A SOLID entry of almost 3,000 prime sheep at Skipton Auction Mart’s May Day bank holiday sale included 2,377 Spring lambs and hoggs, the championship in the monthly prime lambs show for pairs awarded to 39kg Texel ‘springers’ from Neil Tattersall, Ellerton, York, sold at £192, 492p/kg, the third prize 36kg pen from the same home making £172, 477p/kg.

From the same neck of the woods, PB Fox & Sons, Elvington, stood runners-up with 41kg Texel sold at £182, 443p/kg, with the Fox family also achieving top price per head of £198, 404p/kg, with 49kg Texel.

Heading north from Knutsford, Cheshire, G&G Read had lambs well sold, achieving 416p with 37kg at £154 and 405p/kg twice with two 40kg pens at £162. B&ME Craven, Kexby, York, sold 38kg Continentals to 410p/kg, £156, with George Breare, Silsden Moor, also to the fore with 40kg entries selling to 405p/kg, £162.

Local Suffolk stalwart Mark Evans, Steeton, stood 1st and 2nd in the Down-x pairs show class, his 51kg victors, also reserve champions, topping the section at £192 each when claimed by show judge Lister Brown, Halifax, the 50kg runners-up making £185 to Simon Heather, Royton, Oldham, while the third prize 43kg pen from M&J Smith, Melbourne, York, got away at £168, 390.7p/kg section top by-weight, to Nick Dalby, Hartwith.

Charollais Spring lambs sold to section highs of £182 and 395p/kg from another regular vendor from the York area, Charles Marwood, Foulrice flock, Whenby. Springers were again seen to enjoy a good trade on the week, producing an overall section average of £153.62 per head, 368.4p/kg (SQQ 369.5p/kg).

Prime hoggs were dearer for most classes, selling to an overall average of £133.27, 297.2p/kg (SQQ 298.6p/kg) and to highs of £200 per head from R Spencer & Son, Micklebring, Rotherham, and 429p/kg (£176) from the Faceby Hutchinsons.