Green market trading resumed at Skipton Auction Mart last Thursday, with a notable coup for local father-and-son farmers Alex and Nathan Wade, whose 50-strong pen of mule wethers landed the rearranged annual seasonal store lambs show championship for the third year in succession - and the fifth time in total.
The Wades, of Gill Bottom Farm, Bradley, retained the Stephen Foster Memorial Trophy, presented by show judge Tony England, of South Molton, Devon, then saw their charges sell for £31 per head to Paul Watson, of Hellifield, a familiar face at Skipton.
Runner-up in the mules show was Dennis Gott, of Cowling, his charges selling for £29.80 each, with the third prize winners from Coverhead Farm, Leyburn, selling at £27.20 per head.
There were more than 4300 store lambs forward, with prices as follows: Suffolk-x to £34 (av £28.47), Texel to £35 (£30.16), Mule to £31.60 (£26.51), Masham to £29.80 (£26.92), Cheviot to £26.80, Lonk to £23.20.
Skipton Auction Mart general manager Jeremy Eaton said: “We were pleased with the turnout of buyers, among them purchasers from East Yorkshire, Wales and south-west England. Overall prices were £2 or £3 a head above expectations, but woefully short in terms of covering the actual cost of producing lambs.
“More positively, buyers who are continuing to feed lambs to sell as hoggs next Spring can purchase them at reduced prices with the reasonable expectation that export restrictions will ease by the time the lambs are ready to move on and the prime lambs market will inevitably improve.”