Champion – NG Beveridge, Low West House, Tow Law
Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their ‘Great Annual Show and Sale’ of suckled calves and also their weekly sale of cast cattle, breeding stock, store sheep and fortnightly sale of rearing calves on Monday 19th October 2026. Forward were 450 cattle, 1769 sheep and 92 calves & stirks.
83 Cast Cows/OTM sold to 374ppk or £3403
4 Stock Bulls sold to 290ppk or £3117
97 Suckled Bull Calves sold to £2320
142 Suckled Steer Calves sold to £2400
106 Suckled Heifer Calves sold to £3700
9 Cows & Calves sold to £3550
1499 Store Lambs sold to £200
270 Feeding Ewes/Rams sold to £218
15 Stirks sold to £980
77 Rearing Calves sold to £760
Show of Suckled Calves
Thanks firstly must go to Andrew Moralee of Blackburn Farm, Langley Park who undertook the judging duties this morning. Great credit must then go to the vendors who seem to improve their wares year on year at this important annual suckled calf show and sale; some stunning beasts were presented for show afore our capable judge.
Taking the tri-coloured ticket was a beautiful 9-month-old Limousin heifer from the firm of NG Beveridge, Low West House, Tow Law; the simply stunning sort is a daughter of the prolific sire Sarkley Roscoe. She has no shortage of breeding on her side; her dam has previously bred a Royal Highland Show reserve champion in the commercial lines. Picking up the reserve champion accolade was a very classy Limousin sired steer from consistent producers RA & S Wearmouth, Middletown Farm; this super sort is a real local success story, born and bred just down the road at Long Newton he is sired by Jorica Newsflash who also hails from close by and the excellent pedigree herd of Josh Knaggs, Sadberge. Also picking up red rosettes today were the on-song Beveridge’s who claimed a couple more, one for the Wilson family of Easington, one for last year’s winners the Swinbank’s of Neasham and fighting off some flu like symptoms to take away the top bull ticket were the Common’s of Hexhamshire.
More credit must go to the judge as you will see below, the champion took the days top price at £3700, the reserve took the top steer slot at £2400 and the first prize bull led his section at £2320.
Results
Champion – NG Beveridge, Low West House sold for £3700 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
Reserve – RA & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £2400 to C Moralee & Sons, Durham
Class 1 – Best Continental Bull
1st – T Common & Son, Low Ardley sold for £2320 to AS & SM Kemp & Son, Bowburn
2nd – T Common & Son, Low Ardley sold for £2200 to AS & SM Kemp & Son, Bowburn
3rd A Wilson, Calf Close sold for £1820 to JA & A Swan, York
Class 2 – Limousin Heifer
1st – NG Beveridge, Low West House sold for £3700 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
2nd – RA & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £2800 to J Bradley, Ribblesdale
3rd – JN Swinbank, Cold Comfort sold for £2000 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
Class 3 – British Blue Heifer
1st – H Beveridge, Low West House sold for £2900 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
2nd – T & C Smith, Thorsgill sold for £1600 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
3rd – T & C Smith, Thorsgill sold for £1600 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
Class 4 – Any Other Breed Heifer
1st – A Wilson, Calf Close sold for £1400 to J Burton, Middleton-in-Teesdale
2nd – A Wilson, Calf Close sold for £1380 to E Tallentire, Richmond
Class 5 – Limousin Steer
1st – RA & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £2400 to C Moralee & Sons, Durham
2nd – KO Stones, Nun Cote Nook sold for £2130 to JJ Crichton, Egremont
3rd – JN Swinbank, Cold Comfort sold for £2180 to C Moralee & Sons, Durham
Class 6 – British Blue Steer
1st – JN Swinbank, Cold Comfort sold for £2360 to C Moralee & Sons, Durham
2nd – KO Stones, Nun Cote Nook sold for £2000 to RS Hall & Sons, Driffield
3rd – T & C Smith, Thorsgill sold for £1800 to NC Wilson, Ripon
Class 7 – Any Other Breed Steer
1st – NG Beveridge, Low West House sold for £1860 to A Kitson & Sons and Five Houses Farm Shop
Sale of Suckled Calves
Trade tremendous, thanks to the vendors old and new for providing the buyers with a great offering of quality calves. Thanks to the buyers old and new for providing the vendors with good reason to go again in 2027. Just a few less numbers forward on the year however it was very pleasing to see all averages climbing. The brilliant bulls levelled at £1446 (+£176) the smart steers £1737 (+£25) and the red-hot heifers averaged £1632 (+£186).
Bidding passed £2000 a remarkable thirty-eight times, largely thanks to the regular sellers of high-end calves whom you will see listed below in the top average lists and above in the show winners report. The best of the 7-10-month-old calves travelled consistently through the sale £2100 to £2300, smaller more commercial types £1800 plus with the native breeds also hot property and often £1600 to £1800 or more. The top spots rightly went to the show winning calves, the sky is the limit for these select few when finished but it must be noted that a terrific confidence remains apparent amongst the commercial feeding buyers, the beef boom of the past few years remains very much alive and well.
