Husband and wife team, Wyn and Siwan Harries, who run the Hope flock at Wenant, in Carmarthenshire, repeated their championship success on their return to the Jacob Sheep Society's show and sale at Skipton, taking the tri-colour with a four-horned ewe.

Their January 2015-born entry, also topped the sale when selling for 1100gns to the pre-sale judge, Robert Price of the Pentre flock, Churchstoke, Powys. Buying back some of his own genetics, this ewe is by Hope Rocky, a former Royal Welsh Show champion with a Cavers sire and out of a ewe bred by his wife Jean Price of the Pentrenant flock.

The Harries family also received 700gns for the January-born four-horned ram lamb, Hope Warrior, by Hope Rocky Boy, which found a new home across the sea with County Wicklow’s N Fletcher.

Reserve champion was the first prize ram lamb from new exhibitors Paul and Sharon Colhoun and son Alex, of the Kingarrow flock from Omagh, in Northern Ireland. Their January-born Kingarrow Hulk, a two-horned son of Pard House Major, out of a Betty Palmer Nettlebed ewe, made 800gns selling to Welsh breeders the Trumper family, from Brynderi, Abergavenny in Monmouthshire.

Ayrshire-based breeder, Vicky Duncan, Muirkirk, bought the top priced gimmer at 800gns. This was the third prize winner from Jimmy McGrath's Gleannmor flock from Omagh, a four-horned entry, by Hope Hawk, out of a Gleannmor ewe by Dunmor Xcite.

Also heading north to Scotland, G Harper, Bonchester Bridge, Roxburghshire, bought a January-born four-horned ewe lamb at 500gns, again from Mr McGrath's Gleannmor flock. Another by Hope Hawk, she is bred from a Tirelugan ewe.

Averages: Ewes, £301; gimmers, £280; ewe lambs, £197; shearling rams, £144; ram lambs £271.