With 2409 sheep on offer, Beltex lambs from Chris and Elaine Dent of Northfield Farms, Bowes, came out on top and secured the champion rosette at Darlington Mart’s annual Christmas show and sale of prime lambs.

Selected by judge, Willis Piper, Pipers Quality Butchers, Houghton-le-Spring, the 50kg pen went on to sell for £240 to Ali Shan of Yorkshire Halal Meats, Keighley.

Scooping the reserve champion title were 50kg Texels from J and A Moralee of Hardriding, Hexham, which were later chapped down at £210 to Roots Farm Shop, East Rounton, Northallerton.

Outwith the show, the firm also sold 15 prime bulls to average 220p with D Richardson and Co Ltd, Bracken House, Melsonby, leading the trade at £2063 for a 22-month-old 839kg British Blue and 265p for a 664kg Limousin.

Some 535 clean cattle were on offer with bullocks and heifers averaging 214p and 243p respectively. Frank Page of Lodge Farm, Northamptonshire, topped the bullock trade at 277p and £1889, while he sold heifers to 285p and £1823.

LEADING awards

Lambs – Suff – 1, Nackshivan, 60kg, 225p, £135; 2, Corngrave Farm, 61kg, 206p, £126; 3, Cole Hill Farm Ltd, 52kg, 213p, £111. Tex – 1 and reserve, Hardriding Farm, 50kg, 420p, £210; 2, Northfield Farms, 50kg, 288p, £144; 3, Middle Mown Meadows, 56kg, 250p, £140. AOB – 1 and champion, Northfield Farms, 50kg, 480p, £240; 2, Middle Mown Meadows, 48kg, 308p, £148; 3, The Bungalow, 42kg, 321p, £135. Mule – 1, Greenwell Farm, 49kg, 194p, £95.50; 2, Greenwell Farm, 47kg, 219p, £103; 3, High Moor Hill, 48kg, 193p, £93.

LEADING prices

Lambs – £240, £144 Northfield Farms; £210, £132 J and A Moralee; £148, £140, £134, £130 (x2) Askwiths; £135, £125 (x2) B Layfield; £135 GW Dent; £127, £126 D Barron; £126, £119.50 GM Blair and Partners; £125 J and D Gibson; £124.50, £121 JC Thwaite and Son; £121 Cole Hill Farm Ltd; £120 M Dent; £116.50 (x2) EA Hinton; £116.50 TH Richardson and Son; £116.50 TE Dobson; £116, £115.50 Anthony Tindale; £116 RW and R Henry; £115.50, £114.50, £113.50 High Harbour Farms; £115 RG and G Rutter; £115 TN Callender; £114.50 Elliott Grieves.

Prime bulls – Cont – £2063, £1924, £1889, £1876, £1874, £1864, £1847, £1842, £1827, £1799, £1788 D Richardson and Co Ltd; £2058 JC Johnson; £2021, £1788 JJ Horn; £1934, £1904, £1822, £1798 TW Clark and Son; £1927, £1922, £1841, £1794 JW Holmes and Son; £1889, £1808, £1793, £1759, £1749 AG Watson and Sons; £1867, £1836, £1783, £1777, £1741 JH and M and NW Brown; £1827 JA and M Boyes Ltd; £1756, £1739, £1726 EW Grieves; £1733 R Ormston. Friesian – £1203, £1193 JM and S Walton; £1195, £1188, £1131, £955 D and CA Henry; £1151, £931 JK and CE Farming; £1146, £1090 R Hall and Son; £1043, £923, £920 J and JH Musgrave; £977, £973, £933 D Walker; £973 GW Dobson and Son. AA – £1723 AS and SM Kemp; £1348 JA Trobe and Son; £1213 JR Knox and Son. Hereford – £1657, £1603 JA and M Boyes Ltd; £1268 JK Gregory. Shorthorn – £916 GA Rogerson and Son.

Steers – £1889, £1870, £1758, £1735, £1722, £1652, £1535, £1436, £1433 Frank Page; £1699, £1656, £1631, £1500, £1474, £1462, £1454 A and MJ Henshaw; £1640, £1553, £1550, £1485, £1464, £1462, £1445, £1435 (x2) JC and SA Gulliver; £1605 AG Watson and Sons; £1457, £1443, £1541 B Nichols; £1511, £1508 RA and BA Ridley and Son Ltd; £1488, £1447 RO Gilson; £1462 WR Thompson; £1428 TN Callender; £1425, £1413 RS Hall and Sons.

Heifers – £1823, £1768, £1715, £1680 AC Simpson and Son; £1757, £1745, £1721, £1703, £1686, £1671, £1657 (x2), £1646, £1635, £1585 Frank Page; £1725, £1617, £1561, £1534 J Layfield; £1681 RW and R Henry; £1671, £1648, £1612 B Walker; £1646, £1639, £1607, £1542 W Armstrong; £1640, £1575, £1562 JW Holmes and Son; £1609, £1511 LR Welsh and Co; £1603, £1500 Renton Highlaws Ltd; £1579 R Hirst; £1504 F and JS Gargett.

Cast cows – £1444 C Orton; £1283, £1250, £1132, £1127, £1066 AS and SM Kemp; £815 B Nichols.

Cast sheep – £140, £124, £120, £110, £107 (x2) AC Simpson and Son; £137, £125, £121, £120 W and M Knaggs and Son; £133 (x2), £131, £125, £120 D Barron; £127 P Bisby; £127 B Layfield; £118 GM Blair and Partners; £117, £105 JA and A Herbert; £114 R Lawson and Son; £112 GM Simpson; £110 W Walker and Sons; £109 William Tindale; £109 (x3), £108, £107 High Harbour Farms; £105 WH and KL Wilson; £102 D and J Hunnam and Son.

Pigs – £95, £94, £91, £85, £81, £64 C Weightman.