Just short of 10,000 sheep were entered at C and D Auction Marts’ sale of lowland breeding females and rams at Longtown, which included shows of Mule ewe lambs and an entry of Cheviot Mule ewe lambs. 
Greyfaces were shown in good bloom but in general were smaller than last year due to the wet summer, although averages remained unchanged on the year. 
Taking the championship, as judged by James Latimer, Chapel House, was a pen of Scotch Mules from A Carruthers and Sons, Peela Hill, Bewcastle, which went on to sell for £135 to top the 4652 on offer. 
The first prize pen of English Mules from JT James, Midtodhills, Roadhead, realised £120.
Cheviot Mule ewe lambs (1481) reached £122 from Messrs Sloan, Piel View, but it was a pen from the 533-strong continental and Suffolk section that topped the ewe lamb trade at £130. That was paid for a pen of Suffolk cross Beltex lambs from Gospel Hall. 
The offering of 1390 gimmers saw Mules tricky to cash but Cheviot Mules and Texel or Suffolk crosses met a fast selling pace. They reached £172 for a pen of Texels from Messrs Graham, Upper Mains, who also sold Cheviot Mules for £155.Mules hit £126 from both Hillbrae and Englishtown. 
Ewes (1168) of all ages met an animated trade, peaking at £122 for Texels from Messrs Corrie, Eskdaill Street. 
The evening sale of 188 rams met a good trade hitting a top of £650 for a Suffolk shearling ram from Messrs Douglas, Catslackburn. Five sold for £500 – for Texel shearlings from Catslackburn and Dashwell selling to Messrs Almack and Peela Hill, respectively; for Beltex and Beltex cross Texel shearlings from Messrs Gribbon, Waterside, selling to Tara and Shancastle; and again for a Bluefaced Leicester two-shear from K Hall, Baggarah, which sold to Riggshields.
Pure females also hit £500 for a Bluefaced gimmer from Penpeugh purchased by Messrs Anderson, Rowanburnfoot. 

LEADING awards:

Mule ewe lambs – Out of Blackface ewe – 1 and champion, A Carruthers and Sons, Peela Hill, Bewcastle, £135; 2, J Anderson and Partners, Rowanburnfoot, Canonbie, £116; 3, Wanwood Partners, Wanwood Hill, Alston, £110. Out of Swaledale ewe – 1, JT James, Midtodhills, Roadhead, £120; 2, RI and VA Telford, High Parkfoot, Roadhead, £115; 3, K Hall, Baggarah Farm, Brampton, £105. 

LEADING prices:

Ewe lambs – Suff X Belt – £150, £130 Gospel Hall. NCC x Tex – £125 Gospel Hall. Mule – £122 (x2) Peela Hill; £120 Lawston; £115 The Nook (Forster) and Hill Brae; £110 Wanwood Hill; £102 Sourhope. Chev Mule – £122, £102 Piel View; £110, £100 Linbriggs; £110, £103, £102, £100 Temon; £108 Blakehopeburnhaugh; £103 Murrayton Farms; £102 Marwhirn; £101 Gilston; £101, £100 Skelling; £100 Easter Alemoor. Tex – £106, £94, £86 Aimshaugh; £96 Low Old Shields; £96, £90 Gilston; £88, £86 Kedzlie Farms; £86 Aimshaugh. NCC – £100 Bradley. Suff – £87 The Nook; £86, £84, £80 Easter Alemoor; £82 High House. 
Gimmers – Tex – £172 Upper Mains; £152 Byers; £144, £140 Howard House; £142 Eskdaill Street; £136, £134 Jerusalem; £130 Eskdaill Street. Belt – £170, £148 Dormansteads. Chev Mule – £155 Upper Mains; £154 Marwhirn; £152 Dormansteads; £142 The Side and Chapel Farm; £140 Byers. Cross – £126 Hillbrae; £126, £120 Englishtown; £122 Leaona Villa. Suffolk – £114 Leaona Villa; £108 Eskdaill Street.
Ewes – Tex – £122, £120, £100 Eskdaill Street; £118, £114, £112 Aldery Terrace; £100 Shankfieldhead; £100 Sowerby Wood. Suff – £122, £108, £102 Eskdaill Street. Mule – £110, £108, £100 The Flatt; £105 Newbank; £100, £96 Aldery Terrace. Chev Mule – £110 West Bolton; £100, £98, £94 Newbank; £93 Easter Alemoor; £92 The Firs. Belt – £105, £104 Glenmaid. NCC – £66 Strawfrank. 
Ram lambs – Tex – £400 Smyllum, £380 Four o Boot & Parkview, £350, £300 (x4) Four o Boot, £300 (x2) Stainton, £300 Little Galla & Smyllum. Belt x Tex – £400 Waterside. Suff – £300 (x2) Riddings Hill, £250 Gowan Bank.
Shearling rams – Suff  £650 Catslackburn. Tex – £500, £450 (x2) Dashwell; £500, £380 Catslackburn; £350 (x2) Howgillside; £300 Highmoor; £300 Langdyke; £300 Dorryfield; £300 Cullinlaw. Tex x Belt – £500 Waterside; £400 (x3), £350 Middle Farm; £380, £350 (x2) Dormansteads; £320 Little Orton. Belt – £500 Waterside. Dutch Tex – £500, £300 Parkview. BFL – £420, £300 Peela Hill; £400 (x2), £350 Larkhall. Char x Belt – £300 Cullinlaw. Char – £220 Dunnabie House. 
Aged rams – BFL – £500 (2sh) Baggarah; £300 (3sh) Whintingstown.