Trade was strong at the Skipton sale of ewes with lambs at foot, and yeld gimmer hoggs, on Monday.

Local vendor John Stapleton, High Skibeden, Skipton, made a clean sweep of the prizes in the continental hoggs and lambs class, with his three pens of five Texels all selling for £200 (twice) and £198, to Cheshire buyer DJ Jackson, Northwich, who also acquired Mr Stapleton’s first and third prize pens at last year’s show. There was a £50 cash bonus this year from livestock identification firm Allflex, presented by the company’s Jane Chapman, of Skipton.

The first and second prize pens of Mule hoggs and lambs were exhibited by father-and-son Raymond and Robert Johnson, of Felliscliffe, Harrogate. Another Cheshire buyer, JH Thornhill, acquired the first prize pen at £188 per outfit, with the runners-up selling at £172 to Lincolnshire purchasers D and A Fenwick.

First prize in the yeld gimmer hoggs class fell to a 10-strong pen of Mules from David Wood, of Wilcocks, Rivington, Chorley, who acts as a part-time auctioneer at Skipton. They again went to Cheshire, acquired by S Norcott and Son at £120 per head, who also bought the runners-up from Frank Waite, Laneshawbridge, at £116 each.

Judge was North Yorkshire sheep showman and noted Beltex breeder Martin Brown, of Newton-le-Willows, Bedale.

With 1172 sheep forward, Mule hoggs with singles averaged £164.52, Mule shearlings with twins levelled at £184.29 and Texel hoggs with singles at £167.90.