GISBURN Auction Mart's spring show and sale of ewes and lambs at foot on Saturday saw a very impressive 635 head forward, which attracted a large ringside crowd.

WE Jameson & Son, animal feed suppliers of Masham, sponsored the pre-sale show, which was very capably judged by beef and sheep farmer Robert Towers, of Farelton.

The Moore family from Triangle near Halifax were awarded the champion rosette with their pair of Beltex cross shearlings with single lambs at foot, which sold for £192 or £96 a life to SE Coar, Riley Green, Preston.

However, it was the Lampkin family of Silsden, better known internationally as world champions in the sport of motocross, that topped the sale at £262, with their Texel shearlings with twins at foot.

The much-anticipated first appearance of the season from regular York vendor Chris Craven did not disappoint, when he sold his smart Texel ewes with twins lambs at foot for £245 and Texel ewes with single lambs at foot for £170 a family or £85 a life.

Generally, the Mule ewes with lambs at foot on offer did not have youth on their side, with the majority broken mouthed. However, those with twins sold regularly in the £160 to £170 bracket, whilst the majority of twin Texel families sold in excess of £200 and Suffolk crosses just below.

The packed ringside crowd created a flurry of bids when the 33 spare lambs came under the hammer, selling to a high of £30 to average £14.70.

Demand for in-lamb sheep continued, with ewes scanned for twins selling between £120 to £140 range. Even this late on in the season, buyers for a whole range of store hoggs were present.

Topping this section at £108 was a smart pen of Texel hoggs from Cheshire, down to a bottom of £29 for some longer keep Herdwicks sent down from the Lake District.