| 11/09/06           A much improved trade on the previous year for better quality
                sheep was seen at the annual show and sale of 558 Masham shearling
                gimmers at Craven Cattle Marts’ Masham Farmers Auction
              Mart. (Thursday, Sept 7) 
              
              Champion pen of Masham gimmer shearlings.
              
              
                |  |  The popular fixture again included a prize show of Masham gimmer
              shearlings on behalf of the Masham Sheep Breeders Association,
              with Keith Liddle, of JB Liddle & Son, Stainburn, near Otley,
              runner-up in 2005, going one better this year when exhibiting the
              champion ten-strong pen.
 They sold for £152 per head to CA Potter, of Pocklington,
              York, who also purchased the 2005 champions at £95 each.
              The first four pens in class this year all achieved three figure
              prices.
 
 The mule shearlings section was headed by JD & E Clarkson,
              of East Witton, with the first prize winners making £94 apiece
              when sold to GA Verity, of Masham.
 
 Masham Farmers Auction Mart general manager said: “It was
              good to see that enquiries we received at various trade events
              concerning the Masham sheep breed were converted into a number
              of new purchasers at the ringside.”
 
 Results and prices:
 
 Mashams – 1 JB Liddle & Sons, Stainburn, £152
              to CA Potter, Pocklington, 2&3 WD Douthwaite & Partners,
              Kirkby Overblow, £100 to S Maskill, Halifax, 4 S Liddle & Sons,
              Beckwithshaw, £101 to S Tyrell, Pickering.
 
 Mules – 1 JD & E Clarkson, East Witton, £94 to
              GA Verity, 2. M Smithson, Hustwaite, £80 to P Donaldson,
              Catterick, 3 B & M Watkinson, Sessay, £88 to R Grainger,
              Bedale.
 
 Masham Shearling Gimmers to £152 (av £90.22), Mule
              Shearling Gimmers to £94 (av £76.40),
 Texel Shearling Gimmers to £95
 
  Skipton again proves fertile ground
                  for Stoney store lambs 
  New
                breeder’s sparkling debut
                  at Skipton Beltex show 
  Opening Skipton NEMSA mule gimmers
            show
 |