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rare breed |
Rare Breeds |
|
2010 sale report |
Saturday 17th September 2011 |
Saturday 17th September
Sale Order
10.00am - Ring 4
Jacob Sheep Sale
followed at approx 11.30am by Cattle and Goats
9.30am - Ring 3
Sale of Sheep
10.00am - Rings 1 & 2
Sale of Poultry and Waterfowl
11.00am - Calf Byre
Pigs
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Press Release
Rare Opportunity to Buy Heritage Breeds
If you are looking
for a Castlemilk Moorit, a Derbyshire Gritstone, a Dexter Bull, or an
Indian Runner, you will certainly be amongst the many people that will
be at the Borderway Auction Mart on Saturday 17th September. Hosted by
Harrison and Hetherington, the occasion will be the 20th Annual Show
and Sale of Rare & Minority Breeds to be held in Carlisle.
Said to be the largest rare breeds animal and poultry sale in the UK,
it is supported by The Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Flocking to the sale
from across the country nationwide will be many of the increasing numbers
of folk who want to add to their stock, improve their breed or just get
started with a new small holding project.
For the owners and breeders selling their stock, the day is a double
challenge – the animals enter the ring for the first time at 9am for
the judging classes before returning at 9.30am for the official sales.
Entered for the sale are over 615 sheep, cattle and goats, to be sold
alongside 1130 lots of poultry and waterfowl. Included within the cattle
section is one of the largest sales of Dexters, that has been seen for
many years. There will be over 80 lots of Dexter cattle, Europe’s smallest
cattle.
The breeds of sheep will include native breeds representing practically every corner of the UK. In the show ring will be:
Sheep sales in particular are being boosted by a very strong trade in commercial breeding animals across the country, so will records be set once again? Heather Pritchard Marketing Manager of Harrison & Hetherington comments: “Last year, the sale set a new breed record price when a Ryeland Shearling Gimmer bred by Messrs Parry of Bryn Hendre, Llangaffo sold for £1000. The bar is already set high for 2011 with prices for prime lambs already running at 15% higher than last year so we will just have to see if this will once again be a record breaking sale.”
The other cattle being represented, include, 4 Longhorn Cattle, 2 White Parks, 6Belted Galloways and 8 Highland Cattle. The 84 Dexters entered include: 6 bulls, 67 females and 11 crossbreds/steers. Originally introduced to this country in 1882, they are now bred for both their meat and their milk and while they may be the smallest breed of cattle in the UK, they look to have a big future.
As more and more people become interesting in small holding, the goats and pig classes are expected to be very popular. Within the sale are:
Harrison & Hetherington organises the
event on behalf of the many organisations which champion rare breeds
– the Dexter Cattle Society, Shetland Sheep, Kerry Hill Sheep and new
this year, the Ryeland Sheep. Together, they believe the sale is an important
way of showcasing the merits and preserving the blood lines of these
important traditional breeds, as Heather explains:
“Over the last twenty years, here at Harrison & Hetherington we have
seen this sale go from strength to strength and I am absolutely delighted
because it demonstrates that our native breeds have a much more secure
future. This year there is a huge amount of stock to choose from, so
whatever you are looking for, there will be something to choose from.“
The support from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust also highlights the importance
of this event. Formed in 1973, it has been working to preserve native
farm livestock. Thanks to them, and the flourishing trade supported by
sales such as this, no breed has been made extinct since that date.
With high profile support from presenters such as Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall
and Adam Henson, many rare breeds are now practically household names
and becoming much sought after. The bird cages are always surrounded
by crowds and this year there will be 1130 lots of poultry and waterfowl.
All the birds are card graded.
Each year the show is attended by thousands of keen amateurs and commercial
breeders keen to get their hands on rarebreed pedigree livestock. Whether
they are hoping to get their hands on one of those Castlemilk Moorits
[a breed of Shetland sheep], a Pigmy Goat, an Oxford Sandy Black Pig
or simply some chickens for the garden, they all have one thing in common
- a love of rare breed animals and the traditional heritage that goes
with them. And with more and more people, and their children, keeping
chickens, this is now very much a family affair!