On a bitterly cold January's day it was fitting that there was a red hot trade at the Hawes Bluefaced Leicester in lamb sale. Averages jumped overall by well over £200 for more sheep sold to level out at £693 for 39 sheep forward. The biggest gain was in the gimmer shearling section with averages up by about £350.

Topping the days trade was a gimmer lamb from M/s Lord, Hewgill with a cracking gimmer lamb by K1 Lunesdale and out of a ewe by V45 Hewgill. The judge, Phillip Sutcliffe pushed the bidding all the way but couldn't match the resolve of Scottish breeder Robert Wallace from the Macherquhat flock, Ayrshire who landed his target for £3000. The Lords completed a great one - two as they took the reserve ticket too, with a gimmer lamb by the prolific V45 Hewgill. This lamb is the full sister to Z14 Hewgill that the Lords are using within their own flock, and proved irrisitible for George Shields who took it back home to tarn House, Ravenstonedale for £2200.

Robert Wallace, who is building up his flock, was back in the thick of things only a couple of lots later purchasing from the Kirkby Redgate flock of W M Hutchinson & Son, forking out £2800 for a gimmer lamb by the Y25 Hewgill out of a W1 Keer ewe, the same breeding as the Redgate male champion and £8000 tup lambs from last backend's sales.

John and Claire Mason, Oddacres, enjoyed a succesful day selling their 4th prize Z7 Smearsett sired gimmer lamb in an £1800 deal to R & P E Hargreaves & Sons.

Top price in the in lamb section went to W A & A Booth from the Smearsett flock when they sold a gimmer shearling byV37 Lunesdale and carrying twins to the top pricced lamb from last years sale, the £11,500 A1 Hundith. The buyers were M/s Willoughby, Woodend Farm, Redmire.

SHOW RESULTS :
Ewes and Gimmer Shearlings: 1-J Caton £450 to J Millman, 2-A Caton £600 to D & H M Watson, 3-A J Mason £450 to D & H M Watson

Gimmer Hoggs 1st and Overall Champion - M/s Lord £3000 to R Wallace, 2-and Res. Champion M/s Lord £2,200 to G & H R Shields, 3-J J & E Lawson N/s

Forward 39 Sheep Overall average £693. Gimmer Hoggs to £3000 Av £966. Gimmer Shearlings to £1700 Av £775. Ewes to £850 Av £521.

Leading Prices: Gimmer Hoggs M/s Lord £3000, £2,200. W M Hutchinson & Sons £2,800 A J Mason, £1800. W A & A Booth, £420 J J & E Lawson, £400. D & H M Watson, £300.

Gimmer Shearlings W A & A Booth, £1700. C Wood, £500, £450. A J Mason, £450.

Ewes M/s Lord, £850. C Wood £720, £620, £350. J C & N Throup , £580, £520, £320, £250. J Caton, £450.

4th prize gimmer lamb from A & J Mason, Oddacres made £1800