Recently in Swaledales Category

 

A new centre record of £11,000 was paid for a Blue faced Leicester gimmer hogg at Hawes today (Saturday). The North Yorkshire market saw a keen trade at the breed association's annual sale of females but it was a gimmer from the flock of noted breeders Messrs Lord, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria that topped the day and achieved the new mart record.

 

The hogg (pictured above), by a Hewgill sire, heads for Northern Ireland with joint buyers S Laverty and R Loughridge, Co Antrim. She stood champion under judge Richard Thomas from Powys. The Lord family had a great day also selling at £7500, £5400 and £4600.

 

A gimmer shearling by a Smearsett tup and consigned by the Booth family from Feizor, Austwick, Lancaster stood reserve champion and made £5000 (pictured below) to A and K Pye, Lancaster. She was scanned in-lamb for triplets to a Smearsett sire. The flock's best gimmer hogg realised £2700.

 

Ripon, north Yorkshire breeders E Fairburn and Sons sold a gimmer hogg at £3200 and one from Dales-based flock owners W C Porter and Son, Richmond achieved a best of £3200.

 

A 2008-bred ewe from P Ewbank, High Draymans topped a sale of "crowned" Swaledale ewes at the breed association's show and sale at Hawes making £3200 (below). She stood champion under judges R Harker, Gayle and B Thomas, Horton in Ribblesdale and was bought by RMS Livestock, Castle Bolton.

 

The reserve championship went to a gimmer shearling from M Skidmore, Wolf Cleugh. It made £1800 to D Hanson, Whitby. Gimmer hoggs peaked at £2500 for an entry from P Hallam, Arnfield Farm and bought by I Collinson, Bishop Auckland.

                

Blue faced Leicester - 74 sheep averaged £1425 (up £192 on 2011); gimmer hoggs £1528; gimmer shearlings £1780; ewes £507.

Swaledale - 26 sheep averaged £991 (up £206 on 2011); ewes £1233; gimmer shearlings £882; gimmer hoggs £828.

(Hawes Auction Mart).

 

 

This week's two day Swaledale Shearling Ram sale at Hawes Farmers Auction Mart saw average prices up £345 on last year, selling to £50,000 for an animal from T M Iveson, Hawes.

 

The pre-sale champion, L B Rhinestone Cowboy (Lot 697) is by an Aygill ram bought three years ago for £3,800. He sold in a three way split to J Nelson and Son, Clapham, P E and K A Sowerby, Mossdale, Hawes and J H and J Bland, Derbyshire.

 

Then at £41,000 on the first day of the sale, was Aygill Enterprise (Lot 292), a ram from A D and P Coates, Aygill.

 

This one is by a £37,000 Bull and Cave ram and out of a dam by Aygill Viceroy. He found a new home with J W Porter and Sons, Low Oxnop, Swaledale.

 

>> One of our photographers is taking a picture of the top price ram next week, so we'll get a snap of Cowboy up as soon as the picture comes through.

 

Leading prices:

Wednesday: 

AD & P Coates, £41,000, £18,000, £2,600. 

W Richardson & Son, £40,000, £16,000, £3,200.

M Ridley, £26,000. 

RS Harker & Son, £20,000, £16,000, £11,000 x 2, , £6,500, £4,000 x 2, £3,200, , £2,200, £1,300, £1,200. 

N & ME Harrison, £18,000, £8,000, £5,000, £2,000. 

W Allison & Sons, £18,000, £2,200, £2,000. 

EC Coates, £15,000, £2,200.  MR & CJ Rukin, £14,000, £13,000, £2,500.  M/S Brogden, £14,000, £10,500, £1,400. 

 

Thursday:

Leading Prices:  TM Iveson, £50,000, £12,500, £1,200. 

G Dargue, £39,000, £2,500, £1,200. 

B Thornborrow, £32,000, £6,000, £2,000, £1,600. 

MM & CL Whitehead, £30,000, £25,000, £1,200.

T Robinson & Sons, £24,000, £5,000. 

JM & S Tennant, £22,000, £16,000, £2,000. 

IS Bell, £19,000.  SA Raine, £19,000. 

P Hallam, £16,000, £14,000, £8,500, £5,000, £4,500, £3,500, £1,200.

JW Dent & Sons, £14,000, £2,200, £1,200. 

