The third prized Kirkby Redgate ewe hogg triumphed at the Classy Lassies Bluefaced Leicester female show and sale, at Carlisle.

Richard Hutchinson’s Kirkby Redgate flock, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, led the way at 9000gns, with his pen leader heading across to Northern Ireland with William Bell, Ballynahinch, Co Down.

This ewe hogg is a daughter of the home-bred J30, which had bred champion pens of lambs at Kirkby Stephen and out of a home-bred dam, which’s full sister had previously sold here for 6500gns after being the pre-sale champion.

Gary Beacom, Fivemiletown, Co Fermanagh, purchased Richard’s second best which peaked at 4000gns. This was the second prize ewe hogg at the pre-sale show and is a daughter of the £18,000 K8 Shafthill and out of a home-bred ewe.

The Lord family, West Dowgill, North Sainmore, Kirby Stephen, were also in the money, selling their pen leader for 8500gns to Neil Laing, Thankerton, Biggar. This embryo ewe hogg is by the home-bred sire, F52, which has bred lambs to £30,000, £22,000 and £10,000, and its dam side is again all home-bred.

Colin Campbell, Easter Happrew, Peebles, purchased the reserve champion in the pre-sale show from the same home. Another ewe hogg bred the same way, she realised 4500gns.

The first prize gimmer went on to take supreme at the pre-sale show for the Wight family, Midlock, Crawford, the first time the firm has taken this award here.

This gimmer headed across to Ireland with Dominick McCrystal, Drummuck, Maghera, Co Londonderry, for 6500gns. She is a daughter of the K1 Shafthill tup, which was purchased at Hawes for £7100, and out of the Royal Highland Show champion 2016, a great female flush. Her full sister was reserve at the Highland last year and has been retained in the flock. This ET gimmer is scanned to have three lambs to L1 Hundith.

It was a successful day for Midlock flock, with another selling at 5500gns. This gimmer was chapped down to Paddy Mullan, Maghera, Northern Ireland.

She’s an ET gimmer sired by the £6000 K4 Marriforth – which was the ‘Sire of the Year’ two years ago – and out of a home-bred ewe hogg. Her grand-dam is a full sister to the dam of £37,000 K20, whilst another full sister has been retained in the flock.

A £10,000 Highberries daughter went on to sell for 4500gns again from the same home and again selling to Northern Ireland this time to Messrs Wilson, Ballymena. She is out of a home-bred dam which goes back to Barf House.

This gimmer is in-lamb to the £4500 Asby Hall and is scanned to have three lambs. She is an ET sister to L27 Midlock which has bred strong crossing Mules and the flock’s top price lamb in 2019.

The second prize ewe hogg from the Wights went on to realise 3500gns. Forking out the cash was Messrs Wood, Alwinton, Morpeth.

She is sired by the £34,000 H1 Kirkby Redgate and out of a Midlock Mustang daughter. Her grand-dam is out of the sister to the dam of £37,000 K20. This gimmer is due to have three lambs, again to K4 Marriforth.

Another to make her mark for the flock was an ET gimmer, which attained 2500gns, she headed home with Messrs Kirkpatrick, Sanquhar, Dumfries. She is a daughter of J6 Hewgill, which has bred sons to £37,000 and out of a full sister of the £15,000 Knight Rider. This gimmer has been AI’d to L27 Midlock and has been scanned to have two lambs.

Neil Marston, Millstone Moor, Redmain, Cockermouth, of the Highberries flock sold his best for 3000gns to Richard Ridley, Hesket New Market, Wigton. This four-year-old ewe is sired by C24 Hewgill and out of a Smearsett dam which was bought privately for £4000, and the dam is a full sister to the £8000 G1 Smearsett.

LEADING prices

Ewe hoggs – 2200gns – Kirkby Redgate, by K8 Shafthill, to G Beacom, Fivemiletown, N Ireland.

Gimmers – 2200gns – Midlock, by K1 Shafthill and due to L1 Hundith, to Messrs Harvey and Son, Waxham, Norwich. 2200gns – Midlock, by K1 Highberries and due to L20 Otterburn, to Messrs Cowie, Rothienorman, Inverurie. 2200gns – Midlock, by J4 Marriforth and due to K4 Marriforth, to Messrs Blaney, Cushendall, Ballymena. 2000gns – Carry House, by Carry House Jackpot and due to L8 Carry House Flash, to Messrs Wilson, Ballymena, Co Antrim. 2000gns – Highberries, by J1 Oakbank and due to Highberries Highlander, to Messrs Carr, Gunnerton, Northumberland. 2000gns – Midlock, by K1 Highberries and due to L20 Otterburn Lodge, to Messrs McEldowney, Co Londonderry.

Ewes – Gapshield’s 2015-born, by D4 Gragareth and due to E2 Gapshield, to Messrs Spedding, Bishop Auckland.

averages: 21 ewes, £790 (-£185.95 for three more); 52 gimmers, £1353.09 (+£341.41 for eight less); 47 ewe hoggs, £1361.64 (-£414.33 for three more).