With averages significantly up for females compared to last year there is still positivity about the breed, although with a few less shearling ewes sold, breeders were selective about what they were putting their money into.

The sale started with a bang when the first prize shearling ewe and the first to be sold reached 2500gns. From Joe & Sophie Dilibero from the Seawell Flock in Northamptonshire, this shearling ewe is no stranger to success having won the shearling ewe class at the National Show and was part of the Interbreed Group of Three winners at Three Counties. F132500151 is sired by Seawell Explosive who is in the top 1% of the breed with a TSI of 395 and out of a Treworthal bred ewe. She sells in lamb to Treworthal Flambeau who was Champion at the 2026 National Show. Coming out on top after a fierce bidding battle was James & Hilary Strathern from Stirling for their Hawthorn Flock. Joe & Sophie continued their good day trading and sold other shearling ewes to 1320gn to Judith & Graham Galbraiths Graylen Flock and 1200gns to Nathan Dakin from Skipton.

Overall Champion of the day judged by Phillip Derryman from the Yarcombe Flock in Devon made the next highest price of 1700gns. This was for a Senior Ewe from Austyn Chapman and Nikki Wadkins from the Eppleby Flock in Richmond, North Yorkshire. B232300037 is sired Chaddlehanger King Eric and out of a Yarcombe bred ewe. She was sold in lamb with twins to Yarcombe Flashman and make its way to Bolton to join Richard Fitton’s newly established flock.

The Seawell team reinvested their money by purchasing two Whitby ewe lambs at 1400gns and 1200gns. The lambs were from Louis Stainthorpe from Whitby, both lambs were sired by Treworthal Marshell who tops the breed for muscle depth and carcase confirmation figures. A072600369 is out of a Whitby Dracula sired ewe. A072600370 is out of a Whitby bred ewe on both sides.

The top price ram on the day was 1400gns for a ram lamb from Karl & Kara Knowles Roadinghead Flock in from Ayrshire. D232600112 is sired by Bridgehaugh Maximus and out of a Lecropt Kelso sired dam and the ram lamb has had a successful showing season. This lad heads to JM Rennie from Dunfermline to start a new pedigree flock.

Other notable prices:

1200gns Lot 659 – Reserve Overall Champion Ewe Lamb from G&J Galbraith GRAYLEN

1200gns Lot 634 Senior Ewe from HC Derryman & Sons YARCOMBE

1100gns Lot 612 Shearling Ewe from Louis Stainthorpe WHITBY

1100gns Lot 613 Shearling Ewe from G&J Galbraith GRAYLEN

1100gns Lot 675 Ram Lamb from Borsey & Sivill GLANRAFON

1000gns Lot 611 Shearling Ewe from Louis Stainthorpe WHITBY

1000gns Lot 635 Senior Ewe from HC Derryman & Sons YARCOMBE

Averages

18 Shearling Ewes £937.42

7 Older Ewes £937.50

4 Maiden Ewes £577.50

12 Ewe Lambs £771.75

3 Spring Born Ewe Lambs £290.50

3 Ram Lambs £973

Thanks to Seawell Hampshires for the sponsorship

Overall & Female Champion – Chapman & Wadkins EPPLEBY Senior Ewe (Lot 632)	Reserve Overall and Reserve Female Champion – G&J Galbraith GRAYLEN Ewe Lamb (Lot 659)
Male Champion – Adrian Rundle TREWORTHAL Ram Lamb	Reserve Male Champion – Bruce Steel POWBLACK Shearling Ram (Kildowney Bred)
Shearling Ewe 1st Lot 627 Joe & Sophie Dilibero SEAWELL 2nd Lot 628 Joe & Sophie Dilibero SEAWELL 3rd Lot 612 Louis Stainthorpe WHITBY 4th Lot 624 Adrian Rundle TREWORTHAL	Senior Ewe 1st Lot 632 Chapman & Wadkins EPPLEBY 2nd Lot 638 Mark Weir MONTHRAW (Caerlaverock Bred)
Ewe Lamb 1st Lot 659 G&J Galbraith GRAYLEN 2nd Lot 661 G&J Galbraith GRAYLEN 3rd Lot 660 G&J Galbraith GRAYLEN 4th Lot 654 Borsey & Sivill GLANRAFON	Shearling Ram 1st Lot 671 Bruce Steel POWBLACK
Ram Lamb 1st Lot 676 Adrian Rundle TREWORTHAL 2nd Lot 675 Borsey & Sivill GLANRAFON 3rd Lot 673 K & K Knowles ROADINGHEAD 4th Lot 678 John Grossick ROCKHALL