Hexham Auction Mart reported strong demand across its cattle and sheep sections after buyers returned to the ring in greater numbers for the Friday 18 September 2026 sale.
The store-cattle sale returned after a week away for the Kelso Ram Sales. A total of 405 store cattle and suckled calves were presented at the monthly special sale for native-bred cattle. Hexham and Northern Marts said the market was beginning to gather momentum as livestock numbers remained short and beef prices had improved.
The mart said the combination was particularly noticeable in the number of purchasers around the ringside. It described the resulting trade as sharp across all classes, with several vendors considering it similar to, or possibly dearer than, the market at the same time last year.
More cattle could have been sold, according to the report, which said the mart needed further entries on a weekly basis.
Blonde-cross steer leads store-cattle prices
The leading store-cattle price was £2,590 for a Blonde-cross steer from P & PM Walker, Houselop Grange. An Angus-cross steer from G & J H Tomlinson & Son, Sunniside, reached £2,550, while a pair of Hereford-cross heifers from A Parker, High Wooley, sold for £2,450.
G & EA Herdman of Luns House sold Limousin-bred heifers to £2,390. The Shell family, Brandon, Powburn, presented a run of Simmental-Luing and Luing cattle, with powerful heifers reaching £2,380 on two occasions.
The sale also included an increasing number of dairy-bred cattle. The mart said these animals were becoming more common at the Hexham ring and were selling readily. A notable entry was a group of 11 British Blue crosses, aged between 14 and 16 months, from J & E Campbell, Rosebrough. Their heifers reached £2,000.
There was also demand for younger, weaned and yearling cattle. A run of Angus-cross heifers from JHC Campbell & Sons, Thrunton, sold for £2,240 for a pair and £2,120 for another pair. John Charlton of Harnham Hall Farming Ltd sold 11-month-old Charolais-cross steers to £2,060.
Low Middleton herd dispersal reaches £4,800
A final herd dispersal for Low Middleton Livestock was held alongside the main store-cattle sale. Hexham and Northern Marts said the cattle were presented in the good condition expected from stock produced at the farm over the years.
The dispersal peaked at £4,800 for a shapely Limousin-cross cow with a bullock calf at foot from Low Middleton Farmhouse. Further cow-and-steer entries reached £4,500, £4,400, £4,100, £4,000, £3,800, £3,600 and £3,500.
A Limousin-cross and British Blue-cross cow-and-steer entry made £3,600. Cow-and-heifer lots included Aberdeen Angus-cross and Limousin-cross cattle at £4,000, while other Limousin-cross cow-and-heifer lots sold for £4,000, £3,800, £3,600 and £3,600.
The mart said several potential purchasers left without buying. It also used the report to wish Robin, Rachel and their family well in their future endeavours and thank them for their custom over the years.
1,525 cast ewes and tups sold
Hexham and Northern Marts sold 1,525 cast ewes and tups in what it described as another strong trade, with buyers keen for all classes.
Texel ewes topped the ewe section at £280 for a pair from A J & H Gordon & Son, Old Deanham. A pen of five Texel ewes from D Barron, New Acres, reached £278. Suffolk-cross ewes sold to £237 from J G Clarkson & Partners, Elrington Hall, while a pen of 17 Suffolk-cross ewes from F W Robson, South Farm, made £227.
Cheviot Mule ewes reached £214 for seven from M A Watmore, Low Farnham. Mule ewes sold to £186 for nine from E & T N Ballantyne, Cowburnrigg. Blackface ewes reached £148 for seven from Cowden Partners, Cowden Burn, and Swaledale ewes sold to £120 for five from W D & B Thompson, East Unthank.
The report encouraged farmers to continue entering ewes and said lairage was available on Thursday night. A small entry of cast tups reached £235 for a pair from Greenchesters. Other leading tup prices included £228 for Beltex from Low Espley, £216 for a Bluefaced Leicester from Low Farnham, £144 for Swaledales from East Unthank and £220 for Texels from Spenside Farm.
Store lambs average £131.56
The mart sold a catalogued entry of 9,127 store lambs, reporting competitive buying from the start to the finish of the sale. The wholesale average was £131.56, with the report stating that all classes of breed and size sold at competitive rates.
The top price was £255 for 16 Dutch Texel-cross lambs from J & A Moralee, Hard Riding. The same vendor sold a further 10 lambs at £230 and another 12 at £225. Across 248 lambs, the run averaged £199.95.
B Storey, Woodhead, sold 12 lambs at £215 and another 14 at the same price. A total of 328 Dutch Texel-cross lambs averaged £199.77.
Texel-cross lambs also sold to £200 from Swarland Old Hall, while Beltex-cross lambs reached £180 from Well House Farm. Other section leaders included £158 for Suffolk-cross lambs from Whitchester, £154 for Cheviots from High Fodderlie, £147 for North of England Mules from Townshields and £138 for Bluefaced Leicesters from Low Farnham.
Mule lambs were described as easily cashed, with all 825 sold. H & H Robson, Townshields, topped that section at £147, with further lambs from the same home reaching £132 and £129.
Cheviot show and sale results
The annual Show and Sale of Cheviot Lambs was judged by Jack Gilder. W D Allen of Stouphill won the championship with a pen of 51 lambs selling at £139. The reserve championship went to Linhope, whose 20 lambs made £131.
D Walton of High Fodderlie sold Cheviots to £154. The report also highlighted D J & L A Acton of Braidley, whose pens of 51 lambs reached £141 and 90 lambs reached £139. The mart said Cheviots were particularly well sold, with one vendor reporting larger returns than at other centres that week.
Next sale and entry information
A store-lamb sale at St Johns Chapel was scheduled for the following morning, starting at 10am.
Farmers wishing to enter cattle for a Hexham sale were asked to contact Drew on 07854 361967 or Andrew on 07955 275403, or call the mart office on 01434 605444 by 10.30am on Monday for cataloguing. Sheep enquiries could be directed to Jack on 07739 440457, Harrison on 07895 761102, Andrew on 07955 275403 or Neil on 07955 268459.