HE may be young but five-year-old Kieran Robinson won his third young handlers title in a row at Skipton Auction Mart, on Monday, with a pure-bred Beltex lamb.

Having first won at the age of three, Kieran, from Barnoldswick, caught the eye of judge Clare Cropper, from Long Preston, and his Airyolland Clansman-sired lamb tipped the scales at 39kg and later sold to Ms Cropper for £152.

Ms Cropper also found her reserve champion in the under 10 class in three-year-old Isabelle Newbould, from Gisburn. Her 46kg Beltex-cross, by a Borderesk tup and out of a Texel ewe, sold for the second top price of £135 to Keelham Farm Shop.

Two members of Pendle YFC won the remaining two classes for other age groups. Standing first in the 10-16 years section was 14-year-old Sam Phillipson, from Netherfield Farm, Burnley. Sam’s home-bred 42kg Texel cross Beltex lamb, by a Whiteford tup, made £101 when sold to Paul Watson, of Hellifield.

First prize winner in the 17-26 age group show class was Thomas Hartley, of Pendle Valley Farm, Roughlee, whose 38kg Beltex cross was fully home bred by 19-year-old Thomas and sold for £90, again to Paul Watson.

The young handlers competition formed part of Skipton’s weekly sale of 2270 prime sheep and the 1961 prime lambs among them showed an improvement in both meat and weight, with more 90% of the entry weighing between 40kg and 46kg. The overall prime lamb average was £78.86 per head, or 184.22p per kg.

LEADING awards:

Under 10 years – 1, Kieran Robinson, £152, 43kg, to Clare Cropper; 2, Isabelle Newbould, £135, 46kg, to Keelham Farm Shop; 3, Bobby Crabtree, £110, 44kg, to Andrew Atkinson.

Aged 10-16 years – 1, Sam Phillipson, £101, 42kg, to Paul Watson; 2, Zara Pratt, £110, 45kg, to Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop; 3, Molly Phillipson, £94.50, £46kg, to Andrew Atkinson.

Aged 17-26 years – 1, Thomas Hartley, £90, 38kg, to Paul Watson; 2, George Throup, £113, 49kg, to Swaledale Foods, Skipton; 3, Tom Carlisle, £86, 42kg, to Keelham Farm Shop.