Hawes Auction Bluefaced Leicester sale revels in the crossing trade for ram lambs, and again this year was no exception. The only exception was the finish time. Normally this sale is an 18 hour marathon, this year due to reduced entries mainly due to vendors selling lambs at home, or not bringing as many, the sale was a mere canter of 12 hours of selling for the dedicated auctioneers

Once again, following this years norm, trade was picky, and saw averages take a tumble of nearly £200 for the 363 ram lambs and down nearly £225 for the shearling rams. However, in light of the disastrous lamb trade this back end many sellers were, in the words that you heard resonating around the auction, “Very happy, on the year” with most sheep finding new homes, despite incorrect rumours swimming around the mart at one stage that they were now within a Blue Tongue zone, and some newly bought sheep wouldn't be able to return the buyers

It was debut to remember for D J Abberley from Wales , as Z26 Old Hemley took the Championship ticket. The Abberley's have been buying some of the best bloodlines over the last few years, and this year it was their turn in the limelight. Their champion was by the W1 Keer that has been so successful for the Kirkby Redgate flock. They managed to negotiate 2 straws of semen from Kirkby Redgate last year after purchasing the £14,500 lamb last year. The dam is the best ewe at Old Hemley, sired by the M2 Ty-Gwyn, which goes back to the £10,000 Snab Green lamb. The final bidders for this lamb were M/s Jackson, Anchor Farm, Blubberhouses.

Taking the day's top price was Richard Hutchinson from the Kirkby Redgate flock, giving them a unique hat trick, taking the top price at the last 3 Hawes sales, on the back of their excellent run of mule lambs. This year's topper and Reserve Champion on the day made £9000, selling to E Nelson & Son, Bull & Cave. Once again it was by the W1 Keer, and out of the same ewe that has produced the top priced tups over the last few years. The P1 Kirkby Redgate sired ewe has sold sons in an excess of over £36,000. The Kirkby Redgate number one lamb made £2200 selling to Neil White, Barf House, which helped them to an average of £1950 for 7 lambs.

M/s Lord, Hewgill had another great day at the sale. They sold late in the day, and always had a pen full of lookers. Their top price was for the Z1 Hewgill lamb, which sold for £6800 to J E Thorpe, Blackburn farm, Hawes. Their number 2 lamb made £5400 selling to D J Abberley, Old Hemley. The breeding behind these lambs is becoming a little bit predictable, but no less exciting, as it is proving to be such an outstanding cross, the V45 Hewgill on to M8 Hewgill ewes. The Lords averaged £2015 for 10 lambs sold, which reflects the demand for these excellent crossing lambs, and the regard for the mule lambs they keep on producing are held.

It was an excellent day for Scottish breeder Alan Wight who took home the day's top average of £3867 for his three lambs. And what lambs they were. It was a set of twins by the Midlock Controversy and out of a two crop S5 Melmerby sired ewe that really caught the eye, with their power, confirmation and style which had many people admiring them. M/s Barker, Keer and G Walker, Brennand landed the first lamb for £4000 and the second was landed by Paul Brown, Oak House and Colin Lowis, Pooley Bridge for £4800. The third lamb in the pen, also by the Controversy tup, out of a Nunscleugh ewe made £2800

M/ss Baker, Keer, have an excellent record of producing the goods and also of rams that go away and do well…just look at the Redgate pen, and that reputation was followed up by actions too when noted mule lamb breeders, C W Dent, Greenriggs and K A Fawcett & Sons, Dale Head joined forces and splashed the cash to the tune 0f £3500 for the Keer top lamb. He has some tremendous bloodlines behind him, sired by a R1 Lunesdale and out of a ewe by their home bred R8 Keer.

Trade held up well right to the end of the sale, and any fears that past Chairman James Porter had had of being at the back of the days queue were unfounded as bids rained in for his lambs. His pen topper was bid to £3000 and bought by M/s Ellis, Ilkley Moor. The rest of the Porters lambs averaged out at £1177 for 15 lambs, proving the point that quality always sells.

Looking back on the day, most breeders will reflect that although the trade was “Good on the year” they will be looking forwards to next year when hopefully there won't be as much uncertainty clouding over the sales, and that demand and confidence in the sheep sector will be surging instead of collapsing.