Increased demand for top quality breeding sheep with size and shape ensured a flying trade at Paul Slaters annual Whiteley Hey production sale at North West Auctions' J36 Mart, where averages improved in all sections on the year.

The sale, staged in conjunction with Mitchells Auction Co, saw no fewer than 150 mostly Texel and Texel cross shearling rams average just shy of £900 – up a massive £157 on last year's event – with a lead price of 3000gns paid for a pedigree Texel shearling purchased by Messrs Price and Rogers, Hereford.

Next best at 2800gns was a Beltex cross Texel shearling ram, which was knocked down to Messrs Robinson, Walnut Farm.

Leading the female trade at £580 was a pair of ewe lambs by Garngour Awesome, purchased by Messrs Jack, Park Hill, while five gimmers, all by an Edenfauld ram made £500 to Walnut Farm.

LEADING prices

Shearling rams – Tex – 3000gns, 2400gns, 2000gns, 1800gns, 1500gns (x2), 1400gns, 1200gns (x3), 1100gns, 1000gns. Belt X Tex – 2800gns, 2000gns, 1600gns, 1500gns, 1450gns, 1300gns (x2), 1250gns, 1200gns (x2), 1150gns, 1100gns, 1050gns, 1000gns (x4)

Two/three-shear ewes – Tex – £370, £310, £300. Char X Belt – £310 (x2), £300, £280, £260. Belt X Tex – £310, £300 (x3), £290 (x2).

Gimmers – Belt X Tex – £500, £440, £380, £370, £360, £350 (x2), £320 (x2), £310, £300, £290. Tex – £450, £420, £380, £370, £320 (x2), £300 (x3), £290, £280. Char X Belt – £420, £310, £300, £290, £270

Ewe lambs – Tex – £580, £300, £200, £195, £190, £170, £160. Belt – £210, £190, £180, £160 (x3). Belt X Char – £175, £165, £160 (x2).

Black Belt – Ewes – £290, £250, £200. Gimmers – £350, £320. Ewe lambs – £250, £230, £220, £180, £165.

Averages: 150 shearling rams, £891.15 (+£157.00 for the same number); 82 two and three-shear ewes, £260.21 (+£9.49 for 18 fewer); 200 gimmers, £292.15 (+£60.00 for the same number); 200 ewe lambs, £162.85 (+£10.53 for the same number).