Judge J Crichton, Loughrigg, backed his decision and bought his choice of champion, a British Blue cross steer from WD and B Thompson, East Unthank, for £1650, at Hexham and Northern Marts' sale of 613 store cattle and suckled calves.

The sale which incorporated the annual show and sale of Charolais cross and continental cross store cattle, excluding Limousins, saw the reserve, a similarly bred heifer, this time from JD Yeats, Woodhouse, sell for £1550.

The Charolais champion, a steer from IA Thornton, Hay-A-Park sold for £1960.

Top price was also achieved for a Charolais when a steer from TH Vickers, Low Hedgeley sold for £2080.

Heifers sold to £1880 for more Charolais from RH Thompson and Son, Fitches Grange, who sold 11 heifers to average £1614.11.

Yearling and weaned calves were also well sought after peaking at £1700 for a 10-month-old red Limousin cross steer from WD and B Thompson, East Unthank.

One of the highlights of the day was the run of 40 yearling Charolais cross steers from FT Walton, Flotterton, which sold to £1610 to an average £1407.95.

The sale of 1704 cast sheep peaked at £240 for four Texels from Hedgeley Farms, Powburn with the entry of 5422 store lambs selling to £168 for five Beltex cross ewe lambs from JT and I Steele, Steeley Farm.

Leading Prices

Cattle 23-30 months – Steers – Lim – £1650 Old Deanham. Char – £1660, £1610 Hallbankgate. Char X – £1960 Hay-A-Park; £1920, £1900 Low Hedgeley. BB X – £1210, £1100 North Shotton. Sim X – £1380 North Shotton. A-A X – £2040, £1840 Sunniside. Blonde X – £1410 North Shotton. Luing – £1620 Brandon.

Heifers – Lim X – £1620, £1470 Old Deanham; £1440 North Shotton. Char X – £1880, £1800, £1790, Fitches Grange. BB X – £1640 Old Deanham. Sim X – £1660, £1590, £1540 Brandon. A-A X – £1460, £1320 Sunniside. Blonde – £1110 North Shotton

Cattle 17-22 months – Steers – Lim X – £1780 Old Deanham; £1660, £1630 Highwood; £1620 Old Deanham, Wingates South, Highwood. Char – £1450 Harewalls. Char X – £2080, £1860, £1800, Low Hedgeley; £1810 Brandon, £1800 Broomhill. BB X – £1820, £1580 Old Deanham. Sim X – £1670 Brandon; £1380 Intake. A-A – £1720 Broadlea. A-A – £1580 Highwood. Luing X – £1300 Brandon. Blonde X – £1820, £1800 Houselope Grange.

Heifers – Lim X – £1680, £1590 Elrington Hall; £1600 Brandon; £1490 Lunns House (x2). Char X – £1780 Coldwell; £1610, £1600, £1585, £1540 Little Harle. BB X – £1320 Old Deanham. A-A X – £1170 Oakdene. Sim X –£1430, £1400 Brandon.

Cattle 11-16 months – Steers – Lim X – £1540 (x2), £1520 Woodhouse; £1500 Newbiggen; £1490 Low Eshells. Char – £1480 Newbiggen. Char X – £1850, £1710 Tone Hall, £1760, £1610, £1550 (x2), £1490 (x2) Flotterton; £1480 Hay-A-Park, Tone Hall and Coldwell. A-A – £1230 Broadlea. A-A X –£1480 West Edmondsley. BB – £1580 Woodhouse; £1510 Hackford; £1400, £1390 Woodhouse.

Heifers – Lim X – £1610 Low Eshells; £1590 Elrington Hall; £1480 Lunns House. Char X – £1480, £1340, £1330 Coldwell; £1350 Brandon. BB – £1600 (x2), £1550 Woodhouse.

Cattle 10 months and under – Steers – Lim X – £1700, £1460 East Unthank. BB X – £1650, £1440 East Unthank. Char X – £1360 Flotterton, £1350 Newbiggen.

Heifers – Lim X – £1270 Tedcastle; £1190 Newbiggen.