Strong trade for store lambs at Bentham
The entry of more than 6,000 store lambs at Bentham included small, hill and horned types and averaged £85.10 topping at £170 for 12 pure Texels from Procters Farm, Wray.
Beltex topped at £160 again for Procters Farm, and averaged £119.31, with plenty of pens £130-£150, with smaller sorts £110 plus.
The strongest Texel and Suffolk cross Mule pens were £100-£125, with the next £88-£98.
Pure and three-quarter types were £125 plus with smaller farming lambs in the £70s.
Nearly 1,000 Mules topped at £94 for A. and R.A. Middleton, Cowan Bridge.
A run of 170 Cheviot Mules from Wester Ulston, Jedburgh, sold to £93.50.
Hill lambs were in demand with Cheviots from Chris Brown, Ingleton, selling to £99 with longer keep lambs in the £70s.
The best Swaledale and Scottish Blackface were over £70 with smaller, healthy lambs generally in the £50s.
Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.
Big Bang sale peaks at 9,000gns
Dutch Spotted sheep led the trade at 9,000gns at the Big Bang Export sale of pedigree females at Balmoral Park, Sprucefield, Northern Ireland.
The sale leader was Cannon Hall Go On Ye Good Thing, a ewe lamb by Johnstown Fergus out of an imported dam from Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley, which went to an undisclosed buyer.
Next at 6,800gns was Craigdoo Firefly, a shearling gimmer by Carlaustan Extrovert, carrying twins to Merryboro Grafter consigned by Patrick Grant, Newry. It was knocked down to Messrs Allen and Shortt, Co Tyrone.
Suffolks
Suffolks topped at 8,000gns for a shearling gimmer by Crewelands Frontline from A. and R. Wilson's Castleisle flock, Co Donegal. It sold, in-lamb with twins to Castleisle Kingsman, to Messrs McCrystal, Maghera.
Next at 5,800gns was a gimmer by Birness Freedom and carrying twins to Cairness Kanine, from A.R. Gault's Forkins flock, Newtonabbey. The buyer was Messrs Ludgate, Thame.
A ewe lamb by Lakeview Fury from Dennis Taylor's Ballynacannon flock, Coleraine, was knocked down for 4,500gns to Suffolk Do Pinheiro, Portugal.
Valais Blacknose
Valais Blacknose topped at 2,200gns for a gimmer by Akerbo Albert Jr from Cannon Hall Farm, which sold to Messrs Liggett, Co Tyrone.
Badger Face Texels
Badger Face Texels sold to 1,000gns three times, all for shearling gimmers in-lamb to a Duhonw-bred ram from Russell Millen's Knockmult flock, Coleraine, which sold to Messrs Farrelly, Newry, Messrs Flanagan, Co Armagh, and Messrs Keys, respectively.
Averages - Valais Blacknose - 19 shearling gimmers, £1,271.66; Suffolks - 22 ewe lambs, £1,522.50; 13 flock ewes, £904.61; 52 shearling gimmers, £1,523.50; Badger Face Texel - 7 shearling gimmers, £900; Dutch Spotted - 13 shearling gimmers, £2,023.26; 6 ewe lambs, £2,493.75.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Meirionnydd Welsh Mountain Sheep Society sale tops at 28,000gns
The first sale of rams on behalf of the Meirionnydd Welsh Mountain Sheep Society at Dolgellau topped at 28,000gns for a ram from R.J. Roberts and Son, Dysefin which sold in a two-way split to Rh Evans, Glanrafon and Messers Jenkins, Tynygraig. Messrs Roberts sold five rams to average £5,421.
Next at 16,000gns was a ram from W.G. and M.E. Evans, Egryn, which headed to a new home with E.L. and M.L. Evans, Grugor Isaf.
Making 12,000gns was a ram from H.W. and SW. Nutting, Cwmrhwyddfor, which was bought by G.L. and L.S. Jones, Cwm y Geifr.
HP Roberts, Y Gyrn, sold a ram for 11,000gns to T.T. Roberts, Bryn Cynhadledd.
Auctioneers: Farmers Marts (R.G. Jones).
High of 10,000gns at Ceredigion and Maldwyn Welsh Mountain Sheep Society sale
The first annual sale on behalf of the Ceredigion and Maldwyn Welsh Mountain Sheep Society at Dolgellau topped at 10,000gns for a yearling ram from E.M.,M.M. and D. Jenkins, Tyn y Graig. It sold in a two-way split to G. Williams, Ty Newydd, and T.G. and R.C. ap Gwyndaf Evans, Hafod Dinbych.
Messrs Jenkins had the next two top prices of 9,000gns to A.L. and N.W. Davies, Dylasau Isal and 7,500gns to Cambrian Farming, Ceredigion, with others at 5,500gns and 3,800gns and averaged £5,526 for eight rams.
G. Evans a'i Fab, Ty Mawr, sold a ram for 4,000gns to G. Roberts, Pengwern Bach.
Averages - 85 rams, £1,228.50 (95 per cent clearance).
Auctioneers: Farmers Marts (R.G. Jones).
