A pen of Mule gimmer lambs from Lands Farm sold for a record £820 at the annual Tow Law Mule Gimmer Lamb Sale at Hexham Auction Mart, as buyers responded to a large entry and strong demand across the sale.
Hexham and Northern Marts said 6,100 lambs were catalogued for the sale, held on behalf of the Weardale branch of the North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA). The supplied report identifies the sale as taking place at Hexham Auction Mart on 24 September 2026, although its heading gives the date as Friday 25 September 2026.
Lands Farm takes championship for ninth consecutive year
The pre-sale show involved 12 pens and was judged in two sections. Mr H Tustian of Banbury, described in the report as a highly regarded Mule gimmer lamb purchaser, assessed the pens of 10. Mr G Porter of Riddings Farm judged the runs of 100 or more.
After inspecting the entries and deliberating over a close contest between the leading four pens, Mr Tustian awarded the GW Robinson Rosebowl and Champion NEMSA rosette to John, Steven and Andrew Reed of Lands Farm.
The result extended the Reeds' run to nine consecutive years as winners of the trophy. Their champion pen was described as a strong example of the Mule breed and attracted interest from buyers before selling for £820 to W Richardson & Son of Ghyll House.
W M Reed & Son also headed the report's leading flock averages. The farm sold 390 lambs, recording a top price of £820 and an average of £223.42. Other prominent listed results included R & M J Lee of Harwood Shield, whose lambs reached £345, and I Potts of Redburn, whose top price was £340.
Show results and leading prices
Lands Farm won the pens-of-10 class. Messrs K & H A Ridley of Allenshields were placed second, followed by I Potts of Redburn and R Collingwood of Stewartshield Meadows.
In the runs-of-100 competition, T A Collingwood & Sons of Ambling Gate won the William Reed Perpetual Trophy for the best run. W J Scott Ltd of Low Leam was second and R & M J Lee of Harwood Shield third.
The first pen through the ring came from Craig and Charlotte Ridley of Lilswood Grange and sold for £290. Six pens exceeded £300 during the day. A powerful pen from R & M J Lee reached £345 and was bought by PJ Elliot of Bank House. The third-prize pen from I Potts sold for £340 to Mr Tustian, the show judge.
Other leading prices listed in the report included £330 from Allenshields and Low Leam, £300 from Stewart Shield Meadows, £290 from Lilswood Grange, and £270 from Ambling Gate and Redburn. The detailed price list also records sales involving farms including Brownchesters, Spital Shield, Rosehill, Sundaysight, Woodhall, Devonport Farms, West Biggins, Longlea, Bollihope Shield, Ouston, Softley Farm, West Newlandside and Wolsingham Park Farms.
Stronger trade for runners and tupping lambs
The mart described trading conditions as very strong for both tuppers and runners. Some runners recorded an increase of £60 to £70 per head compared with the previous year, while tupping lambs rose by £30 to £40 per head.
The report attributed part of the improvement to new buyers joining the regular attendees around the Hexham ringside. It said the interest reflected the reputation of Tow Law gimmer lambs for growing into good sheep later in life and developing into powerful shearlings.
The stronger prices came despite difficult growing conditions. Hexham and Northern Marts said the lambs were possibly not as strong as those offered the previous year and that the severe dry spell had created challenges for producers. It nevertheless described the entries as a credit to their consignors.
The report also praised breeders for continuing to produce functioning Mule sheep with size, power and breed type. More lambs could have been sold, it said, suggesting that demand remained ahead of the available entry.
Average rises by £44.60
The sale produced an average of £201.60, an increase of £44.60. The report thanked regular sponsor Peter Monkhouse Haulage Ltd of Wolsingham for its support.
The result gives farmers and buyers at Hexham a detailed indication of demand at one of the region's annual Mule gimmer sales, while the record price for the Lands Farm pen marked another championship success for the Reed family.