SKIPTON Auction Mart’s annual opening show and sale of store lambs saw 2,910 head trade to an overall average of £89.28, a tidy increase of £4.64 on the 2022 opener. (Wed, July 12)

Again traditionally staged on the second day of the Great Yorkshire Show, the seasonal launch attracted lambs similar in size on the year, though in the main looking fresher and fuller than the first sale last year. Once more, the fixture attracted travelled customers seeking sheep countrywide.

Returning to again win the Top Tags Animal ID-sponsored prize show for pens of 40 or more lambs as he did the previous year – he also claimed victory in 2020 - was Andrew Haggas, of Grove Farm, Otterburn, with another 40-strong Beltex-x pen, again his first draw of the year, all twin lambs, the best by a Wannop’s tup bought out of Skipton two years ago.

They were tapped out by judge David Breaks, Slaidburn, whose choice was later confirmed in the sale ring when the red rosette winners sold for the day’s top call of £126 per head, bettering the £121 paid for the 2022 victors. They fell this year to a familiar face at Skipton, Tim Jackson, of Grimsargh, Preston.

The second prize pen, also 40 Beltex-x, from Michael and Elaine Dugdale, Giggleswick, made £108 each, while Knaresborough’s Stephen Robinson again caught the eye with his well-presented Suffolks, taking third prize in show, his 48-strong pen going under the hammer at £90.

Ian Brown, Marske, Richmond, sold Beltex pens at £120, £110 and £108, with local father and son, Chris and Tom Heseltine, Hesketh Farm Park, Bolton Abbey, again catching the eye with same way-bred pens at £120 and £114. Best pens of Beltex and three-quarters-bred lambs regularly made £108-£120, with medium Beltex lambs away £89-£105. The overall Beltex average was £113.12.

Texel-crossed lambs from Michael and Carol McKenzie, Arncliffe, sold to £118 breed top call, with a second pen of 40 at £112, another at £98.50. Strong first-crossed lambs regularly sold at £90-£100, those with weight doing better at £100-£112. Good framed fresh Texel-cross lambs made £82-£90, the younger lambs £70-£80, with very few selling at £60-£70 The overall Texel average was £87.83, with other section prices of note seeing JR Carr, Addingham, consign a £100.50 pen, the Laycock Sugdens a brace at £97 and £95, Rosemary Berry, Cowling, one at £95.50, another at £94.50 from Rob Smith, Foulridge.

Suffolk lambs averaged £86.94, Michael Parker, Winterburn, claiming a section top £104.50 for a pen of 40, others from the same home away at £90 and £89. Strongest Suffolks were £90-plus, among them a £91.50 pen from the Pedley family, Barbon, South Lakeland, with Robert Metcalfe, Brearton, also achieving £90.

Fresh Suffolk lambs with frame could make £80-£88, a pen at this price consigned by the Swinbank & Briggs partnership, Malham. A few pens of younger lambs sold at £71-£78, but in the main a very good enquiry was seen for nice clean Suffolk Mules.

The first North of England Mule lambs of the season forward from Mick Crawshaw, Trawden, saw his nice pen of 36 wethers sell for £77.50.

Another solid turnout of store lambs is anticipated for the second seasonal sale on Wednesday, July 26, which again features the annual show for the best pen of 50 Down-cross lambs for the Robert Morphet Memorial Trophy, supplemented by the opening sale of breeding ewes.

Other highlights up and coming this month alongside the normal weekly markets include, this coming Monday, a double-header - the fortnightly Craven Dairy Auction, which will include the ongoing Holstein dispersal from the Bolland family, Airton, and seasonal dairy-bred rearing calf show.

Next up on Thursday, July 27, is an ever-popular live field sale of working sheep dogs, then, on Saturday, July 29, something completely different – a one-off equine reduction sale on behalf of Hillside Cobs.

Looking ahead to August, a busy day is in prospect for Saturday, August 5, with the monthly livestock collective sale supplemented by the summer Agri-Trader sale of machinery, reclamation, vintage, stone and building supplies, including grassland and manure equipment.

Exactly a week later on Saturday, August 5, all eyes will be on a third annual production sale of pedigree Beef Shorthorns from the Rt Hon Gerald Turton’s well-known Upsall herd near Thirsk, with another strong catalogue entry of 50 head in prospect. Catalogues for all are or will be posted online at www.ccmauctions.com