RIBBLE Valley father and son, Richard and Mark Ireland, Heys Farm, Whalley, added to past championships successes when consigning both the title winners and reserve champion pen of five Beltex-x lambs at CCM Skipton Auction Mart’s September prime lambs show and sale.

Their 42kg victors sold for £190 per head, or 452p/kg, the 39kg reserve champions at £172, 441p/kg.

In the pedigree sheep arena, top call of 440gns at the 133rd annual show and sale of Wensleydale Longwool sheep staged on behalf of Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders Association fell to the second prize shearling ram from Mark Elliott and mum, Judy, Providence flock, Ferrensby, Knaresborough. The buyer was fellow exhibitor, Nick Oliver, Carperby Pastures flock, near Leyburn, who himself headed the ram lambs prices at 220gns, to P&JE Bailey, Appleby.

Females met solid demand, two hitting joint top 340gns and both joining the same buyers A&DM Duffield, Husthwaite, York. First at this price was a shearling ewe from the Harrison Spinks Farms flock, Bolton Percy, York, the second the first prize aged ewe, a 2-shear from Laura Beaton, Hammerton flock, Hopperton, Knaresborough. Harrison Spinks also consigned the first prize shearling ewe and champion female, a 300gns purchase by Harewood Farming.

The reserve female champion was the first prize ewe lamb from the Pennell family’s Nipna flock, Richmond, run by mum Julie and her daughter Anna, WLSBA secretary, sold for 360gns to Marion Starkings, Great Yarmouth. The Pennells also stood runners-up in the same show class with a 310gns lamb, joining LR Farming, Ainsworth, Bolton.

Chief prices and averages, all but ewe lambs showing an increase on the previous year, were: Shearling Rams to 440gns, av £336 (2023 £243), Ram Lambs to 220gns, av £142 (£130), Aged Ewes to 340gns, av £227 (£135), Shearling Ewes to 340gns, av £252 (£190), ewe lambs to 310gns, av £259 (£285). Full results and trophy winners are at www.wlsba.co.uk