BAM News 2nd October 2021

Auctioneer’s Report (Stephen Dennis): The sale of Swaledale Draft Ewes & Gimmer Shearlings returned sale averages up on the year whilst it would be fair to say that trade did not quite reach pre-sale aspirations. The show of Draft ewes provided Dominic Naylor of Wooler and Jimmy Bell of Lanark with plenty to debate. In the end, the Cowperthwaite family dominated the prizes with Tennant Gill taking 1st and 4th prizes and the Stockdale Flock 2nd and 3rd with John Handley of Thornton Hall taking a deserved 5th place. Best sheep throughout the sale were in high demand, the judge Dominic Naylor taking home the Champion pen of ewes with a bid of £460 whilst John Harrison of Higher Watson House purchased the best of the Stockdale Flock and taking home the 2nd prize sheep with a winning bid of £420.  Overall, the 3 crop Swaledale Drafts averaged £127.69, up £3.50 on the year. The pre-sale show of Swaledale Shearlings was judged by Will Sedgley of Barbon awarding top spot to John & Jean Bradley of Giggleswick and backing his judgement in the sale with a bid of £255, the same vendor also selling to a top of £260 to Messrs J & A Lawson of Threaber. Neil Richardson of Fernyford took 2nd prize in the show also selling at £255 to Andrew & Lisa Huddleston whilst Jack Wade of Catchall made £215 of his 3rd prize pen. Shearlings averaged £142.15 up £8.15 on the year. Swaledale gimmer lambs showed an increase of £14.90 on the year with a top price of £110 from Barrie Thomas and an overall average of £79.96. Leading prices- Draft Ewes: TW Cowperthwaite £460, £240, £220, £180, £175; R & E Cowperthwaite £420, £250; JE & DJ Hutchinson £215; SJ & CJ Handley £205, £190, £188; J & JE Bradley £180 x 2; JM & JJ Dawson £178 Shearlings J & JE Bradley £260, £255, £172, £170; N Richardson £255, £170; R & PE Hargreaves £255, £200; JM & ED Hutchinson £220, £180; JC Wade £215, £180; A Haggas £210; T & S Binns £180; P & C Charnley £178