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07/09/06
One of the major opening ewe lamb sales of the current season
- the Great Annual Show and Sale of Mule Gimmer Lambs at Craven
Cattle Marts’ Skipton Auction Mart (Tues, Sept 6) – saw
almost 8,000 lambs consigned from members of the North of England
Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA).
Richard Ellis, right, receives one of the Skipton mule gimmer trophies
from judge Alan Brown. Also featured with the champion ten-strong
pen are, from left, 12-year-old Robert Ellis, Becky Ellis, 16,
and judge Ron Wilson
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The Ellis Bros farming family, of Cragg House Farm, Addingham
Moorside, repeated their success of 2003 when exhibiting the champion
pen of ten lambs.
Richard Ellis received the Chester Kneller Memorial Trophy and
the Ciba Geigy Perpetual Trophy from judges Alan Brown, of Cockermouth,
and Ron Wilson, of Armathwaite. The victors sold for the joint
top price of £110 per head to Tom Jackson, of Goosnargh,
Preston.
Ashley Caton, of Otterburn Lodge Farm, Otterburn, continued his
spectacular run of championship successes in the high profile fixture
by taking top honours in the 20’s class for the second year
in succession.
The newly-elected chairman of the Skipton branch of NEMSA, Ashley
is following in the footsteps of his late father Val Caton, who
was a founder-member of the local branch and went on to serve as
both chairman and president.
Ashley retained the second Ciba Geigy Perpetual Trophy, presented
by judges Brian Watchorn, of Newark, and Les Thackray, of Mickley.
The champion pen of 20 also made the day’s joint top price
of £110 per head when bought by Mr Thackray
Ashley also had pens sell at £95 and £82 per head,
Ellis Bros had a second pen at £90, with AJ Mason, of Embsay,
and J & AJ Coates, of Braida Garth, Kingsdale, both selling
to £96. KN & L Throup, of Silsden, and WA & A Booth,
of Feizor, had pens at £94, the latter also selling to £90.
The overall average for the day was £56.49 per head. Skipton
Auction Mart general manager Jeremy Eaton said afterwards: “Last
year’s sale proved exceptional, bearing in mind the change
to a single farm payment, and many vendors commented on the difficulty
in producing forward lambs this year because of the weather conditions.
“There is no doubt that buyers will be more than satisfied
to see lambs purchased at this year’s sales grow and improve
with the arrival of keep in most parts of the country.”
Prize money for the show was donated by Barclays Bank, along with £50
vouchers for class winners by Carrs Billington. A reception sponsored
by Craven Cattle Marts was held for both buyers and vendors on
the evening of the show at Tarn House Hotel, Skipton.
The second big NEMSA sale takes place at Skipton Auction Mart on
Tuesday, September 19, with entries closing on September 6.
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