SWALEDALE females had their annual show and sale day at Skipton Auction Mart, with the entry of 3,579 head selling at an overall average price of £121.44 per head, £29.47 up on last year’s corresponding fixture.

Shearlings themselves averaged £146.88 per head, up £38.16 on 2013, while the overall average for ewes was £109.13, an increase of £23.52 per head on last year.

Craven Cattle Mart’s livestock sales manager Ted Ogden said: “The quality of sheep at this sale continues to get better every year and they are a true credit to the producers of this area.”

The top price of the sale came from Stuart and Debbie Robinson, of Foredale Farm, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, who sold a pen of gimmer shearlings at £250.

They were also responsible for the champion pen of ten ewes, which sold for £210 each to James Caton in Settle.

The second prize pen from John and Jean Bradley, of Giggleswick, made £235 per head when falling to Derbyshire buyers R and A White and Son in Bamford, with the third prize pen from TW Cowperthwaite on Malham Moor achieving £180 each.

Chris Akrigg and family, of Manor Farm, Cray, champions in 2013, returned with their annual consignment of gimmer shearlings and saw them top at £235 each, with an overall average of £170. Among them was the third prize pen, sold for £180 each.

Alan Alderson, of Barras, achieved the same average for his consignment of gimmer shearlings, which peaked at £230 for his second prize pen.

The first prize and reserve champion pen of ten gimmer shearlings from Jim Walker and his son-in-law Richard Alpe, who run Saddle End Farms in Chipping, made £180 per head on joining John Alpe in Whitewell.

Prices and averages were: Swaledale ewes, two shear to £160 (av £127.43), three shear to £190 (£117.04), four shear to £235 (£110.92), correct to £128 (£96.06).