£92,000 bid for a ‘lovely’ Swaledale tup at Hawes

Records were smashed at the last sale of Swaledale rams of the season at Hawes, with averages up £386 on the year at £2,226 for 611 rams and an astonishing sale high of £92,000.

Despite the great prices at the top end, trade was picky, with buyers being selective as a result of the volume of tups to choose from. 

Leading the sale and living up to his name was Kisdon Lovely from Christine Clarkson, Muker, Swaledale, who showed great colour and type. Paul and Sue Hallam from Derbyshire held their nerve long enough to secure the tup. He was by a homebred ram and was out of a ewe by the £34,000 Bull and Cave champion.

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Sale leader at £92,000 was Kisdon Lovely from Christine Clarkson, Muker, Swaledale © Wayne Hutchinson

This set the tone for the day’s trading, when 30 minutes later the show champion went through the ring and sold for £86,000. Consigned by Mark and Chris Rukin from the Stonesdale flock, Stonesdale Governor was secured by Alan Coates, Aygill, and Robert Wear, Patterdale.

The Stonesdale flock’s second tup into the ring also stepped up to the mark ,with bidding fast and furious again and levelling at £46,000 for this son of a £12,000 Hallam and out of a ewe by a Bill Cowperthwaite. He went back to Summer  Lodge and Oxnop to Stephen and Brian Porter.

John Dixon from the Stainton flock enjoyed his best trade ever, when his tup, Stainton Vector, cashed in at £43,000. He was by a Helbeck tup, going back to the prolific Limelight sire and was bought by Mark Nelson, Bull and Cave, and Richard Harker, Grayrigg Hall, who were drawn by his depth of colour and class.

Last into the ring for the whole show were the Ewbank brothers, Mark and Paul. Despite the late billing, they enjoyed a phenomenal trade, topping at £30,000 with a powerful shearling by a Grayrigg Hall tup. He was bought by John Richardson, Mark Nelson and Bobby Blades.

(Hawes Auction Mart)