As well as retaining the title they won at the corresponding 2013 winter fixture, Procters Farm was also crowned supreme champion at this year’s two other annual Texel highlights at Skipton - September’s Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders pedigree rams and females show and sale, and the multi-breed showcase for pedigree and pure-bred rams and females a month later.

Represented by shepherd Jeff Aitken and his wife Jennifer, Procters Farm landed their latest championship success with a shearling ewe that stood first in her show class and was among the first crop of lambs from Proctors Sundance Kid, itself a son of the 40,000gns Glenside Razzle Dazzle, out of a dam sired by the 20,000gns Douganhill Masterpiece.

The victor was sold carrying twins to the renowned Tophill Union Jack, champion at the Scottish National Sale in 2013 when purchased for 11,000gns. The successful bid of 1,400gns, top call of the day, came from 15-year-old William Watson, who continues to develop his Gillians Laithe pedigree flock in Hellifield, first established in 2010 by the Settle College pupil.

The three further highest prices also fell to in-lamb shearling ewes from Procters Farm, all expecting twins to Union Jack. The first at 950gns was for an entry sired by the 20,000gns Cairnam Talisman, which joined SJ Stables in Somerset.

The next at 850gns was sired by Breahead Touch of Class and sold to L Seymour, of Maulds Meaburn, Appleby-in-Westmorland, followed at 700gns by the third prize shearling ewe, a daughter of the 40,000gns Scholars Twenty Twelve, who found a new home in York with RJ Dickinson.

The other leading price of the day came for an aged ewe that formed part of a dispersal sale of Red Rose breeder John Wood’s North Valley flock in Trawden. The first prize winner in its show class was sired by the 16,000gns Baltier Nailor, out of the home-bred show ewe by the 88,000gns Claybury Istabraq.

After spirited bidding from several parties at the ringside, the red rosette winner, scanned in-lamb to Hazlewood Vinnie, found a new home in Horton-in-Ribblesdale with RJ Sunter, at 1,050gns. Mr Wood also sold a second ewe at 600gns.

Making a rare appearance in the show area, David Towell, who runs the Moor Top flock on Glusburn Moor, was rewarded with a first prize win in the ewe lamb show class with a March-born daughter of Arkle Underdog, out of a Moor Top Outlaw-sired dam. The red rosette winner sold away at 300gns to John and Alison North in Giggleswick.

The ever-growing popularity of the sale was clearly illustrated by the fact that there were 55 different purchasers for the 101 head of sheep forward.

Craven Cattle Marts’ livestock sales manager Ted Ogden noted: “Texel sales have generally been good this winter and the Northern Area Club sale was no exception. Averages were up on the year for both shearling ewes and aged ewes, while a clearance rate of over 90% was achieved, as a packed ringside of buyers eagerly competed to get their names on the best of the sheep on offer.”

Gimmer lambs averaged £214.85 (2013 £280), shearling gimmers £409.50 (£390) and aged ewes £547.17 (£287). Full results and prices are at www.ccmauctions.com

Judge was Paul Sykes, who runs the New Dunsley pedigree Texel flock in Holmfirth, with the show again sponsored by Skipton-based Harrison Agricultural Supplies.