottage, a son of Tarnithorne S5, a tup they bought privately from the Ayrton family. He is the full brother sold to Asby Hall & Gragareth flocks last year, out of a homebred ewe by P24 Riddings. He sold to Stephen Pedley, Yore House and Shaun Procter. Cottage also sold to £12,000 for a son of the T2 Drummuck and levelled out at £6340 for their 10 lambs.

  The Hunter family from Steel have enjoyed a good run at Hawes over the past few years, taking the Champion over the last couple of years. This year they had to settle for the Reserve Champion. As over the last few years it is Midlock Magic behind their tups, with the Reserve by Magic and out of a ewe bought at the Carry House by Ronaldo. He sold to the Judge, M Coubrough, M Thornborrow and the Ridley family, Shitlington.

Special mentions must also be made for Beeches Wingman, the four year old tup making his way over from Northern Ireland. Bought out of Hawes in 2022 for £14,000 this son of the Riddings P2 was looking in great shape and sold for £12,000 to Aaron Troughton, Gavin White and James Middleton. The female Champion also enjoyed a great trade. This smart four year old ewe from Neil & Mary Marston by Highberries M1 and out of a ewe sired by the legendry Z4 sold for £6000 to Clive Metcalf of the Silver Hill flock.

 Once again Hawes provided the annual highlight for the breed, setting the standard and the showing the depth of quality on offer within the breed from all over the UK. Until next year…….

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