Derbyshire’s Sam Driver, Sandy Lane flock, Chisworth, Glossop, clinched back-to-back supreme championships at the third annual show and sale of Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset sheep staged at CCM Skipton Auction Mart on behalf of the Northern Dorset Breeders Club, on Saturday.

As in 2023, he claimed leading honours with his first prize shearling ram and male champion, Sandy Lane Formula 1 F8173, an October, 2022, son of Downkillybegs Enhancer E13, described as “one of the most influental stock tups I have had in recent times – a tremendous female breeder.” Out a home-bred dam by Byeways Zizi Z708, the overall supreme made a sale-topping 600gns when heading to Powys, Wales, to join RM Ryder Contracting, Welshpool.

Former Northern Club chairman Mr Driver was in top gear when again picking up multiple tickets at the annual highlight, judged by Lincolnshire’s Graham Baker, shepherd for the Tickler family’s well-known Mellor flock in Grantham.

He also stood first, second and third in the shearling ewe show class, the two principals, Sandy Lane F83237 and Sandy Lane F8232, both September, 2022, daughters of Poorton Drover D366, also responsible for last year’s Skipton supreme champion. Both had been run with Hydes Goucho, acquired earlier this year at the main Dorset Society’s first-ever online sale. The three frontrunners made 260gns, 250gns and 260gns respectively, all claimed by the same Cumbrian purchaser, J Procter, Kendal.

Winning further honours for the family, this time in the hands of Mr Driver’s mother, Helen, was the runner-up in the shearling ram show class, Sandy Lane Francis F8472, a September, 2022, son of Poorton D381 Dynamite, out of a Byeways ewe daughter of Pembroke Chief C34. It sold for second top 540gns, also heading to Cumbria with C Roper, Cleator Moor.

Champion female was the first prize ewe lamb from Wharfedale’s Sheila Gray, Burley flock, Burley-in-Wharfedale, with an October, 2023, first crop daughter of Ricchill Frazer, acquired last year as a ram lamb and out of a home-bred dam by Huish Apollo A14047.

Long-standing breed stalwart Mrs Gray has been involved with Dorsets for some two decades. Now running 28 breeding ewes, her female champion, Burley G820, was the leading price lady at 460gns when going to RH&CM Lea, Braithwaite, Harrogate.

Also from Derbyshire, Northern Club chairman Alex Birch, High Rakes flock, Baslow, Bakewell, again picked up a red rosette in the aged ram show class with his September, 2020, Staverton Darwin D2762, also sire of last year’s male champion. The well-utilised stock ram made 160gns Northern Club secretary Stuart Alderson, Paddock Leach flock, Ainsworth, Bolton, also got in on the act when presenting the first prize pen of five eight-month-old ewe lambs, by the home-bred tup, Paddock Leach Flycatcher, now in his third season and himself by a Poorton sire. The quintet made 130gns each.

The first prize ram lamb, also horned champion, a fully home-bred consigned by Red Rose sisters Jess and Maria Odgers, Quarrydale flock, Roughlee, returned home.

Of the 75 head forward 58 successfully found new homes. Female averages were up on the year, shearling ewes levelling at £257.60 (2023 £227) and ewe lambs £160.75 (£154), while shearling rams averaged £420 (£470) and ram lambs £173.25 (£430). Sale sponsors were Carr’s Billington, I’Ansons Feeds and Dugdale Nutrition.

The same day’s monthly collective cattle sale attracted 164 head of stirks, weaned calves and young stores, a strong entry for the time of year, with trade still as good and buyers keen for cattle to graze and grow.

R Falshaw & Son, Gisburn, sold a pair of Charolais-x bulls to £1060, another pair of British Blue-x bulls from the same vendor trading to £1040 and Limousin-x bulls to £1020. Of the bullocks and heifers, black and white steers sold to a top of £710 from M&AB Wood, Cleckheaton.

Good framed dairy-crossed steers sold at £800-£900, with a top price of £930 for a Limousin-x from J Peel, Gisburn, who also headed the native heifer prices with a £860 Aberdeen-Angus-x, Hereford-x heifers from the same vendor selling to £840.

Native steers sold to £860 from DP Mitchell, Queensbury, for a pen of Angus-x, while W&M Bland, Kirkby Malham, sold Hereford-x steers to £850. More details can be viewed in the sales reports section at www.ccmauctions.com Next month’s sale will be held on Saturday August 31.