averages: Texels – In-lamb ewes, £643.13; in-lamb gimmers, £572.55; ewe lambs, £501.75. Beltex – In-lamb ewes, £517.13; in-lamb gimmers, £452.81; ewe lambs, £562.50.

Texel gimmers met a strong and steady trade selling to 4500gns, while Beltex females peaked at 1600gns at a joint breed sale at Beeston Auction Mart last weekend.

Pre-sale Texel judge, Rob Evans, of the Hope Valley Flock in Shropshire, found his champion in a substitute entry from Robert Bennett's Plasucha flock from Wales, which went on to top the sale at 4500gns. His gimmer by Eden Valley Wiz Kid, out of a ewe by Garngour Upperclass, is an ET sister to the 18,000gns Plasucha Alys and the 10,000gns Twilight sale leader, and sold to the Hughes family from Anglesey.

Second top price was 3800gns paid for the best from Gordon Gray's Ettrick flock from Selkirk. A Clinterty Yuga Khan-sired gimmer bred from a ewe by Ettrick Sir Alan, she sold due early February with twins to Midcombe Brigadier, to David Houghton, buying for his Bury-based Tophill flock.

The sale also included a dispersal of the in-lamb portion of the Limestone flock on behalf of the Weston family, Derbyshire, which peaked at 2000gns for a Stainton Vantage-sired gimmer out of a Plattin VIP daughter, carrying triplets to Corriecravie Blue Moon. David Roberts of Kenley, Shropshire, forked out the lead bid.

Limestone also topped the ewe section at 1600gns when a Duncryne Uber Cool daughter, bred from a ewe by Cornerstone Rain Dancer, was knocked down to Banffshire breeder, Graham Morrison, buying for his Deveronvale flock. A show winner from last year, she sold carrying twins to Eden Valley Rain Dancer Ace.

The Boden family's Sportsmans flock from Stockport, came up with the goods too, with a gimmer selling at 1700gns to Tom Morgan, Whitchurch, Shropshire. This Pant Wolf daughter, out of a ewe by the 145,000gns Knap Vicious Sid, changed hands in lamb to Plasucha Big Gun.

Just behind 1500gns, Richard Wilson of the Eden Valley flock from Appleby, sold a Bryn-Y-Coed Yogi Bear daughter, carrying twins to Aldan Blockbuster, to Welsh breeder, IP Jones, Powys.

Reserve champion was the top priced ewe lamb from Ben Vernon’s Charben flock from Staffordshire, which made 950gns to the judge. The breeding behind this transaction includes Clinterty Yogi Bear onto a ewe by Tullylagan Tonka.

Two other ewe lambs from the same pen made 900gns and 720gns to Scottish breeders. The former, by Garngour Alabama, was knocked down to David Gray, Selkirk, with the latter, by Yogi Bear, selling to C Paterson, Aberchirder, Aberdeen.

Leading the Beltex trade at 1600gns was a gimmer from Stuart Wood's Woodies flock from Aberdeenshire, purchased by DF Hughes, Amlwch, Anglesey. This was Bryngroes Cyw ET, by Woodies Bachelor, out of a ewe by Woodies A Touch of Class. She sold carrying twins to Woodies Bojangles.

Mr Wood also sold the lead priced ewe lamb at 650gns to Northern Ireland breeder, Dermot Gallagher, Co Tyrone. She is by Woodies AC Milan and bred from an imported Harlembois ewe.

Judge, Hamish Currie, found his champion in a ewe lamb from Paul Tippets and Christine Williams' Hackney and Wilodge flocks from Shifnal, Shropshire. Wilodge Donna is by Topflite Al Pacino, out of an imported Van’t Rozenaken dam and sold for 1500gns to J Jerman, Brilley, Herefordshire.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall