The Suffolk Spectacular Northern Counties Branch sale takes on a new look!
For the first time the 2025 Northern Counties Branch sale was held over two days making it a more special event with the marketing might of Harrison & Hetherington behind the sale at Borderway Mart Carlisle. The show was held on the Friday evening before the sale with a good crowd enjoying a bit of hospitality shared between the Northern Counties Branch and H&H where the attendees were treated to a complimentary hot beef roll and a choice of drinks adding to the occasion.
Shearling Gimmers
The sale started on Saturday with the shearling gimmers first through the ring. They met a strong demand with Lot 508 leading the way from Clare Whitticase Glanmarton topping the trade with their shearling at 2,800gns. A twin lamb by AI (UPU:24:00222) sired by Rhaeadr Rex out of a home bred ewe (UPU:19:00034) selling through the ring to an online bidder.
The Glanmarton flock took the second highest priced Shearling (UPU:24:00224) with the same sire as the top price in the sale by a home bred ewe (UPU:20:00077) finding an attraction to the online bidders through Marteye the online platform opening sales up to a national and international audience. The Glanmarton pen of 4 averaged 1,550gns.
Other leading Shearling prices
Harpercroft lot 505 to1500gns
Brompton Lot 517 to 1200gns
Woolways twice to 1200gns for lots 522 and 523 his pen of six clearing at an average of 1016.67gns
With 100% clearance the shearling gimmers averaged 1,127gns, up on last year by 489gns for the 19 sold showing a high demand at this time of year for the Suffolk females.
Ewe Lambs
Ewe lambs again met high demand with enthusiastic bidders wanting a piece of the action that is known as the Suffolk Advantage and the continued switch from other breeds continues at pace. Topping the shop was lot 528 their Reserve Female Champion; a great year continues for the Denby’s! The ewe was a sub (A58:25:01174) and met a fierce contest for ownership of the Sportsman Star Man sired ewe lamb got by AI out of a homebred ewe (A58:20:00806). The gavel eventually falling at 3,000gns to Richard Batty, Tidalview flock.
100% clearance at an average of 1,505gns which is 836gns up on the year.
Shearling Rams
There was a limited amount of Shearling rams forward, with six out of the seven going to new postcodes. The king of the ring was Anthony Glaves of the Brompton flock, a regular consigner of shearling rams and gimmers to the Northern Counties Branch sale. Topping his pen was Lot 532, first in his class at the previous day’s show the gavel fell at 2,400gns for the Myddle Beaute Noire sired Shearling got by natural service by a homebred ewe (M17:22:05994). Two further lots in the pen lot 530 and 534 sold for 1,400gns and 1,500gns respectively.
6 of the seven forward found new homes at an average of 1,251gns which was slightly back on last year to the tune of 41gns.
Ram lambs
Ram lambs saw a bit of a flyer with the two Northern Irish consignees taking home the spoils after taking the risk of travelling without the possibility of taking any unsold lambs back home. Both Mark Priestley, Limestone flock and Samantha Allen and Allen Shortt, Derg flock sold lots at 8,000gns to jointly lead the sale.
Derg flock’s Lot 595, a twin derived from ET by Jalex Charlie out of a Fourscore dam (SXD:23:00633) met the approval of the bidders around the ring. Placed fourth in the single ram lamb class at the previous evening’s show in a hard fought class, this ram found the guineas at the sale. Back in the frame again with the second top price of the day making the trip across the water a worthwhile one! Their last lamb through the pen, Lot 596 sold for 7,000gns. A single ET lamb again sired by Jalex Charlie out of a Fourscore dam (SXD:22:00381) currying favour around the ring and possibly offering some fresh bloodlines being the attraction to some. Their pen averaged 4,625gns for 4 lambs forward.
Joint top price also went to Lot 651 consigned by Mark Priestley, Limestone flock was the second call at the sale for 8,000gns. A single lamb derived by ET by Mallinhead Cannonball out of a homebred dam (KPC:23:02307) who is an ET sister to 16,000gns Limestone Springbok. The Limestone pen sold through the ring to average 3,225gns for the 4 lambs.
Lot 649 from Limestone was the show Male champion and Overall Champion as judged by Melvin Stuart of Birness. The lamb met strong bidding and eventually Charles Denby, Blackroots flock came in with the final bid and clinched the ram for 5,200gns. The Cairnton Chaos sired single ET lamb out of a homebred ewe (KPC:20:01381) who also bred 6,300gn Bugatti and daughters to 8,000gns.
