Once again buyers at Carlisle were being very selective about where they were spending their money. Some of the best crossing lines were in keen demand, as once again those with the best mule lambs were the ones drawing the cash.

There was a two way split between the joint prices on the day, both making 3600 gns were W M Hutchinson & Sons, Redgate with Kirkby Redgate Z12, and M/s Scott, Thirlwall Castle with Thirlwall Z8.

The first to make the price was the big Kirkby Redgate lamb, brought out by Richard Hutchinson, was the same way bred as their champion at last years Hawes sale, by the £10,000 W1 Keer and out of a ewe by the noted P1 Kirkby Redgate, which has influenced the Redgate flock over the last few years. Forking out the readies were M/s Vickers, Thornley Hall, Tow Law.

M/s Scotts 3600 gn lamb was eagerly anticipated into the ring and it didn't disappoint. It will probably be the last time the Scotts sell any lambs, as due to changes in farming policy they are selling their ewes off in January, at Carlisle. The lamb was sired by the same home bred ram which sired their £100 top pen lambs, X10 Thirlwall, and out of a Hewgill sired ewe. The final bidders were E Fairburn & Son, Marriforth.

Following on from last years success at the sale M/s James, Mid Todhills did well, with two bids for over 2000 gns, with their top lamb fetching 2800gns. This lamb, Z1 Todhills, was the same way bred as last years toppers, full of home breeding, by the V10 Todhills, which is a blend of Rawsthorne and Hewgill bloodlines, and out of a ewe by the N21 Todhills. Purchasing this lamb was M/s Stenton of the St Ravenscar flock, Pickering. The James second lamb, by the £2800 Hawshaw W4 and out of a ewe by the V10 Todhills was bought by noted breeders, M/s Lawson, Stubsgill.

One of the most exciting pens of lambs this year was from Neil and Rachel Marston, Highberries, who sold 7 lambs to average out at £1214. They had had a great day prior to the sale, selling their top pen of mule lambs for a centre record of £180 a head, where 8 of the top 10 and 10 of the second pen of 12 were by the X1 Snab Green. There was much demand therefore of Highberries ram lambs by the same sire. The first lamb, Z1 Highberries out of a ewe by the T12 keer was knocked down to J Lee, Morley Hill for 2200 gns, the third lamb into the ring made 2000 gns, by the Snab again and out of a ewe by a homebred tup, T4 Highberries sold for 2000 gns, to M/s Dawson, Kentmere Hall, Kendal.

The champion and reserve of the day went to the same flock, as Tristan Davidson, Davy Shield scooped the champion ticket with a gimmer lamb by the Y1 Walton, which later sold for 400 gns. Tristan also took the reserve ticket with the gimmer lambs sire.