A tremendous trade for Charollais females saw prices soar at the British Charollais Sheep Society’s annual sale at CCM Skipton on Saturday 10th October, with strong demand and impressive increases in averages across both shearling ewes and ewe lambs.

Leading the way were Messrs Sloan and Jackson’s Rigghead flock, which secured both the supreme championship and the day’s top price of 5000gns.

The sale leader was a Logie Durno Craftsman-sired shearling ewe, bred from a Thackwood U Corker-sired Castellau ewe purchased at the flock’s dispersal sale. Scanned carrying twins to Thackwood Endeavour, she was knocked down to Stephen Cobbald and Amy Byford for their Lavenham flock in Acton, Suffolk.

Hannah Jackson, together with parents David and Helen Sloan, repeated last year’s show success when another Craftsman daughter and was awarded the supreme championship by judge Ollie James of the Ditton flock, Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

This home-bred shearling, out of a Leelaw-sired ewe, was also carrying twins to Thackwood Endeavour and sold to the Lavenham flock for 4000gns.

Rigghead continued its successful day with a further Craftsman daughter, out of a Knighton ewe, selling for 2400gns to G O Few and Sons in the West Midlands.

Commenting on the breed’s appeal, third-generation farmer Hannah Jackson said: “Charollais are such easy lambers and sought after because you get good scale and quick weight gain.”

Scottish Borders breeder Stuart Ramsey also enjoyed an excellent trade with his Skyefall consignment, reaching 3500gns for a Springhill Adonis daughter out of a home-bred Springhill Untouchable ewe. Carrying twins to Boyo Bravemansgame, she was another purchase for the Lavenham flock.

A second Adonis daughter, bred from Loaningfoot Broxi and carrying a single to Bravemansgame, realised 2800gns, selling to Graham Foster, Armagh, Northern Ireland.

Another similarly bred female, carrying triplets, headed to south-west Scotland with G and S Sinclair, while a fourth Adonis daughter, again out of the Loaningfoot ewe, made 2000gns to the R Shepherd Partnership, Dorset.

The Logie Durno flock of W and C Ingram, Pitcaple, Aberdeenshire, also achieved 2000gns for a Moelfryn Corker-sired shearling out of a Wernfawr Ace daughter. Carrying twins to Annamacneil Dark Horse, she was purchased by the R Shepherd Partnership.

The strength of the shearling trade was reflected in an impressive average of £1,497.22 for 56 head, compared with £1,090.53 in 2025 — an increase of more than 37%.

Rigghead tops ewe lamb section

The Rigghead flock continued its winning form in the ewe lamb section, securing the top price of 1450gns with the final sheep through the sale ring. Sired by Logie Durno Craftsman, she sold to Lincolnshire breeders O Chapman and O Parkin for their Double O flock.

David and Johnathan Norman’s Kirkhouse flock, West Cumbria, also enjoyed a successful sale. Their third prize ewe lamb, bred from a Loanhead sire and out of a Crunklaw Whisky Mac-sired home-bred ewe, realised 1300gns to Sam Barker, Menwith Hill.

The flock followed this with the fourth prize ewe lamb, by Kirkhouse Optimus and out of a Ballyhibben Tadhg Furlong ewe, selling for 1150gns to F A and C J Elsworthy, Devon.

Regular Skipton vendors, the Marwood family of the Foulrice flock, Whenby, York, presented a strong consignment of ewe lambs, taking both first and second prizes in the show.

Their first prize lamb, which also secured the reserve supreme championship, was sired by Foulrice Diadem and out of a Rhaeadr Union Jack ewe. She sold for 1050gns to previous buyers, F A and C J Elsworthy.

A delighted Charles Marwood, attending the sale with grandson Tom, described securing the first two places in the ewe lamb classes as “a real bonus” on a highly successful day.

Demand for ewe lambs was equally encouraging, with 29 head averaging £854.48, a substantial increase on the 2025 average of £553.26.

Strong prices for flock ewes

The Ingram family’s Logie Durno flock also enjoyed success in the flock ewe section. Their first offering, a December 2021-born Foxhill VaVaVoom daughter out of a Dalby ewe, sold carrying twins for 2500gns to A C Birkle, Loughborough.

A second VaVaVoom daughter, out of a Loanhead ewe, realised 2000gns, selling to the R Shepherd Partnership. The flock ewe section recorded an average of £2362.50.

With strong competition for quality females, excellent clearance of leading lots and substantial increases in both shearling and ewe lamb averages, the Skipton fixture provided a highly encouraging reflection of demand for pedigree Charollais breeding stock.