Tom Boden and family’s Cheshire-based Sportsmans flock was again the headline performer in both in the show ring and on price at CCM Skipton Auction Mart’s annual winter show and sale of pedigree Suffolk females. (Sat, Nov 2)
Mr Boden, who runs the flock jointly with his father, Charlie, in Mellor, Stockport, stepped up on his 2023 reserve championship and 3000gns top call coup with a shearling ewe when consigning another 1st prize gimmer shearling and this year’s overall supreme champion, which readily eclipsed its predecessor on price when hitting a sale high 4000gns.
Like last year’s pen leader, the January, 2023-born victor was a single by the 2022 Suffolk Sheep Society Sire of the Year Salopian Solid Gold, purchased in 2021 for a breed record price of 200000gns and himself a son of Solwaybank Rock Solid, from Iain and Judith Barbour, Annan, Dumfriesshire. The Howgillfoot dam was purchased for 9000gns, with a full brother sold to the Carony flock at 6000gns.
Scanned carrying twins to the Irish-bred Annakisha Champ, purchased privately from the O’Keeffe family, who farm on the outskirts of Mallow, Co. Cork, the title winner was first tapped out by pre-sale judge Stephen Cobbald, then snapped up by him for the day’s top price after a flurry of bidding.
Mr Cobbald, who runs the multi championship-winning Lavenham flock near Bury St Edmunds – he has been breeding Suffolks in Suffolk for over 60 years – described his chosen champion as “very stylish, just the sort of sheep we want for breeding.”
He also judged the Skipton Suffolk highlight several years ago, noting: “Compared to then the quality of the sheep was much better, clearly demonstrating how the breed has developed and improved in recent years, notably in terms of producing just what today’s retail butcher wants.”
Other similarly bred in-lamb gimmer shearlings from the same home – the flock was established five years ago – made 1200gns and 1400gns, the Sportsmans’ run of seven shearlings averaging over 1500gns.
The adjudicator’s overall reserve champion – “a very nice older sheep” – was the 1st prize ewe, his only entry in the show class, from Aberdeenshire’s John Gibb, Cairnton flock, Techmuiry, Fraserburgh.
She is a December, 2019, twin by James Bignall’s Creagisley Cracker, out of a home-bred dam by Cairness Sir William, bred by Mr Gibb’s uncle Jimmy Douglas in nearby Woodhead of Cairness. Scanned in lamb to Strathbogie Showman, a 1700gns Shrewsbury purchase last year, the reserve champion sold for 750gns to the Roberts & Edwards partnership, Oswestry.
Mr Gibb, who works full-time as farm manager at a local farm and established his Suffolk flock 26 years ago, stood Skipton supreme champion in 2023 with a shearling ewe, returning this year to also take 3rd prize in the same show class with a December, 2022, twin by Bridgeview Belvenie, reserve UK Sire of the Year in 2022, who himself sired the 75,000gns Cairnton Chaos, a Scottish record for a Suffolk ram lamb.
By a Creagisley Cracker-sired dam and scanned carrying a single, again to Strathbogie Showman, the gimmer shearling made 1,000gns when selling locally to South Craven father and son, David and Josh Isherwood, also well-known pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle breeders.
Another ticket winner from the same home, the 3rd prize ewe lamb, a February-born twin by the Bridgeview Belvenie son, Cairness Fine Star, out of a home-bred Millhouse Remarkable dam, sold for 950gns, again to Roberts & Edwards, with another Cairnton gimmer lamb netting 800gns.
Uncle Jimmy Douglas himself stood 3rd in the ewe show class with a December, 2019, twin by Creagilsey Cracker, scanned carrying twins to Annakisha Bright Eye and making 600gns.
Returning from Wales for the first time since clinching the Skipton supreme championship in 2022 – he also stood overall champion in 2019 – was Myfyr Evans, Llanrhaeadr, Denbighshire, who established his Rhaeadr flock in 1979 at the 125-acre Tan-yr-accar
Consigning two ewe lambs, he picked up another red rosette with his 1st prize winner, a daughter of Kexbeck Kick-Start, acquired from North Yorkshire breeder Pamela Lupton two years ago and 2nd prize ram lamb at the 2023 Great Yorkshire Show.
