On Thursday Penrith & District Farmers’ Mart LLP held their annual show & sale of 5,916 uncrossed & crossed Swaledale, Herdwick & Cheviot ewes, shearlings and gimmer lambs, kindly sponsored by PFK Rural, Peter Horn Mobile Sheep Dipping and Lake District National Park.
Simply the best comes to mind, with Penrith Auction Mart taking the lead once again for procuring the very best. A sale like no other with a packed ringside of buyers all taking advantage of the quality breeding sheep on show.
Champion honours for 2025 went to the Wear Family, Howe Green, with a pen of fantastic quality, well-presented 2 crop ewes, going on to realise £370 per head, purchased by Mr C Lowis, Waterside House. This consignment of 150 averaged £237.87.
Leading the way in the averages went to the Lightfoot Family, Gillside, with a run of 289 shearlings through to 4 crop ewes, to average a mind blowing £261.66. Topping at £600 per head with the second prize pen of 2 crop ewes, bred for pure strength and class, selling to Mr A Hartley, Turner Hall. This same home achieved £490 for a pen of 10 gimmer shearlings, which attracted great interest and ended up in the hands of Mr JC White, Rigg Farm.
The whole sale averaged £197, this up an astonishing £40 on the year, with numerous breeders averaging £200 plus per head.
The Herdwicks attracted a huge buzz throughout their section topping at £200 per head for gimmer lambs from Messrs W E Strong, Midtown, with a pen of 10 purchased by Messrs GK & KJ Faraday, Lancaster.
Champion honours were secured by Mr G Bland with his carefully bred 2 & 3 crop ewes, realising £160 and being purchased by the judge Mr G Booth. Mr W Tyson, Town Head, Grasmere, achieved a top price of £175 for the second placed ewes in the show.
Swaledale gimmer lambs comfortably met the dearest trade ever seen here, averaging a mind blowing £90.45 for a considerable number of small fell twins, nevertheless topping at £170 for the first placed lambs from Messrs GD & JD Nelson, Hedwynds, selling to Mr G Kyle.
In the cheviot section 3-4 crop ewes from Messrs R W & G Dickinson, High Knipe, achieved £230 per head, with other pens realising £200 from Messrs Hodgson, Woodfoot.
A top class show entry of draft Swaledale ewes, shearlings & gimmer lambs drew much praise from the judges Mr E Haughey, Northern Ireland, and Mr D Allinson, West Briscoe with Mr S Allen, Hill Crest, acting as referee.
A fantastic show of Herdwick ewes was forward in pairs to the judge of this section, Mr G Booth, The Hollins.
The following results were awarded: -
Class 1 - Pen of 10 Swaledale Gimmer Lambs
1st GD & JP Nelson, Hedwynds – realising £170
Class 2 - Pen of 10 Swaledale Shearlings
1st Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside – realising £490
2nd Haltcliffe – realising £300
Class 3 - Pen of 10 Swaledale Ewes, Receiving the Draft Ewe Trophy
1st Messrs EJ & RJ Wear, Howe Green – realising £370
2nd Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside – realising £600
3rd S Hardisty & Son, How Hall – realising £270
Class 4 - Pair of Herdwick Ewes, Receiving the Racy Ghyll Trophy
1st Messrs Bland, Clea Hall – realising £160
2nd Bobsy Tyson, Town Head – realising £175
3rd Messrs Bland, Clea Hall – realising £160
https://www.penrithauction.com/Portals/0/EasyDNNnews/Uploads/152/Draft%20ewe%20report%202025%20correct.pdf