Females however were a very selective trade, with strong quality consignments being picked upon, but anything outwith this bracket found the going much harder.
The Artnagullion flock based in Northern Ireland and property of William & Libby McAllister again caused a stir at Skipton when heading up the prices with their shearling ram that topped the sale at 7,000gns. Sired by Greenall Dennis the Menace and out of a homebred Rathbone Tony ewe, it raced to the sale leading price before being successfully purchase by James Whiteford, Tercrosset, Brampton, Cumbria.
Mathew Burleigh, another regular visitor to Skipton from over the water, took home 4,000gns for his 5th prize ram lamb. By Murrays Expert out of a Hackney Corker Ewe, it made it way to Mellor in Lancashire with Messrs Monk.
5 sheep made 3,000gns or more, with Brian Hall, Ainstable, Cumbria making 3,400gns and 3,200gns of a brace of shearling rams. The first a Black Jack Casanova purchased by R&K Williams of Huntley, and the second a Kingledores Engleburt bought by J Cowan, Brickrow.
Jock McMillan of the Clary Flock in South West Scotland achieved 3100gns with his 2nd prize ram lamb, by Borderesk Leap Frog it went to Messrs Story of Longtown.
John Green of Lelliesleaf, Melrose in the Scottish Borders was at 3,000gns with a shearling ram, by Dean Brow Carlos it sold to SJ Buckley, Buxton, whilst another Borders vendor, Grant Maxwell from the Faughill flock based at Bowden near Melrose, also made 3,000gns of a Faughill Elephant in the Room son to Messrs Whiteford.
Seven other sheep for 2,000gns plus, and 48 from 1,000gns to 1,900gns.

Judge – Mr AJ Wood
Class 1 – Aged Ram
1st Messrs Green Lot 4 sold for 1000gns
2nd I Wilson & C Wood Lot 1 sold for 450gns
3rd T Goldsmith Lot 3 unsold
Class 2 – Shearling Ram
1st B Hall Lot 113 sold for 3200gns
2nd J McMillan Lot 107 sold for 1600gns
3rd E McAlister Lot 27 sold for 7000gns
4th D&K Shuttleworth Lot 146 sold for 2400gns
5th W Beckwith Lot 65 sold for 2200gns
6th G Maxwell Lot 51 sold for 3000gns
Class 3 – Ram Lamb
1st R Wood Lot 241 sold for 2000gns
2nd J McMillan Lot 253 sold for 3100gns
3rd D Owens Lot 288 sold for 1250gns
4th D Owens Lot 287 sold for 1000gns
5th M Burleigh Lot 284 sold for 4000gns
6th N&C Brown Lot 240 sold for 1000gns

Champion Male – D Wood Lot 241
Reserve Male – B Hall Lot 113

Class 5 – Shearling Ewe
1st D Owens Lot 396 sold for 1400gns
2nd D&K Shuttleworth Lot 406 sold for 1200gns
3rd D Owens Lot 398 sold for 750gns
4th Wannop Farms Lot 377 sold for 340gns
5th J Cowan Lot 320 sold for 450gns
6th N&C Brown Lot 315 unsold
Class 6 – Ewe Lambs
1st T&J Belfield Lot 434 unsold
2nd T&J Belfield Lot 345 sold for 1050gns
3rd W Beckwith Lot 423 unsold

Champion Female – D Owens Lot 396
Reserve Female – D&K Shuttleworth Lot 406

Overall Champion – D Owens Lot 396
Overall Reserve – R Wood Lot 241


Averages & Prices –

Aged Ram – Av £665 (2020 £577)
1000gns R&S Green; 450gns I Wilson & C Wood;
Shearling Ram – Av £932 (2020 £874)
7000gns B McAlister; 3400gns 3200gns B Hall; 3000gns G Maxwell; 3000gns R&S Green; 2400gns KCB Shuttleworth; 2400gns Wannops Farm;
Ram Lamb – Av £861 (2020 £988)
4000gns M Burleigh; 3100gns 1000gns JL McMillan; 2000gns RT Wood; 1250gns 1000gns DE Owen; 1000gns NL&CJ Brown;

Aged Ewe – Av £246
250gns 220gns SH Stott;
Shearling Gimmers – Av £459 (2020 £664)
1400gns 750gns DE Owen; 1200gns 600gns KCB Shuttleworth; 700gns NL&CJ Brown; 700gns 600gns B McAlister;
Gimmer Lambs – Av £464 (2020 £403)
1050gns T&J Belfield; 700gns M Crowe; 160gns M Crowe;