A BUMPER entry of 1464 prime lambs was forward at North West Auctions’ annual Christmas show and sale at J36 this week, where lambs met a strong trade throughout and sold to average 176p per kg with SQQs levelling at 180p. 
With Beltex lambs in strong supply and averaging 222p, topping the trade at £152 or 330p was the pre-sale show champion, a pair of Beltex weighing 46kg from Alistair and Bradley Thompson of Poppy Farm, Selside. Tapped out by judge, John Geldard, they sold to Alam of Lancashire Direct Halal Meat. 
The reserve honours went to the second prize pen to the champion from Linda Beck of Weston Houses, Endmoor. Weighing 41kg, this Beltex duo sold for £118 or 287p. 
Outwith the show, a good entry of 532 cast ewes saw big, well-fleshed ewes continue to sell well, with a large number of lean and hill-type ewes proving harder cash.
They sold to £100 for Suffolk ewes from D Metcalfe, Crooklands Brow. 
LEADING awards:

Prime lambs (Judge: J Geldard).
Lowland-sired – 1. JG and PH Thompson, Poppy Farm, 43kg, £107; 2, RH, M and S Boyren, Hill Park, 43kg, £86; 3, T and SM Park, Millom Castle, 50kg, £89.50.
Pair of Beltex or Beltex cross – 1, AR and BJ Thompson, Poppy Farm, 46kg, £152; 2, L Beck, Weston Houses, 41kg, £118; 3, JG and PH Thompson, Poppy Farm, 47kg, £104. 
Mule or Masham – 1, AW and AM Clarke, Low Longmire, 50kg, £83.50; 2,  P and TL Edmondson, Low Hall Farm, 51kg, £83.50; 3, R and EA Gardner, Barrowfield, 52kg, £84. 
Horned or Herdwick – 1, B and HM Wilson, Ashstead, 48kg, £75; 2, B and HM Wilson, Ashstead, 42kg, £70. 3, AW Morland, Coalbrookdale, 37kg, £61. 
Rough from RFSBA members – 1, TLB and J Knowles, High Borrowbridge, 40kg, £67; 2, AEA Harrison, Millriggs, 48kg, £74. 
Cheviot and other hill breed – 1, Low Moor Howe Farm, High House Farm, 41kg, £73.50; 2, RA Lancaster, Green Cottages, 36kg, £65. 

LEADINGprices: 

Prime lambs – Bel – £152 Poppy Farm; £118 1 Weston Houses; £107, £104, £100 Poppy Farm. Suff – £99 Ashstead; £96.5 Kit Cragg; £96 17 Longfield Manor; £93 Netherhouses; £91 Brown Edge. Tex – £98 Hill Park; £97 Brookside; £94.5 Poppy Farm; £92.5 Hill Top Farm; £90.5 Kirket Nook. Mule – £90, £84.5 Netherhouses Farm; £84 Barrowfield; £83.5 Low Hall Farm; £83.5 Low Longmire. Chev – £89, £78 3 Seedhowe Cottages; £73.5 High House Farm; £71 3 Seedhowe Cottages; £68.5 Howriggs. Char – £82.5 Hampsfield Hall; £77.5 Myers Farm; 361 Cockley Beck Farm. BFL – £82.5 Forest Hall; £77 Low Newton Farm; £71 Forest Farm; £66 Yarlsber. Masham – £75 Holme House Farm. Swale – £75 Ashstead; £70 Low Longmire; £70 Ashstead; £67.5 Middale Farm; £65 Yoad Pot. Rough Fell Mule – £74 Millriggs; £67 High Borrowbridge. Rough Fell – £71 Boundary Beck; £67.5 Millriggs; £60 Castle Howe. Chev Mule – £66.5 3 Seedhowe Cottages. Dales-bred – £63 Middale Farm; £61 Yarlsber. Scotch Mule – £62 Coalbrookdale. Herd – £61 Coalbrookdale; £48.50 High House Farm. Dorset – £60 Hazel Head Farm. Zwart – £50 Crosscrake Farm. Cont – £42 Broad Oak. Jacob – £40 Hall Bank.

Auctioneers: North West Auctions