Top price at a show and sale of Zwartbles sheep at Carlisle went to a shearling ram from GA and HM Francis, Pistyll flock from Carmarthen, which sold at 2200gns in a two-way split to Scottish breeders, Ally Baird, Dunblane, and David Miskelly, Kildummy, Alford.

Their purchase was Pistyll Fire-Cracker, a son of Pistyll Charmer out of a Pistyll dam, that goes back to an Abbots Grove female.

The same home also sold the second and third top priced shearling rams at 1800gns and 1200gns. Dearest was Pistyll Flash, another by Charmer, which is a home-bred son of Pendle Wide Load, but out of a Pistyll ewe, by Castle Hill Alfred. He sold across to Northern Ireland to Messrs Megarrell, Cullion.

Minutes later, the Francis' received 1200gns for Bessiebell Fantastic, bred by Mrs S Smyth, which sold to Messrs Odgers and Braithwaite, Roughlee, Lancashire. He is a son of Donbraid Ed and out of Bessiebell Alex.

Pistyll also took 1200gns for their tup lamb, Pistyll Grand Slam, a son of Didcot Freddie, purchased by Messrs Hurd, Taunton, Somerset.

Top price amongst the tup lambs was 1800gns paid by West Yorkshire breeders, Messrs Booth, Lothersdale, Keighley, for Stainmore Gladiator, a triplet-born lamb from L and F Brown, Stainmore. He is a son of Wallacetown Ego and out of Stainmore Coco Chanel, a Stainmore Tip Top Joe daughter.

Male champion and reserve overall was a shearling ram from Irish breeders, C and K Milburn, Norton, which made 1200gns selling to Cakemuir Equestrian, Nenthorn, Kelso, Roxburghshire. Donbraid Finn, bred by I and A Donald, is sired by Ulster Cad and out of Donbraid Destiny.

Leading the females at 2000gns was a third prize gimmer from Dumfriesshire breeders, Joyce and Neil Millar, Joyfield selling Faye Wilkie, Westhill, Aberdeenshire. Joyfield Flawless is sired by Millburn Same, which has produced gimmers 2000gns and ewe lambs to 1400gns twice, and out of a Cynefin ewe, by Cynefin Wallgo.

The second prize gimmer from Ally Baird, of the Greystone flock from Dunblane, realised 1500gns, selling to Messrs Addison, Mickleton, Barnard Castle. Greystone Fauna, the flock's show winning female this year, that picked up several champion and reserve breed titles, is by an imported ram and out of Greystone Willow.

The red ticket holder amongst the gimmers made 1200gns to Messrs Bateman, Lowgill, Kendal. This was the triplet-born, Killymallaght Fancy from Co Londonderry breeders, A and R Megarrell, sired by Killymallaght Danny B and out of Killymallaght Twilight. Reserve female champion at Balmoral Show this year, Fancy is also a maternal sister to Killymallaght Coolio, th male champion and reserve overall at the Royal Highland in 2017.

Ewe lambs peaked at 1100gns for Mrs Olwen Huges-Owen, Cynefin. Cynefin Glain is a daughter of Cynefin Arthur, which goes back to a Glencloy sire, out of a home-bred ewe by Cynefin Tudor and sold to Matthew Simpson, buying for his Tardoes flock from Kilmarnock.

averages: 42 gimmers, £459.50 (-£57.11 for 11 less); 40 ewe lambs, £371.43 (-£13.82 for 15 less); 14 shearling rams, £865.00 (+£324.19 for three more); 39 ram lambs, £495.11 (-£136.22 for 3 less).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington