A packed ringside of eager buyers created superb trade in pedigree females at CCM Skipton’s annual “Suffolk Showcase” sale, peaking at 3600gns for a stand-out ewe carrying triplets. (Saturday, November 7).
The highlight event saw a 98 per cent clearance rate of 91 forward and included Richard Grice and his Klondyke flock, Darlington, Co Durham, taking the leading price when consigning a near complete flock dispersal.
Klondyke ewe tops trade at 3600gns
Cream of the crop was his 2022-born Moorsley Mercury-sired Klondyke ewe, bred from a Strathisla Sea Bird-sired home bred ewe. The mother of all the flock’s sheep on offer and carrying triplets to the renowned Klondyke Kingman, she sold at 3600gns top to online bidder Susan Todd, Co Durham. The Klondyke consignment also recorded a 1400gns sale for a Cairness Chief-sired shearling carrying twins to Kingman.
Tidalview ewe takes championship honours
In the show ring, judge Lewis Walton, Oaktons flock, Longton, Preston, was most impressed by the day’s champion, a Cobclough ewe consigned by Richard Batty’s Tidalview flock, Heversham, Cumbria, that sold at 1400gns to Cumbrian purchaser S Woodend, Millom. By Strathbogie Magic Mike and from a Rhaeadr ewe, it sold scanned with a single to Harpercoft Batman. “Big boned and strong at every corner,” said Mr Walton.
A regular buyer, Mr Batty, who has 20 pure Suffolk ewes, was delighted with a rosette at his first show attempt at CCM. “Suffolks are really coming back because they are so fast to fatten and really get away early,” he said.
Wharfe flock enjoys outstanding sale success
Local breeder Stephen Bolland and his Wharfe flock at Bolton Abbey always find favour at the Skipton highlight and this year was no exception with his ten-strong consignment containing the first prize ewe lamb, which was also reserve champion, and also the first and second prize shearling ewes.
The reserve, sold at 1800gns to A&R Golledge, Standish, Wigan, was a January, 2026 lamb, sired by Kings Superior, who has sired ram lambs up to 10000gns and ewe lambs up to 5000gns. However, it was a third shearling from Mr Bolland’s pen that claimed his top price of 3100gns for another Kings Superior-sired female carrying twins to Rookery Dominator. It was claimed by DBR Farming, Staffordshire.
Wharfe’s first prize shearling made 2600gns, again by Kings Superior and from a Solwaybank Cracker-sired ewe and carrying a single to Dominator. It also sold to A&R Golledge.
The Wharfe pen also contained three sales at 2000gns, including the second prize shearling bred exactly the same way as the first prize winner, but this time with twins to Dominator. It sold to show judge Mr Walton.
The next Wharfe 2000gns sale was a Superior daughter from a Bridgeview Maximus ewe scanned with twins to Dominator, while the third at 2000gns was a Lakeview ewe, a Mullinvale Munro daughter from a Limestone Limited edition ewe and scanned carrying a single to Dominator. Both were also purchased by the Golledges.
The Wharfe flock also sold ewe lambs sired by Dominator for 1800gns and 1400gns. “Suffolks are so economical because they finish so much faster than other breeds,” said Mr Bolland after a very successful show and sale.
Sitlow and Cairness females make 1200gns
Leading Suffolk breeder Steve Buckley, Sitlow flock, Buxton, Derbyshire, claimed third prize in the shearling ewe class with a homebred sired by Jalex X Factor and scanned with twins by Groes Livewire, which Steve described as a stylish ram lamb that caught their eye at Lanark. It sold to FA Broadwith, Ripon, at 1200gns.
The third prize in-lamb ewe came from the much-respected Cairness flock of Jimmy Douglas, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Sired by Frongoy Firepower, born December 2022 and scanned with twins to Strathbogie AI, it sold at 1200gns to N Ruby, Boston, Lincolnshire.
Rhaeadr ewe lamb sells for 2400gns
Again amongst the show tickets was Welsh regular Myfyr A Evans, whose Rhaeadr flock in Denbighshire won best ewe lambs at the National & Western Area flock competition 2026 and who picked up second prize for a ewe lamb sired by Sharps Spitfire and which sold at 2400gns to Michael Goldie, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire.
Third prize in that class went to local vendor Mark Evans, who has the Jubilee flock at Steeton, Keighley. Sired by Redbrae More Than Ready out of a Jubilee dam, it sold at 700gns, again to the adjudicator.
Strong averages underline demand for Suffolk females
A repeat of last year’s exceptionally high clearance rate saw 26 ewes average £1136, 27 shearling ewes £1298 and 38 ewe lambs £842.
For more information please contact Chris Tate on 07920 151126 or email christate1@aol.com
Photos: Moule Media, Skipton
