TRADE was stronger on the year by almost £100 per head at Hopes Auction Mart's Lads Night Out sale of commercial rams at Wigton, where prices peaked at £1600 for a Beltex cross shearling ram.

However, while the top end of sheep sold well, stricter selection by buyers meant a proportion of the entry failed to find new homes, with the overall average levelling at £430.

The pre-sale show, saw judge Brian MacTaggart, Castle Douglas, present the championship in the non MV section to a Beltex cross ram from KJ and CS Wilson, Wood Farm, which went on to sell for £900, while the reserve from the same home, made £1600.

Champion in the MV section was also a Beltex cross from CR Fawcett, Well House, which made £700, while the reserve, a Dutch Texel from G Pyman, Park View, realised £1000.

LEADING prices

MV-accredited – Belt – £600, £550 Park View (Pyman); Tex – £700, £550 Well House Farm (Fawcett); £600 Park View (Pyman); £550 Highmoor (Armstrong); £550, £500 Gaitsgill Hall (Pigg); £520, £500 Arkleby House (Wilkinson). Char – £380 Thackwood (Wales). Dutch Tex – £1000, £750 Park View (Pyman). Belt X Tex – £580 Well House Farm (Fawcett); £480, £450 Arkleby House (Wilkinson).

Non-MV – Belt – £750, £700, £650 Farewell Grange (McCune); £700, £550, £500 Woodhouse Farm (Horsley);

Tex – £500 Upper Cleugh Farm (Aitken); £500 Pasture Wood (McCrone); £450 Gaitsgill Hall (Miller); £400 Well House Farm (Fawcett); £400 Park View (Pyman). Dutch Tex – £1100, £1000, £750, £700 Stephney Farm (Knight);

Belt X Tex – £1600, £900, £850 Wood Farm (Wilson); £650, £620 Ashcroft (Jones).

Auctioneers: Hopes