Leading Averages
NG Beveridge sold 17 averaged £2111 (+£80)
L Booton sold 12 averaged £1913 (+£41)
JN Swinbank sold 35 averaged £1911 (-£48)
MJ Marley sold 12 averaged £1905 (+£184)
KO Stones sold 18 averaged £1851 (+£17)
Bull Calves – £2320 £2200 T Common & Son. £1920 KO Stones. £1860×2 £1830 £1760 MJ Marley. £1860 £1840 £1720 £1640×2 £1540 £1520 £1500 £1460 Duell Partners. £1850 £1840 £1820 £1810 £1730×2 £1600 £1480 A Wilson. £1800×5 £1670×3 £1630×3 £1400×5 Allison Devereux Farms. £1780 £1730 £1600 WA Wardman Ltd. £1680 £1650 £1580×2 £1560 I Spedding. £1560 T Ward. £1500 JW Richardson. £1440 C&JC Stephenson.
Steer Calves – £2400 £2110 £2000 £1940×3 £1920×2 £1900×2 £1870 £1860 RA&SL Wearmouth. £2380 £2200 £2100 £2080 £1940 NG Beveridge. £2360 £2280 £2180×2 £2030×2 £2020×2 £1960 £1940×4 £1880×3 JN Swinbank. £2300 £2200 £2080 £2000 MJ Marley. £2200 £2130 £2000×2 £1910×2 KO Stones. £2160 £2020 £2010 £1960 £1950 £1900×2 £1850 L Booton. £1900 J Brannen.
Heifer Calves – £3700 £2200 £2030 £220×2 £1950×2 £1940 £1890 £1880 NG Beveridge. £1900 H Beveridge. £2800 £2450 £1880×2 £1850 £1840 £1820 RA&SL Wearmouth. £2150 £1840 KO Stones. £2000 £1950 £1920 £1860 JN Swinbank. £1950 MJ Marley. £1900 B Watson. £1800 I Newton & Son. £1790 G&JM Blackburn. £1780 RG Richardson.
Breeding Cattle & Stirks – A super run of breeding cattle from the reduction of W & J Herbert, Woodwell Farm found new homes with consummate ease. Top of the day at £3550 was a 2019 born British Blue cow with a smart Limousin heifer calf by her side. Stirks sold away well just dependant on size and quality.
Stirks £980 £910 £880 £820 £800×2 £770×4 J&SM Ivison. £660 W&J Herbert. £660×3 £645 Camphill Village Trust.
Cows & Calves £3550 £2600 £2300 £2100 £2050 W&J Herbert.
Heifers & Calves £2520 £2500 £2420 £2150 W&J Herbert.
Cast Cattle – The cow trade cracks on, some superstars at the top helped the sale average soar to £1870 per head and 262 pence per kilo. Grabbing the headlines were some mighty Limousin’s from AC Simpson & Son, McNeil Farm. A magnificent 5-year-old cow hit the dizzy heights of 374ppk and a massive £3403, the Simpson sorcery also saw another cow reach £2996 and a big old bull sell for 290ppk and £3117. Big Bazadaise cows from Bridge House Farm, Lincs also impressed with a best of £2995 whilst the top natives per kilo were Aberdeen Angus OTM heifers from Raby Home Farm at 352ppk. Native breed cows sold to £2103 in the lump from W & R Kemp & Son, Wigdon Walls whereas a leaner show of Friesian cows topped at 248ppk from G Thompson & Sons, Softley Farm or £1593 from Little Newsham Farms.
Cast Cows – Top prices ppk 374 350 298 AC Simpson & Son. 352×2 350 Raby Home Farm. 348×2 Skelton Farming Ltd. 342 324 FH Hutchinson. 334 284 Bridge House. 332 302 272 WM Reed & Sons. 330 272 EA Martin & Son. 330 268 WA Wardman Ltd. 320 W&J Herbert. 318 294 GK KN & GJ Hird. 288 JF Southgate & Partners. 274 JF Southgate & Partners. 274 266 SJ Saville & Sons. 272×2 MW Reed.
Lead Grossing Cast Cows £3117 £2996 £ AC Simpson & Son. £2995 £2720 Bridge House. £2811 £2122 FH Hutchinson. £2392 £2146 £2046 SJ Saville & Sons. £2373 £2328 £2159 Skelton Farming Ltd. £2330 £2310 £2037 WM Reed & Sons. £2301 JF Southgate & Partners. £2191 JW Richardson. £2108 EA Martin & Son. £2106 WA Wardman Ltd. £2103 W&R Kemp & Son. £2082 JG Forster & Partners.
Cast Bulls – Top prices ppk 290 AC Simpson & Son. 262 210 Skelton Farming Ltd.
Lead Grossing Cast Bulls £3117 AC Simpson & Son. £3104 £2564 Skelton Farming Ltd.
