THE North Craven Smearsett flock of WA and A Booth was again in championship-winning form when responsible for the victorious pen of ten at the second annual ewe lamb show and sale for members of the North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA) at Skipton Auction Mart.

The Booths, of Old Hall Farm, Feizor, who two weeks earlier at the high profile NEMSA seasonal opener had scored a remarkable championship double when presenting both title-winning pens of ten and 20 Mule gimmer lambs for the second year in succession, scored yet again with their latest ten-strong offering.

They sold for the day’s top call £192 per head to Thomas Binns, of Downham, who was one of the co-judges in the show classes for pens of 20s and also proved active at the ringside.

Seven sheep in the champion pen were by home-bred Smearsett Blue Faced Leicester ram lambs, two of which will be offered for sale at Skipton’s annual multi-breed show and sale of breeding rams tomorrow.

NEMSA Skipton branch chairman Kevin Wilson, of Hewness House Farm, Blubberhouses, exhibited the second prize pen of tens, among them lambs by both Booth and Swaledale-based Busby sires. They sold for £152 each to tens’ co-judge Andrew Geary, who had travelled up from Hanslope, near Milton Keyes

The champion pen of 20s was shown by Ellis Bros, of Addingham Moorside, a family operation involving brothers Dick and Sam Ellis and their children Robert, Daniel and Becky. All home-bred by several tups, the victors made £178 per head, top price in class, when again acquired by Mr Binns.

Ellis Bros were also responsible for the third prize and second top price pen of tens, which became another Binns acquisition at £182 each, while the second prize pen of 20s from Malham Moor’s Alan Lodge also attracted keen ringside interest, before falling for £160 per head to Geoff and Margaret Booth in Lotherdale.

An increased entry of 8,201 Mule lambs met with solid trade, selling at an overall average of £92.11 per head, up £3.44 on last year’s corresponding fixture.

CCM Auctions again presented cash prizes for the day’s leading flock averages. Of those consigning 100 or more lambs, the Booth family again led the way with their 110-strong entry averaging £114.40 per head, while Alan Lodge led the flock averages for under 100 lambs , with his consignment of 60 averaging £128 each.

Full show results, leading prices and flock averages are at ccmauctions.com

The third seasonal sale of North of England gimmer lambs takes place on Tuesday and features standalone shows for Mule, Dales Mule, Swaledale and Masham lambs, the last on behalf of Masham Sheep Breeders Association.