There was a solid trade for Lleyns at the society's annual breed sale, at Carlisle, last week, with a supply of rams to suit both commercial and pure-bred breeders, with the Jones' Lluest flock leading the trade for a second consecutive year.

Although averages slipped by £76 amongst the males, they did cash in at just shy of £900 and for 17 more sold. More pleasing was the fact that the females met a positive demand with gimmers and ewe lambs both recording averages up on the year.

Topping the trade at 7000gns was a shearling ram from father and son duo, Emrys and Dylan Jones, alongside with Dylan’s wife, Anwen, from Comins Coch, Machynlleth, Powys. Reserve male champion at the pre-sale show, their sale leader is by Wray Castle Edwaldo, a tup that sired the Welshpool Show champion, out of a home-bred ewe. He was knocked down to Messrs Mullan, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

It was a good day for Derek and Cindy Steen who run the Ballylinney flock, at Moffat, too when they sold shearling rams at 4200gns, 3500gns and 2500gns. Their best, a son of Goldies Elect out of a home-bred ewe, was purchased by H and M Dugdale and Son, Giggleswick, Settle, North Yorkshire.

The 3500gns shearling boasts Ballylinney genetics on both sides and headed up north to Laga Farms, in Orkney, having been purchased by Michael Cursiter.

Also heading to Orkney, with Colin Davidson, Sandwick, at 2500gns was a Ballylinney shearling by Goldies Elect.

The first prize shearling ram and male champion, Brynowen High Flier, from Christine Lewis, Trefeglwys, Caersws, Powys, realised 4000gns. Sired by the 4200gns home-bred Brynowen Gold Dust, that sold here last year to Charles and Andrew Kennedy, of the Mileview flock, this stylish tup headed back down south with Rob Bennett and Son, Meifod, Powys.

The same buyers also went to 2000gns for Whitlaw Hurricane, a shearling bred by Christine Lewis, but consigned by Ian Walling of the Eildon flock from Over Whitlaw Selkirk. He is a son of last year's Royal Highland Show and Border Union champion.

Peter Knowles' Cragg Howard shearling from New Hutton, Kendal, sold for 2200gns to Norman and Raymond Lawrence, Blackpotts, Ellon. His sire, Cragg Griffyn, is a previous Westmorland Show champion, and reserve male when sold here last year.

The Goldies, who run the Lochar, Goldies and Orchard Cottage flocks, outside Dumfries, also found success when their ram Lochar Hilton, made 1700gns to Messrs Ellis, Betws-Y-Coed Gwynedd. He is the progeny of the breed society's 2017 champion, Plasucha Chief, which also sired last year's champion, Lochar Gladiator. This shearling is ranked in the top 10% of the breed, and top 5% for his maternal characteristics.

The Goldies also sold the top priced female at £900. This was the first prize gimmer which sold to R Bowie, Crieff, while another pen from the Goldies realised £200 per head.

The Wallings sold the second prize gimmer at £600 and the first prize pen of gimmers at £270. Both were purchased by Messrs Kirkbride, Whitehaven.

Other gimmers sold to £250 from G and A Fort, Brighton House, purchased by Messrs Nicholson, Beverley, North Humberside.

Two pens of gimmers from Northern Ireland breeders, Barry and Elaine Latimer, Girgadis, Co Tyrone, made £220 with both purchased by Southern Ireland producers, Messrs Croke, Fethard, Co Tipperary.

Derek Steen's Ballylinney flock also produced the goods with gimmers at £215 and £210 bought by P Robinson, Nass, County Kildare.

The ewe lamb trade was lad by Lionel Organ, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, selling his second prize pen for £210 per head, to Messrs Selway, Stalbridge, Dorset.

The Wallings, Over Whitlaw, also sold some high priced ewe lambs at £140 to Messrs McConville, Newry, Co Down, Northern Ireland.

Top price amongst the ewes was £102 and £100 paid for pens from JR Graham and Partners, Greenshields Biggar, purchased by Messrs Irving, Wigton, Cumbria.

Averages: 101 rams, £893.12 (-£76.26 for 17 more sold); 48 aged ewes, £96.66 (-£7.91 for 88 fewer); 954 gimmers £161.73 (+£6.58 for 53 more); 443 ewe lambs, £96.73 (+£13.92 for 171 fewer).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.