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WEDNESDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER - MASHAM WETHERS PRESS REPORT

Breed chairman lands Skipton Masham wethers show The largest entry of CCM Skipton’s peak sheep sale season so far saw JM Wilson & Sons, of Beckwithshaw, triumph in the Masham wethers annual prize show. David Wilson, chairman of the Masham Sheep Breeders Association, picked up the top prize for a pen of 40 Masham wethers, which sold for £55 per head.

“It’s been a very, very good year,” said Mr Wilson, who finished second in the corresponding show in 2013. “Much better than last year. The weather’s helped a lot.”

 

K Lister & Son, of Kettlewell, picked up second and third prizes with pens of Masham Wethers, which sold for £49 and £48 per head respectively.

 

The show was judged by Keith Downs, of Bingley, and sponsored by Skipton-based JACS Trade & DIY Warehouse.

 

A total of 7,251 were put forward on the day, including the first of the drawn Suffolk and Continental gimmer lambs, with an overall average price of £54.10.

 

Trade for the gimmer lambs was good for the quality sorts, with nice skinned, clean-headed lambs receiving good attention. Smaller lambs, however, were said to be best left mixed with the wethers.

 

F Reeday & Son, of Hetton, picked up top price of £79.50 per head for a pen of Suffolk gimmer lambs.

 

The store lambs saw Suffolk and Continentals in strong demand. Smaller lambs sold for £50 to £53, medium types £54 to £57 and the top end £58 to £62.

 

Top price for Texels was reached by Will Crane, of Silsden, at £62.50, while SL & SD Lund, of Litton, sold Suffolks for £62 and £60 per head.

 

Quality smart store lambs, notably Beltex, fetched £64 to £76, with Michael Burnop, of Clitheroe, reaching top price of £76 per head.  

 

The next fortnightly sale is on Wednesday, September 17, when an entry of 8,000 to 10,000 is expected, including a show for pens of 10 Suffolk and Continental Gimmer Lambs. Entries close Monday, September 8.