North of England Mule Sheep Association chairman, Kevin Wilson and his son James, who run the Hewness flock in Blubberhouses, secured the championship and the top price at Skipton Auction Mart’s winter sale of Bluefaced Leicester females, last week.

Their ewe hogg, by Harland F1 Bighead – a ram owned in partnership with Alan Busby, Marrick, which also sired last year’s first prize Mule ewe lamb at the Great Yorkshire Show for the Wilsons – is out of a home-bred ewe and sold for £1000 to the judge, Joe Throup, Draughton.

John and Claire Mason, of Oddacres flock in Embsay, produced the reserve winner, the second prize ewe hogg to the champion, which made £900 to John Palmer, Twiston, Lancs. She is by the K7 Smearsett.

The breeders of that sire, David and Robin Booth, of the Smearsett flock from Old Hall Cottage, Feizor, came next in the bidding stakes, selling their third prize ewe hogg for £600. She is by the G11 Smearsett ram, better known as Ted – a tup that has bred ram lambs to 24,000gns – and sold to Rose Tennant, Bordley.

Some 21 Bluefaced Leicester females were forward for sale of which gimmer hoggs averaged £538 and ewes at £240.