Prices peaked at £320 at Harrison and Hetherington's Latter Fair Sale of 4500 Mule ewe lambs at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, when the lead pen from Kilnstown Farms, Bewcastle, sold to regular buyer, C Hewitt, Lancaster.

The award for the champion North of England Mule ewe lambs – selected by judges, Edward Albutt, Postlip Hall, and Edwin Holliday jnr, Clea Mire – was presented to a pen of 10 from JW Smith-Jackson, High Town, Haltwhistle, which went on to sell to RA Batty, Kendal, for £280. High Town also picked up the reserve honours with a pen that went on to sell for £190.

Overall averages slipped by £3.53 on the year to level at £92.34.

Meanwhile, the Annual Latter Fair of breeding rams staged the same day, saw a Suffolk tup lamb from Messrs Soulsby, Williamsgill, top the trade selling for £1000.

A very average show of continental rams peaked at £880 for a Texel shearling from Messrs Illingworth, Howgillside with Dutch Texel shearling rams selling to £850 twice from Messrs Mounsey, Ashfield, Irthington.

LEADINGFLOCK averages

Mule ewe lambs

Flock (No) Top (£) Average

High Town (112) 131.11

Wood Hall (176) 105.07

Kilnstown (480) 104.46

Highside (90) 101.11

Midtodhills (186) 99.76

Nunscleugh (448) 95.45

Wythop Hall Farm (124) 94.88

Roachburn (174) 94.11

Hargill House (253) 91.35

The Faulds (126) 90.52

LEADING prices

Mule ewe lambs – £320, £140, £125, £118 (x2), £112, £111, £110, £110, £108, £104 Kilnstown; £280, £190, £130, £120, £102 Hightown; £180 Highside Farm; £170, £135, £122, £106 Nunscleugh; £142, £115 Winter Crag; £140, £120, £115, £114 Wood Hall; £138, £114, £110 (x2); £104 Midtodhills; £126, £121, £120, £102 Hargill House; £122, £111, £102 Wythop Hall Farm; £120 (x2), £107, £102 Spout Bank; £119 Farewell Grange; £117, £110, £108 Setterah Park; £105 Gallowberry; £116, £102 Roachburn Farm; £115 (x2) The Faulds.

Rams – Suff – Ram lambs – £1000, £520, £500 Williamsgill Farm; £680 Catlins Farm; £550, £480 East Cliff Farm; £500, £480 Calf Park; £500 Land; £480 (x2) Burgh Head. Shearlings – £600 (x2), £500 (x2) East Cliff Farm.

Tex – Shearling rams – £880, £750, £720, £680, £660 Howgillside; £800, £600, £520 The Barn; £680 (x3), £640, £540, £520, £450 Sceugh Farm; £650, £600, £550, £450 The Beeches; £580 Hazel Head; £500, £480 Windy Hill.

Dut Tex – £850 (x2), £700, £520, £450 Ashfield; £650, £420 Hargill House; £520, £500 (x2), £480 (x2), £450 Woodhead Farm.

Belt – £480 Sceugh Farm; £480 Burgh Head Farm; £450 Aspatria Hall.

Blue Tex – £450, £300 Wayside Cottage.

Char – £400 Rigghead Farm, £400, £300 (x3) Lesson Hall.