The normal strong pen of lambs consigned by JT & JB Cannon from Redbrae, held the fort for the breeders on the other side of the Irish sea with their pen attracting attention from the busy ringside. Lot 656 was reserve male champion and first lamb through reaching 5,000gns. A single ET lamb by Cairness Crafty out of a homebred ewe (JKA:23:05249) heading to its new abode with the Bridgeview flock of Paul & Georgia Delves. The Redbrae pen went on to average 2,360gns reflecting the quality, hard work and time they put into their flock.
Top 10 ram lamb prices
| Lot No | Flock | Price Gns | Purchaser |
| 595 | Derg | 8,000 | H Bowdler, Tombridge |
| 651 | Limestone | 8,000 | GL Stuart, Birness J Wallace, Claycrop S Lathangie, Pyeston C Paterson, Cranorskie |
| 596 | Derg | 7,000 | J Sharp, Sharps |
| 649 | Limestone | 5,200 | C Denby, Blackroots |
| 656 | Redbrae | 5,000 | DP & RA Delves, Bridgeview |
| 692 | Sitlow | 3,500 | J Jones |
| 650 | Limestone | 3,200 | B Roth, Tolgus |
| 648 | Limestone | 2,500 | M Bousfield, Hegdale |
| 662 | Jubilee | 2,500 | MC & MD Sparke |
| 702 | Claycrop | 2,500 | H Lyons, Cloudside |
The Ram lambs sold to an average of 1,458gns, up on the year 836gns with an 89% clearance
SUFFOLK SPECTACULAR SHOW RESULTS 2025
Judge: Melvin Stuart, Birness
Judged in 2025 by Aberdeenshire Suffolk breeder Melvin Stuaart of the Birness flock casting his eye across the ring.
Overall Champion (AS Bulmer Memorial Trophy)
Mark Priestley, Limestone
Lot 649 KPC:25:02930 by Cairnton Chaos
Reserve – JT & JB Cannon, Redbrae
Lot 656 JKA:25:05782 by Cairness Crafty
Female Champion (The Raymond Twiddle Cup)
C Whitticase & Son, Glanmarton
Lot 508 UPU:24:00222 by Rhaeadr Rex
Reserve – K Denby, Carnforth
Lot 528 (sub) A58:25:01174 by Sportsmans Starman
Male Champion (The Boulton and Cooper Perpetual Challenge Trophy)
Mark Priestley, Limestone
Lot 649 KPC:25:02930 by Cairnton Chaos
Reserve – JT & JB Cannon, Redbrae
Lot 656 JKA:25:05782 by Cairness Crafty
CLASS 1 – Shearling Gimmers (Farming in Yorkshire Trophy)
1st – Lot 508 – C Whitticase & Son, Glanmarton UPU:24:00222
2nd – Lot 505 – RH Goldie, Harpercroft 249:24:01415
3rd – Lot 516 – A Glaves, Brompton M17:24:06519
4th – Lot 522 – R Woolway, Woolways KJY:24:01093
5th – Lot 519 – A JAckson, Topgun ZAS:24:02172
CLASS 2 – Ewe Lambs (Yorkshire and Northern Woolgrowers Perpetual Trophy)
1st – Lot 528 – RK Denby, Carnforth A58:25:01174
2nd – Lot 527 – A Jackson, Topgun ZAS:25:02388
CLASS 3 – Shearling Rams (Yorkshire and Northern Woolgrowers Perpetual Trophy)
1st – Lot 532 – A Glaves, Brompton M17:24:06510
2nd – Lot 529 – HC Dowson, Castlegrove K23:24:01801
CLASS 4 – Ram Lambs (The Raymond Twiddle Cup)
1st – Lot 649 – M Priestley, Limestone KPC:25:02930
2nd – Lot 656 – JT & JB Cannon, Redbrae JKA:25:05782
3rd – Lot 644 – H Lyons, Cloudside UCT:25:00574
4th – Lot 595 – S Allen & A Shortt, Derg ZNP:25:01899
5th – Lot 692 – SJ Buckley, Sitlow 45Z:25:05944
Class 5 PAIRS (The Malton Trophy)
1st – Lots 650 & 651 from Limestone
2nd – Lots 657 & 658 from Redbrae
3rd – Lots 593 & 594 from Derg
4th – Lots 661 & 662 from Jubilee
5th – Lots 704 & 705 from Claycrop
Junior Young Handlers
1st – Charlie Leach
2nd – Georgina Denby
3rd – Charlie Whitticase
GALLERY