Kick-Start is by Mr Evans’ own 90000gns Ardlea Arbennig son, Rhaeadr Rock ‘n’ Roll, another prolific performer in the show arena, while the home-bred dam, a daughter of Rhaeadr Raring To Go, has bred ewe lambs to 8000gns and was sold to Devon’s Mike Alford, going on to become breed champion at both the Great Yorkshire and Royal Cornwall Shows. The dam was also responsible for the 4600gns top price ram lamb at the 2023 Carlisle sale, joining the Kexbeck flock.
Rhaeadr’s December, 2023-born red rosette winner, described by the judge as “one that will grow and make a smart sheep,” made 1100gns when joining Andrew Cross, Preston.
Flying the flag locally when presenting his annual consignment was Stephen Bolland, Wharfe flock, Bolton Abbey, who finished runner-up in all three show classes, selling a brace of shearlings to joint highs of 1600gns, both out of Solwaybank Cracker-sired dams and both scanned carrying twins to Kings Superior, a 3200gns acquisition at the national sale.
First at this price was the 2nd prize shearling, a January, 2023, single by Bridgeview Maximus, claimed by Iain Fitzsimon, Burnhead flock, Shawhead, Dumfries, the second a February, 2023, twin by Frongoy Fire Power going to Aiden Mitchell. Grassknop flock, Penrith.
Both were maternal sisters out of the Wharfe flock’s 2nd prize ewe, a December, 2020, twin by Solwaybank Cracker, out of a Rheaddr Rastafari-home-bred dam and again in-lamb carrying twins to Kings Superior. She sold for 800gns to another local buyer, Neil Bancroft, West Marton.
Next best at 1200gns section top was the 2nd prize ewe lamb, a January-born twin again by Maximus, out of a dam purchased from the Pyeston flock in 2022, falling to Josh Lawn, Manywells flock, Thornton, Bradford. To cap a good day, the Wharfe flock also achieved further 1000gns and 800gns gimmer lamb sales, plus 700gns with another ewe.
Top price among the in-lamb ewes was 1800gns for Derbyshire’s Steve Buckley, Sitlow flock, Dove Holes, Buxton, with a January, 2021, twin by the Strathisla Speed son, Haddo High Voltage, out of a Strathbogie Peaky Blinder-sired dam and from a solid breeding line that also produced the 4000gns ram, Sitlow Concept. Scanned carrying twins to Jalex X Factor, purchased for 6000gns at Ballymena after standing 1st prize in the commercial class, the pen leader joined Robert Earnshaw, Killinghall, Harrogate.
The first sheep into the sale ring from the Sitlow flock, a January, 2020, Bentley Fly half daughter, out of a Salopian He’s The Boy-sired dam and carrying triplets to Jalex X Factor, also caught the eye at 1100gns, again going to Neil Bancroft. A third Sitlow ewe made 700gns, with shearling gimmers from the same home – the farm lies at 1200ft on the northern edge of the Peak District – away at 1100gns and 1050gns.
The ewes saw a 100% clearance rate, with the strongest, smartest ones regularly making in excess of 700gns.
While another local breeder and mart regular, Mark Evans, Jubilee flock, Steeton, consigned the final run of lambs to enter the sale ring these also created a large amount of interest, producing a high of 1000gns, with others to 900gns.
In the non-MV section, the annual consignment from the Ribble Valley’s DJ&LJ Holt, Newhurst flock, Bolton-by-Bowland, saw a pair of 2022-born scanned ewes sell to 500gns, with other ewes regularly 400gns-plus.
Young Kirklees shepherd Sam Eastwood, Samazing flock, Elmley, Huddersfield, brought forward a pair of shearlings selling at 450gns and 400gns respectively, with ewe lambs from the same home trading to 300gns.
In total, 94 head sold to an overall average of £802, shearling ewes averaging £948 (2023 £996), ewe lambs £747(2023 £637) and ewes £663 (2023 £764).
ENDS
Pics Moule Media, Skipton
Further info: Robin Moule 07976 559961.
