The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2018 - Issue 59 | Page 36

36 HALFPENNY HOUSE FARM OCT/NOV 2018 • farmers-mart.co.uk prop for Wensleydale RUFC and was asked to become president last year, son Mark currently plays; he’s vice chairman and one of 10 directors at Leyburn Mart, where he tells of new auctioneer Jack Pickup showing a lot of potential alongside mart manager and auctioneer Stephen Walker; he’s also a Swaledale B District committee member; and joined the Wensleydale Show com- mittee where he is also now vice chairman when he was 18 years old with his brother John who farms nearby. ‘Our first job was to get the cars parked up. Wensleydale Show is a fantastic show and we get up to around 9000 visitors on a good day. It’s a proper agricultural show with main arena activities to attract all. We ‘ Halfpenny House was once an old coaching inn on what was the main Lancaster to Teeside road ’ start gearing up for the Swaledale sales by picking out sheep to take to the show. I have an idea about what we’ll take usually the month before we go. We make sure we have one for each class and we have been fortunate to have won on several occasions. The show isn’t as prestigious among Swaledale breeders as Muker, 75825 - HawesFarmersAuctionMartCompanyLtd - 8TH.pdf M FORTHCOMING SALES 17th November 2018 Christmas show & sale of store cattle & beef breeding cattle A modern rural practice serving the needs of farmers throughout the Yorkshire Dales for more than 60 years. RENOWNED FOR QUALITY LIVESTOCK MANY BUYERS RETURNING YEAR AFTER YEAR 11th December 2018 Christmas show & sale of prime lambs & calves Wishing Bob Dixon of continued success for the future. Proud to be associated with the Dixon family at Half Penny House. 19th January 2019 Individual BFL, Swaledale & Herdwick Females Y CM MY CMY K recruits come for 12 weeks basic training they run around the farmland and moor to get fit. A lot of blank bullets are used and they also learn very quickly to map read. All farmers had the right to graze sheep on the moor at one time but since it was compul- sorily purchased for the army in 1923 it is just us with the rights on the moor.’ Bob is married to Ruth a farmer’s daugh- ter from Tunstall. The couple met at a Young Farmers conference in Blackpool. Ruth was a member of Catterick YFC. They have a son Mark who is currently at university studying to become a sports teacher and daughters Fay who studied website design and Ruth who works with a company that supplies Catterick Garrison. WEEKLY TUESDAY SALES OF PRIME LAMBS & CAST EWES C CY Moorcock and Tan Hill but we attract over 100 Swaledale sheep entries and around 16 breeders. It’s still a privilege to win.’ Halfpenny House was once an old coach- ing inn on what was the main Lancaster to Teesside road. Bob has a photograph of it as such when it was a pub. ‘We reckon it was called Halfpenny be- cause that’s how much it probably cost to spend the night.’ The farm straddles the main road but runs predominantly to the north side on Barden Moor running to 1050ft with 2000 acres that is rented from the military as training for soldiers based at Catterick. ‘We know when they are coming because blue portaloos suddenly appear. When new 1 17/09/2018 16:30:43 Tel: [phone] | E: [email protected] | www.hawesmart.co.uk Hawes Farmer’s Auction Mart, Burtersett Road, Hawes, North Yorkshire DL8 3NP 01969 623 107 www.yoredalevets.co.uk