A cracking line up of both commercial and pedigree sheep was forward for the Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders’ sale at Skipton, where shearling rams and gimmer averages rose £112 and £149 per head at £740 and £512, respectively.

Sale leader at 3000gns came from Procters Farm’s Tatham Hall consignment from Slaidburn, Lancs, which sold eight, all at four-figure prices

Dearest, brought out by Jeff and Jennifer Aiken, was Tatham Hall Calypso, a Thrunton Younique son out of a dam by Strathbogie Ya Belter, which sold to David and Adam Ryder, Lindley Hall, Otley.

Procters Farm also sold another two at 2000gns to include the Younique son, Tatham Hall Chieftain, and Tatham Hall Carling, by Smithy Ben.

Mrs Aiken, who runs her own Coniston flock, topped the ram lambs at 1400gns with Coniston Delboy, a son of the 70,000gns Teiglum Young Gun, out of a ewe by Procters Vagabond. He sold locally to Silsden Moor’s Simon Bennett.

Females peaked at 1400gns for a gimmer by Meinspride Wolf, a son of the 6000gns Glenway Universe, from Angela Nairey, Bank Hey Farm, Liusey, Blackburn. She is out of a ewe by Brijon Vivaldi, and sold to the West Midlands with relatively new breeders, Adam and Jessica Neachell, who established their Cromwell flock, in Aldridge, near Walsall, last year.

Auctioneers: CCM

averages: 136 shearling rams, £740; 75 ram lambs, £384; 78 gimmers, £512.