P Ewbank, £13,500, £3,600, £2,400.  JH & CL Harrison, £11,000.  SL Pratt, £11,000

 

Averages: Overall, 723 rams, £2,123; Wednesday: 350 rams, £2,118: Thursday:  373 rams, £2,126 (Hawes Farmers Auction Mart)

 

 

A shearling ram that had been kept "under wraps" caused a stir on the final day of the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association's premiere gathering at Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria - and it wasted no time in reaching the sale's top price of £45,000.

 

Consigned by Geoff and Carol Marwood, who are now at the helm of the family's noted Long Green flock at Barningham, Richmond, north Yorkshire, the shearling hadn't been off the farm following the Marwood's decision to retire from showing. It meant no one had the opportunity of seeing any of their shearling tups at the summer shows - and their ultimate sale topper wasn't even brought forward for the pre-sale judging at the Kirkby Stephen three-day fixture.

 

But his qualities didn't go un-noticed for long. While the ram that had been most fancied in the run-up to the sale had to settle for the day's second highest price of £34,000, it was the Marwood's tup that wooed the ringside. Drawn to hit the ring in the much favoured middle of the day, the tup impressed for his size, correctness, tight skin and outstanding colour.

 

"There's a lot of good luck involved - everything has to come just right at exactly the right time," commented Geoff Marwood after the sale.

 

But he always had high hopes for the tup who is by a ram from the Aygill flock bought five year ago at Hawes for £31,000 and one that has bred exceptionally well - and twice stood champion at the famed Tanhill Show prior to the Marwood's decision to cease showing. Their £45,000 topper is out of a three-crop home-bred ewe that produced another good tup lamb to the same sire this spring.

 

"I'm not sure what we'll put her to this time but we bought a £20,000 shearling from Patrick Sowerby at Mossdale so that's a possibility," said Geoff.

 

Buyers were David Harker (Milnthorpe, Cumbria), Richard Harker (Kendal, Cumbria), Paul Harker (Arkengarthdale, north Yorkshire) and Richard Hargreaves (Burnley, Lancashire).

 

The most talked-about tup ahead of the sale was a shearling from Mark Nelson's renowned Bull and Cave flock at Malham, north Yorkshire and on the day the judges - Richard Harker and David Allinson - could find nothing to beat it.

 

 

Sired by a Sealhouses tup, he made £34,000 on a day when there was clearly a commitment among buyers to pay well for the tups they wanted, although the generous returns afforded by sales of Mule gimmer lambs in the early part of the sale season didn't spark any reckless spending.

 

Sale average for the 1051 shearlings was £253 up on the year - but this was a selective trade, but one that auctioneer Stuart Bell described as "reflecting changing times."

 

"De-stocking for environmental reasons means Swaledale flocks are carrying less sheep. But pedigree breeders remain at the core of the Swaledale ranks and are still prepared to invest in the best tups. You needed £20,000 in your pocket to compete with the high bidders," he said.

 

The Bull and Cave tup went in a three-way split to Marina Whitehead and her daughter Christine, Swaledale, Robert Clarkson, Swaledale, and Gordon Scarr, Sedbergh, Cumbria.

 

Tom Robinson and Son's flock at Low Catlow in Lancashire's Trough of Bowland seemed to have £20,000 as a sale marker on the final day. They paid £20,000 for a shearling from Mark Nelson and then took the reserve championship with one of their own tups that later made £20,000 in a shared deal between Mark Nelson, Bull and Cave and Patrick Sowerby, Mossdale Farms, Hawes.

 

Another Low Catlow tup reached £20,000 taken by Alan Coates, Muker, Swaledale and Stan and Pat Brogden, Brough, Cumbria.

 

Among the sale's other highlights was a tup at £26,000 from Paul Hallam's flock in Derbyshire taken by the Booth family from Feizor, Settle, north Yorkshire and a £21,000 call from George Hutton, Threlkeld, Keswick and G Harker and Son, Arkengarthdale to secure a shearling from Raymond Dixon's flock at Richmond, north Yorkshire.

 

Averages: First day: 183 rams and ram lambs; Aged rams, £706 and ram lambs £388. Second day: 525 shearlings, £1,573. Third day: 26 shearlings, £1,997.

(Harrison and Hetherington).

