Averages: Midlock – Five gimmers, £1533.00. Deveronvale – 13 gimmers, £2689.62. Milnbank – 13 gimmers, £2067.69. Sportsmans and Mellorvale – 11 gimmers, £2787.27. Annan – Six gimmers, £595.00. Strathbogie – 13 gimmers, £3565.96. Cowal – Five gimmers, £2100. Knap – 10 gimmers, £2877.00. Fordafourie – Four gimmers, £695.62. Glenside – 14 gimmers, £2006.26.

Texel gimmers from Jim Innes' Strathbogie flock from Dunscroft, Huntly, led the way at the Christmas Stars sale at Carlisle, attracting the top two bids and the lead average.

In all, Mr Innes who runs 45 Texel ewes managed by Michael Leggat, sold their two best at 16,000gns and 12,000gns with their consignment of 13 cashing in at a phenomenal £3566.

Dearest was the pen leader, a daughter of the 12,000gns Glenside Wild Boy, a tup that has bred sons to 42,000gns, 12,000gns and 11,000gns. She is bred from a ewe by Scholars Twenty Twelve and sold carrying a pair to the 42,000gns Mullan Armani, of which a half share was purchased earlier in the year.

Minutes later, a Strathbogie gimmer by Millars Windbrook – the 14,000gns tup that bred so many of the lead priced lambs this year and last – made 12,000gns. She is bred from the Clinterty ewe by Clinterty Par One, that produced the 22,000gns Strathbogie gimmer bought here in 2015 by Edward Pugh, and also sold due with a pair to Mullan Armani.

Notably, both gimmers were purchased by the Boden family – Charlie and Steph, daughter Rosie and sons Josh and Tom of the Mellor Hall and Sportsmans flocks from Stockport, and earlier sold the next two highest females at 8000gns twice.

First was the pen's No 2, the first sold by the Knap Vicious Sid-sired Mellor Wildcat – a tup retained for breeding – out of a ewe by Tullylagan Tonka. She changed hands carrying a pair to the 70,000gns Teiglum Younggun, a tup bought last year at Lanark and the sire of Mr Boden's 130,000gns Sportsmans A Star sold in August.

Notably, the dam of the 130,000gns lamb bred the second 8000gns Mellor Vale gimmer. She is by the 6800gns Strathbogie Whiplash and bred from the 9000gns Cowal ewe bought here in 2014, that has also bred several five-figure priced lambs. Both 8000gns Mellor Vale gimmers were bought by Rob Evans, who works for a road construction business but also owns the 25-ewe Hopevalley flock based at Fox Farm, Shrewsbury.

Graham Morrison's Deveronvale flock from Inchbruich, Cornhill, Banff, was again in the money with sales at 7000gns, 6000gns and 5000gns for gimmers all by Millars Windbrook – a tup that has bred sons to 50,000gns for the flock – and all in lamb to Mullan Armani.

The first, bred from a ewe by Glenside Razzle Dazzle that has bred sons to 6000gns, sold up to Aberdeenshire, with Sandy Lee, who owns the Fordafourie flock from Fraserburgh. She changed hands carrying a pair.

Northern Ireland breeder, Sam McCollam, Carmavy Road, Crumlin, Co Antrim, purchased the 6000gns gimmer which is out of a ewe by Strathbogie Terminator. She also sold scanned for a pair.

Graham and free-lance stockman, Stuart Hunter also brought out the 5000gns gimmer, bred from a ewe by Terminator, which was purchased by Skelbister Farms, Orphir, Orkney, in lamb with a single.

Matching the 7000gns call, Robert Cockburn, who owns the 40-ewe Knap flock based at Hill of Errol, Perth, sold a gimmer daughter of his own 145,000gns Knap Vicious Sid, to Robert Bennett, Upper Hall, Meifod, Powys. An ET sister to last year's show ewe lamb and to brothers at 2700gns and 2000gns, she is bred from a ewe by Ettrick Rainbow Warrior, that last year bred sons to 5200gns and 5000gns twice. The service sire was the 32,000gns Mullan Amigo and she sold carrying a pair.

Top price for Robbie Wilson's Milnbank flock from North Dorlaithers, Turriff, was 6000gns, paid for an entry by the 42,000gns Glenside Valhalla, a tup that has bred sons to 10,000gns and 8000gns, out of a ewe by Teiglum Tornado, whose maternal brother made 5400gns. She sold in lamb to the privately purchased Strathbogie Yes Sir, carrying a single, to Iain Green, buying over the 'phone for the Corskie flock from Fochabers.

Two gimmers made 5000gns including the No 2 from the Campbell brothers, Keith, Allan and Roy's Cowal flock from Lochgoilhead, 'herded by Chris Toner. She is by Glenside Willie Winkie and out of the 2016 first prize ewe from the Great Yorkshire, by Tullylagan Tonka. John Forsyth, Glenside, Maybole, was the last man in on this entry which sold in lamb to the jointly purchased 11,000gns Plasucha All Star.

Financing that transaction, Glenside sold their second entry for the same money to Robert Bennett, of the Plasucha flock from Upper Hall, Powys. She is by Hexel Wild Bill, out of a ewe by Mellor Vale The One, and sold due with a pair to the 130,000gns Sportsmans A Star.

OTHERLEADINGprices

Gimmers – 4000gns – Knap by Ettrick Van Goch and due to Mullan Amigo, to G Gray, Sunnycroft, Lindean, Selkirk. 3800gns – Milnbank, by Glenside Willy Nilly and due to Greenstar Alfie, to C Bellis, Llwyn Y Cosyn, Holywell. 3500gns – Strathbogie, by Millar's Windbrook and due to Mullan Armani, to Messrs Teward, New View Farm, Staindrop, Darlington; Knap by Ettrick Van Gogh and due to Mullan Amigo, to DG and N Williams, Penuwch, Tregaron, Dyfed. 3200gns – Milnbank by Glenside Wild Boy and due to Strathbogie Yes Sir to Dromonby Fridge Farm, Alwent Hall, Winston, Darlington.

3000gns – Deveronvale, by Millar's Windbrook and due to Mullan Armani, to JD Houghton, Isherwoods Farms, Affetside, Bury; Milnbank, by Glenside Valhalla and due to Strathbogie Yes Sir, to J Connell, Wanton Walls, Lauder; Cowal by Sportsmans Wild Thing to P O Connor, Drumgooland Road, Downpatrick, Co Down; Knap by Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold and due to Clinterty Yuga Khan, to SJ Smith, Caereinion, Welshpool.