FATHER and daughter Godfrey and Alison Haygarth, of Aigden Farm, Wigglesworth, emerged victorious at the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders’ Association’s annual show and sale of shearling and aged rams at Skipton Auction Mart on Tuesday.

Their first prize home-bred shearling ram triumphed at the society’s final major show of the season, finding favour with judges Andrew Wright, who is mart foreman, and Henry Fawcett, aged 15, from Sedbergh, who was making his debut as a judge.

The Haygarths received the Royston Baxter Trophy, presented in person by the former Skipton Auction Mart foreman, who lives locally in Steeton, before seeing their victor fall for the sale-topping price of 700gns, an exceptionally high price at this show.

The purchaser was Richard Brown from Leyburn.

The Haygarths also sold another shearling ram to David Lambert, of Leyburn, for 500gns.

Other top prices came from JH and JA Graham & Sons, of Lofthouse, who made 440gns on a non-prize-winning shearling, bought by JB and LJ Shirt, of Edale, while JM Wilson and Sons, who sold a shearling tup for 400gns to GN Clark, from Leyburn.

Josh Ryder, of Harrogate, stepped up with the reserve champion, the second prize shearling ram, which was sold for 300gns to R Jackson and Son, of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, who in turn sold a shearling tup for 350gns.

John Bradley, of Giggleswick, finished third in the shearling ram class, while DR Faraday, of Tatterhorn Farm, Ingleton, was awarded first prize in the aged rams class, with Robert Swainson, of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, in second place and William Mashiter, of Roeburndale, Lancaster, in third place.

Shearling rams averaged £173.05 and aged rams topped at 120gns, averaging £81.90. There was 100 per cent clearance for the 31 rams in total.