Forward: 60 Registered Swaledale Rams
A nice show of Swaledale Rams produced 7 sales at four figure prices and a good clearance rate with buyers keen to secure strong quality rams of all ages. It was the champion ram from Kevin Huck of Bordley that took the top price on the night of £2200. A homebred 3 shear by his Sealhouses ram out of Nattrass ewe it received keen bidding before being knocked to Messrs Hopkinson of Fairplace Farms, Cowling.
Messrs Huck followed up their good night in the show ring by then selling the 2nd prize shearling ram, by a Hoggarths sire, it went at £1600 to Messrs JB&LJ Shirt of Edale. Also at £1600 was the 2nd prize aged ram from R&E Cowperthwaite of Settle, bred by Robert Weir of Hartsop by a Paul Chester ram out of an Thornborrow ewe it sold locally to J&V Blakey of Greenhow. Also in the money was a shearling ram presented by the BBWC ownership syndicate of Wilf Buckle, Alan Birbeck, Bob Wearmouth of Kirkby Stephen and Bill Cowperthwaite Malham Moor. By the Andrew Haggas champion jointly purchased in Skipton two years ago and out of Tennant Gill ewe it made £1350 to J&R Driver of Glossop. Other rams at 4 figures included WB Woodworths aged ram at £1200, AJ Masons shearling at £1100 and Roy Nelson’s Shearling at £1100.
Aged rams averaged £504.55 and Shearling rams averaged £372.96.
Show Results;
Judges – Jeff & Francis Pickles, Chapel-le-dale
Best Swaledale Aged Ram
1st K Huck Lot 1013
2nd R&E Cowperthwaite Lot 1032
3rd DH Heseltine & JR Akrigg Lot 1049
Best Swaledale Shearling Ram
1st J&JE Bradley Lot 1053
2nd K Huck Lot 1016
3rd Saddle End Farms Lot 1034
Best Conformation Ram
1st JW&M Buckle Lot 1025
CHAMPION – K Huck Lot 1013
RESERVE CHAMPION – R&E Cowperthwaite Lot 1032
Averages & Principle Prices;
Aged – Av £504.55
£2200 K Huck; £1600 R&E Cowperthwaite; £1200 WB Woodsworth; £1100 C Nelson & Son; £700 £650x2 JC Walker & Son;
Shearlings – Av £372.96
£1600 K Huck; £1350 WM Buckle; £1100 £500 AJ Mason; £900 £550 C Nelson & Son; £700 J&JE Bradley; £500 Saddle End Farms;