 

 

 

 

The final day of the three-day bonanza for Swaledale breeders at Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria produced, as expected, the liveliest bidding with prices reaching £45,000 for a shearling tup from the Marwood family at Richmond, north Yorks.

He certainly shook-up the form books because in the run up to the sale he wasn't the tup that many had expected would top the trade. Nevertheless he quickly reached his price and sold to three members of the Harker family - two from Cumbria and one from Yorkshire - as well as Richard Hargreaves from East Lancashire.

Although the average price was up nearly £350 for 526 sold there were 199 rams that failed to find buyers on the day - a trend that reflects big changes underway in the Swaledale sheep ranks. It's a topic I'll be covering in this week's Taking Stock section on Friday.

By Jeremy Hunt

 

Swaledale sheep breeders were moving nicely into gear yesterday on the second day of the breed association's three-day fixture at Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria where prices reached £25,000. The call secured a shearling ram from the flock of J W Porter and Sons, Low Oxnop and saw him go in a two-way split to Messrs Wilson and White. The ram had earlier stood reserve champion but ringsiders were also keen to get their hands on the top ticket winner from P and K Sowerby's noted Mossdale flock. Their champion made £24,000 to Messrs Skidmore, Ireland and Wear. The 525 deals struck yesterday were just 24 less than last year but the average of £1573 was up £159 on the year.

 

Last week's sale of Masham ewe lambs at Skipton saw a top price of £270/head paid for the champions from the pre-sale show, a pen of 10 lambs from Roland and David Verity, Bouthwaite, Ramsgill, with these selling to Keith Liddle, Stainburn, Otley.

The Veritys, who sold a total of 70 lambs, were also responsible for the second prize Masham pen, which sold at £135 each to Frank Tomlinson, Wigton, Cumbria. The 350 Masham lambs forward averaged £93.09, an increase of £10.61 on 2010.

John and Sarah Tennant, Low Bucker House Farm, Bordley, achieved a championship hat-trick in the Swaledale gimmer class, retaining the Craven Cattle Marts Trophy for the third year in succession.

These sold at £230 a head - the exhibitor's highest ever price at the show - to judges Mr and Mrs Bernard Simpson, Pateley Bridge.

The Simpsons also bought the second prize pen of Swaledales from Kevin Huck, Bordley at £135 each. The 1,110+ Swaledales averaged £65.24.

More than 4300 Mule gimmer lambs were sold at the season's third open show and sale, with the championship falling to Joe and Nancy Throup, Berwick Intake Farm, Draughton, who were following up on their title-winning peformance at the second annual North of England Mule Sheep Association gimmer lamb show at Skipton the previous month.

The victorious pen sold at  £145 each when joining Derbyshire buyer Matt Tomlinson, Muggington. These were just pipped for top price by a pen from John and Claire Mason, Embsay, which made £146 per head. Mules averaged £82.86 a head.

In the Continentals show class, the first and second prize pens were shown by Ken Gamble, Easingwold. Both fell to Heather Stoney, of Bewerley, Pateley Bridge at £104 and £106 respectively, the latter being top price in class. Continentals averaged £71.36 (+£7.32 on 2010). (Craven Cattle Marts).

Friday's sale of Swaledale ewe lambs at Middleton in Teesdale, with a total of 5041 forward and a centre record prize of £620 achieved for the day's champions from J C and J White, Rigg Farm. These were bought by A and K M Barnes.

Second best of the day was a £260/head bid for the third prize pen from C Nelson and Son, Lainger House, which went to E Haughey.

Other leading prices included a bid of £250 for a pen from Messrs Porter, Summer Lodge, pens at £210 and £200 from F and M P Allinson and Son, West Briscoe and a £200 sale for a pen from R Marwood and Sons, Long Green.

Average; 5041 Swaledale ewe lambs £90.41 (Harrison and Hetherington).

It's been a hectic morning here at Ingliston with the sheep breed classes continuing apace and the dairy breed and interbreed being completed too.

In the Texel ring the champion was a one-crop ewe from Thomas McTaggart, with a ram lamb from Robert Laird in reserve.Then in the Hampshire Downs the winner was a shearling ewe from E, B and S A Jones, with a shearling tup from R and J McFarlane standing reserve.Swaledale champion was W Watson with a shearling tup and reserve to it was a shearling ewe from Arthur Slack.Taking the honours in the Bluefaced Leicster ring was a tup lamb from D L and S Currie and reserve was K Smith with a ewe lamb.At the top of the Charollais lines were Angus and Susan Howie with a ram lamb, while reserve was a shearling ewe from the same home.

