Prices peaked at 6000gns at Paul Slater’s annual Whiteley Hey production sale staged at North West Auctions J36 market in conjunction with Darlington Farmers Auction Mart.

The sale of 599 head, saw 175 shearling rams sell to 6000gns, 78 ewes reached £700; 165 gimmers sold to £480 and the 181 ewe lambs were topped at £390.

Sale leader was a pure Texel shearling ram by the £29,000 Garngour Awesome, purchased by Alan and Hazel Smith, Crumhaughill Farm, Hawick.

Second top price was 3800gns paid for a Beltex cross Texel sire by a Tiree ram, which sold to Ben Jones, Alton Manor, Belper.

Two shearlings made 3000gns, with the first being a pure Texel by Teiglum Crackerjack out of a Scrogtonhead-bred ewe which headed home with WP Hughes and Son, Fferamuchaf, Llanddeusant.

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Matching that 3000gns bid was a Charollais cross Beltex purchased by F Gargett, Westwick, Barnard Castle.

A further nine rams sold at 2000gns and above with another 17 selling between 1500gns and 2000gns. Shearlings averaged £1304, up £198 on the year.

The females sold earlier in the day also improved on the year, with ewe lambs up £14 to level at £204, gimmers averaged £308 (+£5) and ewes levelled at £400 (+£80).

A pair of two-shear Beltex ewes by a Blackjack sire topped the section at £700 selling to Ellis Bros, Cragg House Farm, Ilkley. Texels followed at £550, £500 and £480, while Charollais peaked at £480.

Texels topped the gimmers selling at £480 £460 and £440 as they did in the ewe lambs with leading prices of £390, £340 and £330.

Leading Prices

Shearling rams –Tex – 6000gns, 3000gns, 2500gns, 2400gns, 2000gns (x2), 1900gns, 1800gns (x5), 1700gns,1600gns, 1500gns Belt X Tex – 3800gns, 2500gns, 2300gns, 2000gns (x2), 1700gns (x2), 1600gns (x2). Char X Belt – 3000gns, 1600gns (x2).Three-quarter Tex quarter Belt – 2100gns, 1800gns 1600gns

Warranted ewes – Belt – £700, £450, £420, £400 (x2), £380, £350, £320 (x2), £300. Tex – £550, £500, £480, £410, £400, £380, £320 (x2). Char – £480, £450 (x2), £400, £350, £320 (x2).

Gimmers – Tex –£460 (x2), £440, £400, £390 (x2), £380 (x2), £350 (x2), £330 (x2), £320, £300 (x3). Belt – £420 (x2), £360 (x2), £350, £330, £320 (x2), £310 (x3), £300. Char – £300 (x2).

Ewe lambs – Tex – £390, £340, £330, £300, £290, £260, £250, £220 (x2), £210 (x2), £205, £200 (x2). Char – £260, £230, £205, £200 (x2). Belt – £230, £220 (x2), £200 (x3).