CUNDALLS held their annual first show and sale of gimmer lambs and breeding sheep, with a near 100 per cent clearance of stock.

The sale in Wombleton, on September 17, was conducted under social distancing guidelines from the Livestock Auctioneers Association.

Overall entries increased from last year, a welcome reward for all producers of breeding and store sheep.

Under the present guidelines, judging was not permitted to prevent gatherings of people, so all prizes were issued based on best price achieved in the sale ring.

The mule gimmer lambs finished the day averaging £101, £25 per head better than last year.

The coveted Peter Woodall Salver for the best pen of Mule gimmer lambs was retained by Breck House Enterprises, whose lambs sold for £168 to Ryedale farmer, John Tyson.

The Mule gimmer shearlings were in demand, with an overall average of £140 per head, some £28 better than last year.

Best price on the day for the Mule shearlings was shared by three producers all reaching £160 per head who were Brian Meadley, Skeffing; Mrs RC Dugmore, Crosscliffe and GR Harland, Pickering. This year also included Moor and Cheviot breeding sheep, previously sold at Fadmoor.

Noticeable prices included Swaledale crossed ewes to £70, from W Ainsley, Chopgate, Swaledale shearling to £105 from M Graham Goathland, Cheviot shearlings to £125 from Mr K Boddy, Hartoft, and Scott gimmer lambs to £65 from Ian Sleightholme, Langdale End.

In the store ring, the lamb trade was resilient following the stronger prices achieved for finished lambs throughout the summer and the expectations of the lamb market. The store lambs finished the day with an average of £75, some £20 better than last year.

The best price achieved for Texel x lambs was £95 for a pen of home bred lambs from Ryedale producer Martin Thompson, from Helmsley.

Best price of Suffolk x lambs was £87 for an outstanding pen from regular John Hardisty, from Westerdale.

Full prize results as follows, which is based on highest prices achieved.

Best Pen of Mule Gimmer lambs: 1st for Breck House Enterprises, Bransdale, sold for £168; 2nd for K Addams, East Moors, sold for £158 and 3rd for K Addams, East Moors, sold for £152.

Best Pen of Mule Gimmer Shearlings: Shared equally for B Meadley, Skeffling, sold for £160; RC Dugmore, Crosscliffe, sold for £160 and GR Harland, Pickering, sold for £160.

Best Pen of Store Lambs: 1st for JR Thompson, East Newton, sold for £95; 2nd for JW Hardisty, Westerdale, sold for £87 and 3rd for D Wilson, Farndale, sold for £85.

Forward on the day 3,869 breeding sheep and store lambs: Texel x shearlings to £165 – A J Teasdale, Helmsley; Suffolk x ewes to £100 – FH & JR Fairburn, Rievaulx; Texel x shearlings to £138 – J Simpson, Harwood dale; Swaledale ewes (crossed) to £70 – W Ainsley, Chopgate; Scott ewes (crossed) to £46 – JM & M Richardson; Swaledale shearlings to £115 – M Graham, Goathland; Scott gimmer lambs to £65 - I Sleightholme, Langdale End; Cheviot shearlings to £125 - K Boddy, Hartoft; Cheviot gimmer lambs to £80 - R Smith, Chopgate, Mule Ewes to £82 – FH & JA Fairburn, Rievaulx £61.39; Mule Gimmer Lambs to £168 – Breck House Enterprise Ltd – £101; Mule Gimmer Shearlings to £160 – RC Dugmore, Crosscliffe £139.53; Suffolk x gimmer lambs to £100 - DE & P Wilson, Farndale - £98.00;Texel x Gimmer Lambs to £110 - RE & BJ Potter; Suffolk x Store Lambs to £87.00 – J Hardisty, Westerdale; Texel x Store Lambs to £95 – JR Thompson & Son, East Newton; Mule Store Lambs to £71 – D Wilson, Farndale.