The North of England Mule champion was a ewe lamb from Colin Dent and reserve was a hogg from R and F Wilson.

Last week's New Fair sale of 1500 breeding sheep at Kirkby Stephen saw one of the biggest ringsides of buyers for many years, with a top price of £140 a life paid for a pen of 10 mule hoggs with Suffolk lambs consigned by Messrs Winter Bros, Clickham. These were purchased by J G Stackhouse, Ward Field Farm.

Other leading prices included a pen of 10 Mule hoggs with lambs from Messrs G Sowerby selling at £135 a life to T I Wetherall and Son and a pen of five Swaledale ewes with lambs from J A Alderson making £90 a life to S Allan and Sons.
 
The overall average was £15.59 a life up on the year with hoggs and lambs being £23.31 up on the year (Harrison and Hetherington).
 

Topping the sale of in-lamb Swaledales at Kirkby Stephen last week was the reserve champion from the pre-sale show, an aged ewe from P E and K A Sowerby, Mossdale, which made £3300 when selling in a two way split to P M Raine and C N and L Raine.

Second best of £2400 was bid  for a shearling ewe from Messrs Sowerby which went home with P Addyman and Son.

Then selling for £1700 was the pre-sale champion, a shearling ewe from T Brogden, Helbeck. This one travelled home with Messrs Morris-Eyton and Son. Making £1300 was an aged ewe from A M Skidmore, Wolf Cleugh, which went to R Metcalfe.And then following that at £1200 was a shearling ewe from R A Sowerby, Thwaite Bridge. She was knocked down to D I Hanson. One from P Hallam, Arnfield Farm, then made £1150 when selling to E Haughey.

Demand for flock books was also keen, with a 1921 edition making £1500.

Averages; ewes £1186, shearling ewes £828, ewe hoggs £535 (Harrison and Hetherington).

Swaledale ewes sold to a top of £4000 at Hawes last weekend when Messrs Skidmore, North Hanging Wells sold a ewe to F Brennand, Chapel-le-dale.

Second best of the day was a £2100 bid for the first placed shearling ewe from the pre-sale show, one from P E and K A Sowerby which sold to I Collinson, Eastgate. And following that at were a pair at £1500. The first was the second prize ewe from the show which sold to N Richardson, Buxton, while the second was a shearling ewe.

Selling at £1400 was the first prize ewe and overall champion from M J and S A Sunter which was snapped up by T Nattrass, Alston. And at the same money was a shearling ewe from J R and A Blades.

Meanwhile, a complete set of Swaledale flockbooks from 1920 to 2009 sold at £7000.

Averages; ewes £917, shearling ewes £819, ewe hoggs £380 (Hawes Farmers Mart).

The good fortunes of the sheep industry showed through in the trade for Swaledale tups at Hawes last week, when the 700 rams forward sold to average £1779, a rise of £347 on last year.

FIRST DAY

Selling for the top price at the two day fixture was a shearling from Mark Ewbank, Middlemoor, Intake Bonanza 1, when it made £52,000 on the first day of the sale. This one had been champion in the pre-sale show, having won the large breeders class.Second best of the day was a £45,000 sale for one fro Eric Coates, Butt Rigg Limelight. Then making £40,000 was one from W C Porter and Son, Reeth. This was the reserve champion from the day's show.

Following that on the first day was a £25,000 sale for the best of the day from Messrs Brogden, while making £22,000 was one from W Richardson and Son. At £17,000 was another from Mark Ewbank, while another from Eric Coates made £16,000 as did one from J Allison and Sons.

Selling at £14,000 was a shearling from A D and P Coates, with P E and K A Sowerby selling at £12,000 and I Collinson making £10,000 of his best.

SECOND DAY

Trade on the second day was just as strong, with a top of £31,000 given for a tup from A and M Brennand and Sons, next best was the champion from the pre-sale show from C J and J A Owen, Ravenseat. This one sold at £28,000.

