SOUTH Craven's David Towell marked his return to the Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders Association show arena after a seven-year break with an eye-catching double - supreme championship and top price coup at the 34th annual two-day show and sale of pedigree rams and females at Skipton Auction Mart.

While Mr Towell, who runs the Moor Top pedigree flock at Upper Leys Farm, Glusburn Moor, is a regular vendor at Skipton’s Texel showcase, he had bypassed the show classes of late – until this year, when he won back a high-profile title he last clinched back in 2002.

He tasted victory with his first prize shearling ram and male champion, Moor Top Vagas, which sold for 2,000gns to RN Kirby and Son, of Northallerton.

The headline performer on price was the March, 2014-born Moor Top Vodka, who topped the sale at 4,000gns, falling to show judge George Wilkinson, from Aspatria.

Mr Towell also scooped second top price in show of 3,000gns with Moor Top VIP, who found a new home with John Kelsey, of Cold Cotes, Clapham. Mr Towell’s top-notch shearling ram pen sold to an overall average of £1,910 per head.

Mr Wilkinson remained in the shearling ram class for his reserve supreme champion, the second prize winner and reserve male champion from former Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders chairman Steve Richardson, of Great Houghton.

His February, 2014-born Stonebridge Viking sold locally to Simon Bennett, of Delph Farm, Silsden Moor, for 1,200gns.

The Richardsons were also responsible for the first prize winner in a new Signet show class for recorded shearling rams, with their Lincoln Show supreme champion, Stonebridge Victor. It sold for 2,000gns to Wetherby’s Bob Newby.

The Richardsons, who also sold further shearling rams at 1,800gns and 1,600gns, then turned their attention to the sale ring, paying 1,000gns for the female champion from James Robinson, of Carnforth.

However, Mr Robinson did even better in the ram lamb section when his show class sixth prize winner secured section top price of 2,100gns when joining William Watson in Hellifield.

The shearling ram section saw unprecedented demand, with a year-on-year average up by £25.61 to £712.31. Another leading performer in this class at 2,000gns was from Procters Farm in Slaidburn. The buyers were A and GE Redhead, of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Procters Farm also sold their third prize recorded shearling ram for 1,400gns, along with the fourth prize ram lamb for 1,050gns.

Reserve female champion was the second prize shearling ewe from the Hull House pedigree flock of Hellifield's John and Linda Mellin. It sold for 800gns to Richard Priestley, of Kirkcambeck.

However, top price in the shearling ewe class of 1,200gns, also the highest priced female, fell to another former Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders chairman, Spiros Spyrou, from Hebden Bridge.

Philip Makin, of Chop Gate, Bilsdale, was the red rosette winner in the ewe lamb show class, with his January-born victor selling to James Ashton, of Cross Roads, Keighley, for top price in class of 460gns.

Mr Makin was also responsible for the second highest price ram lamb, which joined Alex Bissett in Hexham at 1,950gns.

Good ram lambs were equally sought after. The first prize ram lamb came from John and Alison North, who run the Loxley flock in Giggleswick. The February-born class victor made 650gns when joining George Wearmouth in Glusburn.

David Nesbitt, of Winston, near Darlington, clinched first prize in a new recorded ram lamb show class. The youngster went under the hammer for 600gns when joining MJ and K Ayrton, of Galgate.

His flock was also responsible for the third prize shearling ram, which sold at 1,150gns to R Mortimer in Whitby.

Back with the ram lambs, Peter Woof’s Stainton flock in Cumbria was responsible for the second prize winner, which became another four-figure performer at 1,000gns.

Selling averages were: shearling rams £712.31 (2014 £686.70), ram lambs £423.81 (£444.94), Shearling Ewes £358.93 (£370.61) and ewe lambs £257.56 (£224.70).