Prices peaked at a whopping 11,000gns at the annual two-day Blacknose Beauties National Show and sale of Valais Blacknose sheep at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, where a record breaking entry of 240 head were on display.

Sale leader was Gerallt and Kerry Jones' shearling ram, Shoemakers Victor, a 15-month-old son of Gemstones Maryn, out of Gemstones May, from their Snowdonia flock based at Pant Gwyn, Caernarfon, Gwynedd. He sold north across the Border with Tom and Joan Blackwood, Magbiehill Parte, Dunlop Road, Stewarton.

This Farming Life celebrities, Raymond Irvine and Jenni McAllister, Tomintoul, were again in the money too, selling the second top priced lot at 6500gns and another at 4500gns, with both being purchased by Attwell Farm, Beoley, Redditch, Worcester.

Dearest was Highland Eva, a 2½-year-old breeding female by Highland Montana, out of Highland Deby. Selling at 4500gns was the two-year-old, Highland Diana, a daughter of Highland Lucas bred from Highland Yasmin.

Northern Ireland breeders, Elaine and Michael Boyle, Cloughogue, Newry, also came up with the goods with ewe lambs from their Oakclose flock selling at 5500gns and 5000gns. The former, Oakclase Gemini, is by Whitehall Chasselas and bred from Whitehall Dacie, while the latter is by Solwaybank Detroit and again bred from Whitehall Dacie.

Steven Dace bought two of the top lots to go back home to Lower Yew Tree, Over Alderley, Cheshire. First on his list at 4800gns was Tim Dunne's five-month-old ewe lamb, Westmorland Godiva, a Prendwick Basil daughter bred from Westmorland Delilah, from Briks Farm, Bleatam, Appleby.

Minutes later, the same buyer went to 4400gns for Jamie Wood's Prendwick Georgia, another ewe lamb this time by Prendwick Basil, out of Prendwick Beatrice.

Prendwick Basil produced another two top sellers for Mr Wood from Whittingham, Alnwick, with Prendwick Gail, Georgia's twin sister, also selling for 4400gns to Isle of Islay breeder, R Johnstone, Balaclava Croft, Port Entry and Prendwick Gypsy, out of Prenwick Ezra, making 4000gns to Pauric Hamil, Derry Castleshane, Co Monaghan, Eire.

The sole entry from Valerie Carter's Blackwoodridge flock from Waterbeck, Lockerbie, Blackwoodridge Ghertie, a ewe lamb by Westmorland Fred, out of Blackwoodridge Deliliah, made 4500gns to Gipsy Hall Farms, Wilmcote, Stratford Upon Avon,Warwickshire.

Two other ewe lambs realised 4000gns to include Glen Blacklock's ewe lamb, Jura Tuti Fruitie, from Crockroy, Kirkconnel, Sanquhar, purchased by Islay breeder, R Johnstone, Balaclava Croft and Charlotte Wemyss' entry from Wemyss Castle, East Wemyss, Kirkcaldy, was knocked down to Paul Beckwith, Upper Harford, Bourton On The Water.

Meanwhile, the breed society's fourth annual show, staged the day before the sale, also attracted a huge crowd.

Believed to the fastest growing breed in the UK, the Valais Sheep Society – established in 2014 by Jenni McAllister, Raymond Irvine and Jamie Wood – boasts in excess of 100 members, so the Blacknose Beauties event attracted a huge audience of breeders and enthusiasts from all corners of the four home nations and throughout the world.

Apart from the main breed shows in Switzerland, this was one of the largest gatherings of Valais Sheep ever seen by the Swiss judges, who for the fourth year in succession, eventually found their supreme overall in an entry from Raymond Irvine and Jenni McAlister's Highland flock. Show stopper this time was the ewe Highland Erin II.

The couple from Tomintoul, also bred the reserve male champion, Highland Glen owned by Mhairi Hosking of the Rosehall flock.

Judges Philipp Truffer and Laurent Egger awarded the reserve overall honours to Jamie Wood's Prendwick Fredwick, with Prendwick Dot from the same home placed reserve female.

Also presented by the judges were rosettes to the sheep that graded maximum points, which this year saw the first of only seven attained by Jamie Wood’s Prendwick Dot, followed by Highland Erin II, Moorahill Fifi owned by the Snowdonia flock; Kinneff Gorgeous, Prendwick Fredwick, Highland Glen owned by the Rosehall flock and finally Deepdale Godzilla.

A strong entry of more than 20 young handlers across all ages saw Isla Goldie with the junior section and Izzy Jacobson lead the seniors.

A part of the society’s continued educational initiative, breeders and spectators also had the opportunity to oversee grading and breed standard demonstrations presented by the visiting judges from Valais and Marita Tauni, a Blacknose breeder from Sweden. There were also various shearing, fleece care and spinning demonstrations.