An overall average of £130.05 for 4297 head – up £6.72 on the year, was recorded at opening sale of North of England Mule ewe lambs at Skipton

CCM’s livestock sales manager Ted Ogden commented: “The availability of better grazing and a couple of days of fine weather allowing breeders to consign lambs dry and in fine bloom saw most vendors report a slight rise in last year's sale.

“An improved trade was witnessed for vendors’ first pens, while lambs suitable to take the ram were also in demand regardless of colour, with light-headed tuppers again finding a strong enquiry which pulled the trade ahead of expectations,” he said.

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Regular buyers were keen to purchase quality and lambs with a good health status and vaccinations already in place.

Defending champions, the Forest of Bowland Walkers again won the pens of 10s show class for an unprecedented fifth year running, while the North Craven Booths made it a hat-trick of consecutive victories with their 20s.

The Walker family – Geoff and Margaret and sons, John and Rob – from Brennand Farm, Dunsop Bridge, also claimed the top price of £280 per head, for their title-winning 10s, the majority of which were again by home-bred Bluefaced Leicester tups, chiefly, Brennand P10 and N9, plus one by a Midlock and Shitlington tups.

The Walkers also consigned the similarly bred sixth prize 20s pen, sold at £158.

The repeat champion 20s from father and son, David and Robin Booth, of Old Hall Farm Feizor, north of Settle – Robin was ably assisted by 12-year-old daughter Erin – also made top price in section of £225 each. The majority were again by home-bred Smearsett tups, with others by Midlock and Harkerside rams.

Other vendors making £200 or more for lambs, included Wharfedale father and son, Francis and James Caton, of Weston Hall Farm, Weston, who sold the third and fourth prize 10s at £210 and £230 respectively, along with the second and third prize 20s, at £165 and £160. Prominent among their breeding was a Michael James Duhonw tup acquired two years ago, others by both home-bred and Reed family rams.

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The Kitching family, of Grisedale Farm, Threshfield, claimed the runners-up slot with their 10s, selling at £200, plus another pen at £190, along with the fourth prize 20s, at £170.

Kevin Wilson, who farms with his wife Daphne and son, James, at Hewness House Farm, Blubberhouses, took £200 for their fifth prize 10s, the Walker family in Appletreewick, in sixth sold at £180 with the fifth prize 20s from John and Claire Mason, and daughter Annabel, Embassy, selling for £165.

Top averages for 100 or more lambs were the Wharfedale Catons with 210 at £148.98, followed by the Oddacres Masons with 195 at £139.02; Ellis Bros, Addingham Moorside, with 162 at £135.35.

Lead average for less than 100 lambs fell to the Dunsop Bridge Walkers with 70 at £162.86, then the North Craven Booths with 81at £157.90.