Haygarth family Dalesbred champions again at CCM Skipton
North Craven father and daughter, Godfrey and Alison Haygarth, of Aigden Farm, Wigglesworth, sent out another champion at the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders’ Association’s final seasonal show and sale of rams and females at Skipton Auction Mart. (Tues, Oct 23)
Multiple past champions at the annual fixture, the Haygarths clinched their latest title with a shearling ram by a tup from John Kelsall in Cold Cotes, Clapham, out of a dam sired by a ram from John Harrison in Blubberhouses.
The victor, recipient of the Royston Baxter Trophy, awarded annually by the former Skipton Auction Mart foreman, who lives locally in Steeton, returned to Blubberhouses with John Harrison at Hill Top Farm, when selling for top call of 400gns. A second John Harrison-bred shearling ram from the same home also sold for 260gns to Edward and John Parkinson, of Dunsop Bridge.
Standing reserve champion with the second prize shearling ram was Steven Wright, who farms with his parents, Alan and Margaret, at Staubin Farm, Roeburndale East, Wray, near Lancaster. While a former judge, he was showing for the first time at the breed fixture with a ram by a John Dawson Fieldhead tup out of a dam by a home-bred ram. It sold for second top price of 150gns, again to the Parkinsons.
The Association chooses young up-and-coming co-judges to give them valuable experience in the show arena and the task this year fell to William Dawson, 21, of Clapham, and 19-year-old James Robinson, from Leyburn. Split on their choice of champion and reserve, they called upon the services of Joe Stoney, a dyed-in-the-wool Dalesbred breeder from Nidderdale, who helped the duo reach a final decision.
Placed third in this year’s shearling ram show class were the 2017 victors, father and son Richard and Matt Close, of Calf Hall Farm, Starbotton. By a ram bred in Giggleswick by John and Jean Bradley, out of a dam by a home-bred tup, the third prize winner made 80gns when also returning home with Mr Harrsion, who himself sold a shearling tup for 100gns..
Also hitting 100gns with another shearling ram was Dalesbred Association chairman David Wilson, of Beckwithshaw. Pedigtee shearling rams averaged £106.75 per head, while shearlings ewes sold to £99, ewes to £65 and lambs to £58.
Also on the same day’s agenda was the fourth fortnightly sale of 1,364 gimmer lambs, which met with greater demand due to the presence of a larger contingent of Southern buyers, many of whom were making their first trips North this season for sheep.
A much sharper trade was witnessed and the sale average for all Mule gimmer lambs levelled at £62.16 per head, a £1.12 rise on the year, while lambs from members of the North of England Mule Sheep Association were up by a solid £5.17 each to stand at £65.96.
Nice lambs were keenly contested, with John Airey, from Elslack, selling three NEMSA pens at £90, plus a fourth at £88. Other best pick pens sold in the £70s and early £80s, while runners were mainly in the late £50s and early £60s. Masham Gimmer lambs also received a good following, topping at £70 for a pen from Allan and Sue Throup, of Silsden Moor, and averaging £66.
The mart reports that another decent entry is already coming together for its fifth gimmer lamb sale on Wednesday, November 14, which normally attracts up to 1,800 Mule gimmers.