Then making the same money was the reserve champion from J W Dent and Sons, Naby. At £21,000 was one from M M and C L Whitehead, with G J and J M Scarr, Garsdale, selling their best at £20,000. R S and B A Harker, then sold at £19,000, while J M and S Tennant sold at £16,000. Messrs Harker then traded at £13,000 for another, while at £12,500 was one from T W and K Hutchinson, with T W Cowperthwaite selling at £12,000 and Messrs Harker and W Winspear both selling at £10,000.

Averages; First day 353 rams £1881, second day 347 rams £1675 (Hawes Farmers Auction Mart).

Last week's two day sale of Swaledale shearlings at Kirkby Stephen saw demand for top end tups result in a top call of £34,000, with continued interest from Scotland and Ireland resulting in more than 50 tups heading across the Irish sea and yet more sell across Hadrian's Wall.

Taking the top price of the fixture was a shearling which sold late on Friday from Eric and Robert Wear, Howe Green, Glenridding. This one, Howe Green GH1st, is a son of a £7000 Punchard tup and out of a ewe by a £20,000 Bull and Cave ram. Taking a half share in this one was Martin Wilson, Arngill House, with the other half retained by the vendors.Next best call of the sale was a £30,000 bid for one from the Nelson family's Bull and Cave flock. Sired by £35,000 Stonesdale Ingot, this one, Bull and Cave Amazing, is out of a ewe by a Long Green tup and sold to Richard Harker, Grayrigg Hall.

Selling for £22,000 was another from the Nelsons, Bull and Cave Ambassador. This well bred sheep is by £50,000 sire Buttrigg Jumbo and out of a dam by £48,000 tup Dolphinseat Freddie. He was bought by Derbyshire breeder Paul Hallam.

Trade on the opening day was led at £20,000 by Oxnop Spot On from J W Porter and Sons. He is by £14,500 sire Shunnerfell Kestral and sold to T Robinson and Sons, Catlow.At £18,000 on the first day was Wecoe Emperor a son of a Paul Hallam-bred sire from Messrs Folder. Out of a dam by an Aygill sire, he was snapped up by David Harker, Overthwaite. Another to make the same money was Crowden Snowflake 1 from John Bland. Sired by a Ken Sowerby tup he was bought by Geoff and Carol Marwood, Long Green.Then making £14,000 was the best of the sale from John Richardson, Ghyll House. This was Ghyll House Adjudicator, a son of an £8000 Robert Thornborrow tup and out of a daughter of £50,000 sire Goldenballs. He went home with George Hutton, Cloughhead.Other leading prices included a £13,500 call for one from J R Dalton, South Wellhope, a £13,000 bid for a Shield Hill Top shearling from J Natrass, a pair of £12,000 bids, firstly for one from Messrs Lightfoot, Gillside, and secondly for one from Newton Lodge. At £11,500 was one from Messrs Harker, Overthwaite, while a pair made £11,000, with the first being one from the Nelsons Bull and Cave flock and the second one from R M Dixon, Garnthwaite. At £10,500 was one from C M Porter, Summer Lodge.

Averages; Thursday 506 shearling rams £1413.69; Friday 491 shearling rams £1675.51 (Harrison and Hetherington).

Trade at yesterday's sale of Swaledale aged tups and ram lambs at Kikby Stephen hit a peak of £2800 for a two shear ram foward from K Fawcett, Argill House. This one sold to Messrs Wallace, having been second in the pre-sale show.Next best call of £2200 was paid twice, the first time for one from I Collinson, Billing Shield. He was bought by Messrs Cockbain. Second to make this price was an aged tup from J h and C L Harrison which had been champion in the pre-sale show. He was taken by T H Harrison and Sons.Selling at £2100 was an aged ram from T W Cowperthwaite, Tennant Gill. Then at £2000 was an aged tup from Messrs Marston and Brogden, Easegill Head. He was bought by J and S E Bainbridge.

Making £1700 was an old tup from Bank Top, with another from P L and J Dawson, Kentmere Hall, selling at £1500 to D W Cannon and Son. Following on was one from P R E and E Marwood which sold to K Smith and Son.

Averages; 63 aged rams £747.91, 73 ram lambs £308.62 (Harrison and Hetherington).

The first Swaledale tup sale of the season at St Johns Chapel saw a top price of £6000 paid for the winner of the conformation class from the pre-sale show. This one was forward from Ian Collinson, Billingshield and sold to T P Wigham.

