IT was ‘Ladies Day’ at Skipton Auction Mart, when ewe lambs from the region’s leading sheep farmers were on parade for their annual fixture, which attracted a large entry of 5,648.

There were four breed shows – the third seasonal turnout for North of England Mule gimmer lambs, along with others for Masham, Dales Mule and Swaledale gimmers.

Kevin Huck, of Knowle Bank Farm, Bordley, emulated his success of the previous year, presenting the first prize pen of ten Swaledale ewe lambs.

Retaining the Craven Cattle Marts Trophy, they sold for £180 per head, the day’s top price, to judge Dick Burley.

There was total clearance of the 961 Swaledales on offer, producing an overall selling average of £77.31, up £10.89 on the year.

The Masham show class, sponsored by Masham Sheep Breeders’ Association, fell for an unprecedented eighth year to the Verity family from Middlesmoor .

They were again presented with the Kemp Spokes Trophy, before seeing their ten charges knocked down for £120, top price in class, to Keith Liddle, of JB Liddle & Partners in Stainburn.

The Veritys were also responsible for the third prize Masham pen, sold for £90 per head, along with the third prize pen of Dales Mules, which made £96 each.

However, it was long established Dales Mule breeders Richard and Matthew Close, of Calfhalls Farm, Starbotton, who secured victory in this show class and received the Josephine Bartlett Memorial Trophy.

The class victors sold for £90 each to Robert Wallbank, of Embsay, with top price in class of £109 per head falling to a pen from Kevin Wilson, of Blubberhouses.

The first prize pen of North of England Mule gimmer lambs was shown by Robert Crisp, of Nelson House, Calton, and they sold at £128 each, again top price in class, to Robert Johnson, of Haverah Park.

Trade for North of England lambs was brisk with the 2,436 NEMSA lambs averaging £84.23 per head and non-NEMSA lambs, 1,730 in total, averaging £82.50 each.

Cray’s Chris Akrigg had the second prize Swaledale gimmer pen, sold for £128 per head, with John Tennant, of Bordley, showing the third prize pen, knocked down at £118. The second prize Masham pen from A&SL Throup, of Silsden, also made £118, with the second prize Dales Mule pen from Joe and Trevor Stoney in Bewerley, selling at £94.

The Fawcett family, from Drebley, stepped up with the second prize North of England Mule pen, with Embsay’s John and Claire Mason responsible for the third prize pen. They sold at £111 and £100 per head respectively.

The 323 Dales Mules on offer averaged £83.61 (down £8.24 on 2014) and 198 Masham gimmer lambs £81.60 ( down £3.37).