Store Lambs – Up another gear went the lambs to see them average £127.46 this week. Super scenes as the lambs become arguably smaller and the prices just get higher.
Store Lambs: Top of the day at a tantalising £200 was a wonderful Beltex lamb from JE Holliday & Son, Woodland House Farm. Plenty of the bigger and better lambs travelled along £150 to £180, medium running lambs £125 to £140, small running lambs £110 to £125 and once again just the absolute tiddlers traded under £100.
Beltex – £200 £178 £169×2 JE Holliday & Son. £133 C Hall.
Suffolk – £174 JJM Lonsdale. £139 £132 A Carr. £137 JR&J Crowe. £134 JH Johnson.
Texel – £155 J&JA Wilkinson. £146 £131 Peare Tree Projects Ltd. £144 £140 £133 £132 GH Lister. £142 JR&J Crowe. £142 £132 DE Stones. £140 WH Brown. £139 £134 T James. £138 3131 Beckwith. £138 R Marwood & Sons. £138 £134 £133 T Walton. £137×2 £133 Hagg Farm. £137 £135 LF&HC Wood. £136 £134 KA&V Armstrong. £135 T Common & Son. £134 E Peacock. £133 £132 A&R Thompson. £133 R Fletcher. £131 P&S Wood.
Blue Texel – £150 £138 C Hall.
Charollais – £150 £133 MT&J Burney. £147 A Bloomfield. £132 RRC Andrew.
Cheviot – £133 JR&J Crowe.
Feeding Sheep – The old boys and girls continue to defy gravity and more importantly reduce depreciation significantly. A fine pair of continental ewes from JV & JA Hodgson led the way at £218. Lowland ewes with a covering of flesh are trading £160 to £200, lean healthy sorts £120 to £160. Mule ewes in need of feeding easily over £100 and usually £120 plus and fleshed horned ewes either side of £100.
Continental – £218 £182 £178 JV&JA Hodgson. £178 Petch Farms.
Suffolk – £200 A Bloomfield. £176 T Bean & Sons. £160 JJM Lonsdale.
Continental – £190 £152 £126 Allison Devereux Farms. £168 £158 £132 £120 WH Brown. £165 A Bloomfield. £158 Petch Farms. £151 A&R Thompson. £151 3130 A&D Heyes. £148 Pear Tree Projects. £141 T James. £137 LF&HC Wood. £132 JS Brougham. £128 M&E Burrell. £124 JV&JA Hodgson.
Texel – £188 GD&AF Adamson. £182 LD Laws. £180 £138 AWSM Farms. £178 T Bean & Sons. £175 £152 J Butterfield & Son. £159 CJM Hedley. £148 K Raine.
BFL – £180 S Straughan. £168 GD&AF Adamson.
Mule – £165 £142 CJM Hedley. £138 AWSM Farms. £138 JD Seymour. £138 P Kirk. £138 Petch Farms. £134 T Bean & Sons. £130 LD Laws. £122 T James.
Charollais – £143 T Bean & Sons.
Rearing Calves – A show of predominantly young calves with plenty of black and whites mixed in still somehow galvanised themselves an average of £518.95. A smart Simmental bull calf from JT Forster & Son, Killerby led the day at £760. Following closest at £750 and £730 were some sparky young British Blue bulls from H Gibb & Son, Eachwick Red House just ahead of the pick from Deerness Valley Dairy, also a British Blue bull at £710. Smart young heifer calves were capable of selling £550 to £650, the best of them proved to be a British Blue from SS & D Scrivin, Southfields Farm.
Simmental Bull – £760 JT Forster & Son.
British Blue Bulls – £750 £730 £710 £690 H Gibb & Son. £710 £610 £600 £590 £560 £540 Deerness Valley Dairy. £660 £625 £595 Stockdale Partners. £610 £600 £590×3 £580 £570 £540 £530 £500 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Hereford Bulls – £640 W&R Kemp & Son. £540 WD Richardson.
Angus Bulls – £620×2 Deerness Valley dairy. £570 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £550 H Gibb & Son. £540 £520 Stockdale Partners.
Friesian Bulls – £530 £500 JT Forster & Son. £380×2 £350×6 £330 £320×3 £315×2 £200 WD Richardson. £350 H Gibb & Son. £190×2 £150 Stockdale Partners.
Shorthorn Bulls – £545 Camphill Village Trust.
Shorthorn Heifers – £415 £410 Camphill Village Trust.
British Blue Heifers – £630 £555 SS&D Scrivin. £605 £590×2 3585 Deerness Valley Dairy. £580 £530 £510 Stockdale Partners. £550 £540 £530 £520 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Angus Heifers – £540 £530 Deerness Valley dairy. £490 SS&D Scrivin.
Hereford Heifer – £540 W&R Kemp & Son.
Inra 95 Heifer – £530 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Simmental Heifers – £580 £560 JT Forster & Son.
