IT was the winning pen of ewe lambs that topped Hexham and Northern Marts' sale of Swaledale gimmers and ewe lambs when the pen from JR Rukin, Park Lodge, sold for £128 per head.

Judged by Alan Pye, Abbeystead, and Shaun Procter, Kirkby Stephen, the winning pen of gimmers from P Hallam, Arnfield, sold for £110 but it was the third prize pen from D and M Iveson, High Force, that led the gimmer trade at £118.

In all, the 891 gimmers levelled at £68.26 with 3398 ewe lambs at £54.08.

LEADING awards:

Swaledale females – Gimmers – 1, P Hallam, Arnfield Farm, £110; 2, G Calvert and Sons, Hoggarths, £112; 3, D and M Iveson, High Force, £118. Ewe lambs – 1, JR Rukin, Park Lodge, £128; 2, P Hallam, Arnfield Farm, £102; 3, M Ewbank, Intake Farm, £111.

LEADING prices:

Gimmers – D and M Iveson, £118, £108, £98; G Calvert and Sons, £115, £112 (x2), £98, £82; P Hallam, £110; JA Alderson, £106, £78; EW Atkinson, £102, £80; N and RJ Sunter, £102, £95, £88, £80; JG Atkinson, £98, £85; WH Harker, £92; RT Tennant, £92; N Moore, £88; DW Calvert and Co, £85; RJ Cloughton, £84; Hilborough Farms Ltd, £84; Procters Farm, £80.

Ewe lambs – JR Rukin, £128, £100, £90 (x2), £86, £84, £80, £76; R Marwood and Son, £124, £120, £108, £95, £92; CT Akrigg, £112, £108, £95, £92 (x2); AJ Hunter, £111, £104, £88, £76, £74; MR Ewbank, £111; P Hallam, £108, £108, £102, £90; JC Wade and Son, £108, £90; JW Porter and Sons, £100, £74; RT Tennant, £100, £82; G Harker and Son, £98; JT Dixon and Son, £98, £86; JG Brunton, £98, £85, £70; RS Harker and Son, £97, £96, £82, £74; MR and CJ Rukin, £95, £80 (x2); TW Hutchinson, £92; JG Atkinson, £92; BR Lawson and Son, £90, £85; D, EM and ID Brown, £90; DA and MJ Pedley, £86; RW Clarkson, £85; J and SJ Bland, £84; WH Harker, £84; P Addyman and Son, £82, £76; R and H Hird, £81; R Metcalfe, £80 (x2); S Reynoldson and Son, £78, £72; B and GV Mudd, £76, £70; J Dixon and Sons, £72, £70; DA Morphet, £72 (x2), £70 (x2); SL Pratt, £71; EW Atkinson; £70. JS Cloughton; £70. D Greenwood, £70.