ADAM and Ailsha Kirkbride, Cumberland flock, Bassenthwaite, completed a supreme and reserve championship double, the title winner going on to make a sale-topping 5200gns, at the second annual ‘Northern Stars’ show and sale of Valais Blacknose sheep on behalf of the Northern Club at CCM Skipton.

The Kirkbrides claimed leading honours and top call at Sunday's sale by a country mile with their first prize shearling ewe and female champion, Cumberland Kimbo, an April, 2023, daughter of Snowdonia Goliath, bred out of the Blackertor Fandango ewe, Blackertor Firefly.

Kimbo later shone in the sale ring when falling to an online bidder from the Welsh Borders, the title winner’s selling price by far eclipsing the 3000gns top call also achieved by the Kirkbrides at last year’s inaugural fixture with their reserve female champion ewe lamb.

Show judge Jenni McAllister, of the Highland Valais Blacknose flock based on the Glenlivet Estate – she was shadowed by Scott Taylor, Thirsk – awarded the male and reserve overall championship to the Kirkbrides’ first prize ram lamb, Cumberland Lorton, a March-born son of Shoemakers Victor, out of another Fandango ewe, Blackertor Freya, which joined Spongo Bank Valais Blacknose, Crawick, Sanquhar, Dumfries & Galloway, again for a section-topping1500gns.

Leading price in the ewe lamb section and second top in sale at 3100gns was the show class runner-up from Scottish vendor, Tom Blackwood, Ayrshire flock, Stewarton, East Ayrshire. His Ayrshire Lena is by Kineff Jacobsen, out of a Gemstones Oli-sired ewe, and she joined fellow exhibitors Chris and Victoria Dixon, Fellview flock, Egremont.

The Ayrshire flock stood 1-2-3 in the ewe lamb class, the class winner and reserve female champion making 950gns, bettered at 1500gns by the third prize winner. Both fell to Miles Morgan, Chepstow.

Tom Blackwood also stood runner-up to the show champion in the shearling ewe class with Ayrshire Kimi, also tapped out as first prize winner in the young handlers’ show class in the hands of 12-year-old Charlotte Tweddle, Northallerton. This, too, fell to the Dixons at 2000gns.

Best of the ewes at 900gns was the second prize winner in the aged class, a 2-shear from Anne Garthwaite and Claire McGeorge. Horsemill flock, Middlebie, Lockerbie, joining Paul Sykes, Holmfirth.

Selling at 800gns was the fourth prize ram lamb from Tim Dunne and Susan Mullen, Westmorland flock, Bleatam, Appleby, bought by R Taylor, Falkirk. A show class for wether lambs saw Rosie Tate, Poplar flock, Burton Salmon, Leeds, stand both first and third with a brace of February, 2024, entries. Sold as a brace they made 300gns each to D Gray, Darwen.

While ram trade was extremely sporadic, females got away much better, shearling ewes averaging £1023 and ewe lambs £829.

In a standalone dispersal sale for David Dent’s Brooklyn flock, Drybeck, Appleby, top call of 875gns fell to an aged ewe, selling to T&AC Patchett, Leeming Bar. Prices of 500gns were achieved twice by shearling ewes, a trio of ewes also away at 400gns.