Centre records for Rough Fell draft ewes were smashed at North West Auctions J36 show and sale of 4000 hill-bred females when a pen from E and K Bland, Tebay, sold for £280 per head, with another pen from the same home at £115.

Second top price amongst the breed was £170 paid for an individual ewe from W Beck and Son.

A pen of three-crop ewes from W Beck and Son, Tebay, secured the breed championship and later sold for £130. The reserve was presented to the first prize pen of gimmers from SL Hoggarth, Howgill, that made £105, with a pen of ewes from the same home selling at £130.

Rough Fell ewes averaged £75.30 with gimmers at £73.05.

Ewe lambs peaked at £40 from B Dickinson and Co, Kentmere.

Swaledale breeders, E and A Wear, Hartsop, also enjoyed good day winning the pre-sale championship for a sixth consecutive year. The pen of two-crop ewes also topped the breed at £180 per head selling to the judge, Neil Marston, Cockermouth.

The second prize pen from R and A Taylforth, Patterdale, bagged the reserve and went on to sell for £135.

Other ewes sold to £135 and £115 from W Richardson and Son, Dufton, with JA Alderson, Barras also receiving £115 for Swale ewes.

Swale gimmers peaked at £120 for the first prize pen from JI, JA and VA Swift, Selside. Swaledale ewes averaged £74.80 with gimmers at £73.84.

Leading the ewe lamb trade at £62 was a pen of Swales from J Hunter, Tebay.

Top price amongst the Cheviots was £95 for ewes from DJ Clarke, Underbarrow with others selling to £94 twice from KM and KJ Kurwen, Abbeystead.

The consignment from P Asbury, Abbeystead sold to £90. There overall Cheviot average was £79.92.

Herdwick ewe lambs sold to £37 and £36 from B Dickinson and Co, Kentmere.

LEADING prices

Ewe lambs – Swale – £62 Galloper Park; £50 Green Cottages; £41 Forest Hall; £41 Brockstones. Rough Fell – £40 Brockstones, £35 Shackla Bank Farm, £34 Whinfell Terrace. Herdwick – £37, £36 Brockstones.

Ewes – Rough Fell – £280 Cotegill Farm; £170 Barugh House; £130 Birkhaw; £130 Barugh House; £115 Cotegill Farm. Swale – £180 Grove Farm; £135 Ghyll House; £135 Side Farm; £115 Grove Farm; £115 Barras Farm. Chev – £95 Tullithwaite Hall Office; £94 Marshaw Farm; £90 Gilberton Farm.

Gimmers – £120 Dry Howe; £115 Barras Farm; £110 Grove Farm; £105 Tuner Hall Farm. Rough Fell – £105 Birkhaw; £100 Riverside House; £85 Barugh House; £85 Manor Court. Chev – £47 Marshaw Farm.

Highest Priced Rough Fells – Highest Priced Rough Fells selling for £280 from E & K Bland