A cracking entry of almost 5000 head of continental breeding sheep met a buoyant demand throughout at Hope's Auctioneers' Wigton Whites sale at Wigton.

The sale saw gimmers sell to £410 for a single Beltex from Messrs Lawson, Pasture House, with ewes peaking at £310 for a pen of pure Texel three-shears from Messrs Armstrong, Highmoor Bungalows, Wigton.

The champion pen of gimmers, 10 Beltex crosses from Messrs Murray, Prior House, realised £310 per head to the judge, E Fawcett, Well House.

Top honours amongst the ewe lambs were presented to a pen from J Dixon and Sons, Lesson Hall, which sold to the judge, Messrs Stoddart for £190. Top price in this section was £300 paid for a Beltex cross Texel lamb from Amy Bell, Kirkland Green.

LEADING prices

Ewes – Tex – £310, £290, £270 (x2) Highmoor Bungalows (Armstrong); £195, £150, Fitz (Bell); £160, £135 Dundraw Farm; £155 Browtop (Winter); £150 Thornby Road (Comish). Belt – £160 Thornby Road (Comish). Belt X Tex – £190 £185 (x2), £160 New Hall Farm (Skelton); £155 Thornby Road (Comish). KH – £100, £60 (x2) Liddore (McNeil).

Gimmers – Tex – £410, £210, £200 Pasture House (Lawson); £280, £240, £210 Glebe Court (Bartholomew); £220 Highmoor Bungalows (Armstrong); £220, £200 Durdar Road (Brough); £220 Clea Hall (Hill). Belt – £310, £240, £215, Prior House (Murray); £280, £250, £220 Inglewood Edge (Hall); £250, £220 Green Farm (Elkington); £210 Snade (Wharton); £210 Loughrigg (Crichton). Belt X Tex – £300, £290, £280 (x2), £270, £260 Glebe Court (Bartholomew); £280 Upper Cleugh Farm (Aitken); £280 New Hall Farm (Skelton); £260, £255 Derwentdale Farm (Barker). Suff X – £180 Glebe Court (Bartholomew); £180, £170 Hillside (Stoddart); £145 (x2), £140 Pasture House (Lawson). Mule – £120 (x2); £115, £110 Newtown Farm (Thompson). Chev X Mule – £138, £132 Newtown Farm (Thompson). Dut Tex – £300 £280, £210 New Hall Farm (Skelton). Mill Bleu – £130, £105 Foulsyke Farm (Bowe). KH – £75 Liddore (McNeil).

Ewe lambs – Tex – £280, £200 Durdar Road (Brough); £155, £145, £125, £112, £108 Highmoor Bungalows

(Armstrong); £135 Ivanhoe Livestock; £112 Prospect House (Hodgson); £110 Lane End (Jackson). Belt – £150, £138, £109 Snade (Wharton); £125, £122, £110, £105 Low Farm (Harryman); £99 Seymour Farms; £96, £95 Ivanhoe Livestock. Belt X Tex – £300 Kirkland Green (Bell); £280 Greystoke Castle (Peile); £255 Hallrigg Farm (Graham); £220, £200 (x2), £190, £180 Hill Crest (Bell); £200, £190 Lesson Hall (Dixon). Dut Tex – £104, £86, Abbots Close (Storr); £83, Flimby Hall (Kirkbride). Mill Bleu – £118, £90, £88, £85 Barkbeth (Ewart). Suff X – £95, £80 Town Head (Hird). Char – £73 Abbots Close (Storr). Blue Tex – £86 (x2) Ivanhoe Livestock.