Next best was a brace of £4700 bids, with the first to sell at this price being one from W D and B Thomspson, East Unfank, he was bought by Messrs Nelson, Ash Gill. Second at this price was another from the same vendors which sold to G Thompson, Howburn Farm.

Then making £4500 was a shearling from Ian Collinson. This one was bought by Messrs Nutter. Also at this price was one from W and J Raine, he sold to T Carrick and Sons, High Crossgill.

And a pair traded at the next top call too at £3800. First was one from J Lee, Morely Hill, which sold to Messrs Taylor, Wetmercote. Second to make this money was another from the Thompsons which was sold in a two-way split to J W Dent and Sons, Naby View, and C R Raine and Son, Stanhope Gate. (Barnard Castle Auction Mart).

 

A shearling ram received a top call of 950gns at the recent Swaledale ram show and sale, Skipton.

 

The ram from renowned Yorkshire Dales Swaledale sheep breeder, Roy Nelson, Lainger House, Bordley, was secured by Derbyshire based R and A White, Bamford.

 

Close behind was a shearling from Kevin Huck, also of Bordley. This one went for 900gns to Stephen Towler, Malham Moor.

 

Roy Nelson also sold a shearling ram at 800gns to Brian Woodsworth, Storiths, along with two further shearlings at 750gns to A Newbould and Son, Dallowgill and R and A White.

 

Again at 750gns were three aged rams. First up was the second prize winner from Brian and Richard Coates, Ingleton. This two-shear joined Andrew Sutton, Kendal.

 

The next was a three-shear from Geoff Walker, Dunsop Bridge which sold to J W Tinkler and Sons, IIkley and a four-shear from Matt Mason, Appletreewick, making its way to Andrew Ogden, Cowling.

 

Averages:

Shearling rams: £308.51, aged rams; £303.78 (CCM Auctions)

Draft Swaledale ewe trade at Skipton saw the average rise by £31.91 on the year to level at £101.90 apiece.

Topping the trade was the first prize pen of ewes from the pre-sale show from Debbie and Sturat Robinson, Helseden Lodge, Litton. These were bred by Mrs Robinson's parents at Foredale Farm, Horton-in-Ribblesdale. Mainly sired by the same sire from Robert Thornber, West Stonedale. Buyer of these was George Wainright, Bamford, Derbyshire.

Second best was a pen from Chris Askrigg, Cray, which sold at £185, while the second prize pen from the show, a group from Roy Nelson, Lainger House, Bordley, sold at £175 to Matthew Critchlow, Hartington.

The third prize pen from John Bland, Crowden, sold at £165 to Ron Critchlow, Hartington, while the top call in the shearling ewes was a £180 bid for the third prize pen from John Stephenson, Bordley, which sold to J Bellfield, Buxton. The first prize pen from T M Harrison, Cowling, sold at £140 to Thomas Binns, Downham, Norfolk. (Craven Cattle Marts).

Averages at Saturday's sale of Swaledale ewes and shearling ewes at Kirkby Stephen rose by a massive £46.38 on the year to level at £128.11.

Topping the ewes on offer were the first prize winners from the pre-sale show, a pen from Messrs Skidmore, Wolf Cleugh. These sold at £300 apiece to M J and C Cockburn, South House. Then at £280 were a pen from Long Green, while making £230 was a pen from Coach and Horses, a pen from Garnthwaite made the same money.

A brace of pens shared the next best call of £215, the first from Uldale and the second from Barras. A large number of other pens also traded at more than £100, with the bouyant Mule lamb trade clearly having a strong bearing on the trade.

In the shearlings the best call was a £175 bid for the second prize pen from the show, these were from J Alderson, Barras, and sold to K Holmes. Second top was a pen from Hoggarths, while the first prize pen from B Walton, Goodlie Hill sold at £162 to P Dixon. (Harrison and Hetherington).

It looks like the bumper earnings being enjoyed by Mule breeders this year are also being transferred to Swaledale flocks too, with a top call of £300 at Friday's sale of Swaledale ewe lambs at Middleton in Teesdale.

Taking the top price were the first prize pen of 10 from J C and J White, Rigg Farm. These sold to A and K M Barnes.

Next best at £190 were a pen from Long Green, while tohers from the Whites made £150 and a pen from R Hutchinson, Valley Farm, sold for £140 to D and V Hill.

Overall 4630 lambs sold to average £75.32, up £10.70 on last year for 801 more sold.