BENTHAM Auction’s annual multi-breed show and sale of individual breeding sheep saw a fantastic turnout of vendors and purchasers.

John and Jean Bradley, of Giggleswick, claimed victory honours in the Dalesbred and Swaledale sections, and also claimed one of the top prices of the evening at £1,500 for their champion Swaledale ewe.

It went home with Peter Lightfoot of Glenridding.

Also achieving £1,500 was the reserve champion - a Blue-Faced Leicester - from David and Robin Booth of Feizor. The gimmer hogg was bought by Messrs Ridley, of Consett.

The Dalesbred section saw a top price of £700 achieved twice. The first for the champion, a gimmer shearling carrying twins from John and Jean Bradley, which sold to Michael and John Dawson, of Littledale, and Mr Bradley then reinvested his sale money by purchasing a two-crop ewe carrying a single from Messrs Dawson.

The Teeswater section, with the largest entry seen, met strong demand, selling to an almost complete clearance and topping at £350 for a gimmer shearling.

Once again the Herdwick breeders enjoyed a buoyant trade, with the top price being achieved by Jean Wilson,, of Dockray, for her first prize gimmer shearling. In-lamb with twins to a homebred ram, she went home with Herdwick enthusiast Frank Brennand. of Chapel-le-Dale for £550.

Earlier in the day 886 commercial in lamb sheep sold to a good audience of buyers and a dispersal of Pure Texels from John and Chris Handley, of Westhouse, topped at £420 for in-lamb shearlings and £400 for in-lamb ewes.