Averages: 11 gimmers £584 (-£214 for one more sold); nine ewe lambs, £453 (-£338 for one more); 131 ram lambs, £1475 (-£37 for four more).

Suffolk sheep breeders selling at the National Show and Sale at Shrewsbury, enjoyed a relatively good day, with prices peaking at 15,500gns and 11,000gns, and ram lamb averages pretty much on a par with last year's event.

While averages slipped £37 per head on the same event last year to level at £1475, there were four more sold. Overall 131 tup lambs changed hands out of the 205 forward, representing a 64% clearance.

Sale leader at 15,500gns was the reserve champion at the pre-sale show, selected by Northern Ireland's Campbell Watson. This was John Sinnett's No 2 lamb by Stockton Sniper, a son of Irongray Black Magic that also sired the reserve male champion at the Highland Show for the Hiddleston family, bred from a home-bred ewe by Frongoy Welsh Champion. Male and supreme champion at the Three Counties Show, this late December-born cracker was knocked down to Myfyr Evans, buying for his Rhaeadr flock from Denbigh, Wales.

Mr Sinnett's flock from Worcester, which is being dispersed at the end of October on farm, also received 4000gns for it's No 6 lamb, purchased by Iain and Judith Barbour, buying for their Solwaybank flock from Beechgrove, Annan. Another backed by home-bred genetics, he is by Stockton Last Chance, a son of Frongoy Welsh Champion out of a Stockton ewe by Whitestone Footprint.

Jim Innes' small Strathbogie flock from Dunscroft, Huntly, was again in the prize tickets and the money, when his pre-sale champion, a son of Redbrae Real Deal, made 11,000gns selling to Andrew Evans and Claire Hardman of the Dol-llys and Glanmarton flocks, from Lower Bwlchyllyn, Powys, and St Martins, Oswestry, respectively. The champion's dam, a home-bred ewe is by the 20,000gns Muirton One Direction, is a sister to the 16,000gns Strathbogie Sirius.

The first Strathbogie lamb, brought out by shepherd Michael Leggat, made 5600gns selling to Scott and Gavin Brown, of the Capielaw flock from Gorebridge, Midlothian. A February-born son of Lakeview No Limits whose brothers have sold at 3500gns, 2000gns and 1000gns, last year, he is also out of a Muirton One Direction-sired ewe.

Strathbogie topped the flock averages selling five at £4956.

Fellow Aberdeenshire breeders, George and Melvin Stuart who own the Birness flock from Milltown of Birness, Ellon, were in fine form too when they received 9000gns from Northern Ireland breeder, Gary Beacom, Lakeview, Co Fermanagh. His purchase, the pen's sale leader, is by the 9500gns Limestone Legacy bought last year at Stirling and out of a ewe by Strathisla Obama.

Tup lambs from Mark Priestley's Limestone flock from Northern Ireland, also proved popular with his pen of five cashing in at £3717 from a lead bid of 6500gns paid for his No 2. This was a son of Lakeview No Limits, a ram bought jointly at the National in 2016 for 4200gns and last year bred sons to 4500gns, 4200gns and 3500gns and daughters to 3000gns twice. Stephen Cobbald forked out the cash for this January-born lamb bred from a Strathbogie ewe that is a full ET sister to Strathbogie Jackpot and maternal sister to the 24,000gns Strathbogie Carat, by Ballynacannon Commander

Mr Priestley's No 1 lamb, a full brother to the 6500gns lamb made 5000gns selling to Gary Owen of the Morris flock from Newborough, Anglesey.

Two other lambs made 5000gns to include the first lamb from Myfyr Evans' Rhaeadr flock bought by John Sinnett, Stockton. By Rhaeadr Raring To Go – a retained son of Rookery Royal Escort bred from a seven-year-old ewe that is still going strong and from the same family as the 8000gns Rhaeadr Roger Ram Jet – this late January-born lamb is bred from a ewe by the 90,000gns Ardlea Arbennig that has produced several four-figure priced lambs.

Dumfriesshire breeders, Roy and Gregor Hiddleston, Irongray, bought the second at 5000gns in Stephen Sufferin's No 2 from the Crewelands flock from Maghera, Co Londonderry. A Ballynacannon Booty Hunter son, he is out of a Birness Bravado daughter.

Selling at 4200gns, Penrith-based breeders, G and FJ Soulsby, Williamsgill, Temple Sowerby, sold their pen leader to JM Robinson and Son buying for their Robinson's flock from Greenlands, Great Limber, Grimsby. The breeding behind this transaction includes the 2017 purchase, Strathbogie Invictus onto a Williamsgill ewe by Crewelands Cock O' The North.

Later in the day, Gary Beacom, sold the best from his Lakeview flock from Northern Ireland for 4000gns to S O'Connor. One of the best bred lambs in the catalogue, he is out of Lakeview Queen of the Maze, a Cairness Classic Fyvie daughter that boasts three consecutive breed championships at Balmoral. He is by Lakeview Lyphard, a Rookery Rodeo son and full brother to last year's 21,000gns national champion.

Only two shearling rams changed hands with both making 1400gns. The first, a Rookery Gold son from Ross Lawrence's Roundacre flock from Devon was bought by PA Smith, Peg House, Worcester, while the second, a Kexbeck shearling by Ballynacannon Crusade from Pamela Lupton, Greenholme, Ripon, sold to Norman Howl, Glebe Farm, Lowick, Kettering.

Females peaked at 1200gns for a ewe lamb from Mrs JJ Tooze's Spittal flock from Carnwath, bought by Stephen Cobbald, Acton Hall, Sudbury, Suffolk.

Commenting on the sale, society chief executive, Robin McIlrath said: “Once again we have had an excellent show and sale with a real buzz around the ring.

"The society is putting a lot of emphasis on developing our youth and it was great to see so many young people taking part, not only showing sheep, but also with their own flocks. A big congratulations to Claire Hardman (Glanmarton flock) and Harley Turner (Harley flock) for coming first and second in the young breeders class and to Jenna Reid (Dumfries) and Murray Stuart (Aberdeenshire) for winning the champion and reserve in the young handlers class.”

FLOCK averages

Flock (No) Top (gns) Average (£)

Rookery (3) 3500 1557.50

Crewelands (3) 5000 2257.50

Ballynacannon (4) 1800 813.75

Safaddan (3) 1200 787.50

Stockton (10) 15,500 2640.75

Birness (6) 9000 2598.75

Rhaeadr (9) 5000 1221.50

Harpercroft (3) 500 525.00

Forkins (4) 2300 945.00

Carony (5) 1000 651.00

Williamsgill (3) 4200 1826.67

Cairness (3) 750 595.00

Strathbogie (5) 11,000 4956.00

Solwaybank (4) 800 506.63

Limestone (5) 6500 3717.00

Lavenham (3) 1000 766.67

Sitlow (5) 2000 1134.00

Burnview (4) 2200 1325.63

Dol-llys (4) 1000 712.50

Mon (3) 1100 927.50

Lakeview (6) 4000 1662.50

Frongoy (5) 2500 1858.50

Spittal (4) 1200 813.75

Midhope (5) 1350 934.50

Auctioneers: J Straker, Chadwick and Sons, Abergavenny and Halls, Shrewsbury.