The Ambleside Store Lamb Sale this year at Junction 36 saw the largest show of the season forward, with a better trade than originally anticipated.

The sale topped at £71.00 for a pen of Texel Lambs forward from Messrs Hodgson of High Borrans Farm, with other pens selling from the same home achieving £68 per head. A fantastic run of 623 lambs forward from the Hodgson Family of High Borrans and Rydal saw their Texel Lambs average £64.84 and Beltex Lambs sell to £64.50 to average £57.59.

The show classes put before the judge, Mr George Harryman of Hawkshead saw strong pens of hill lambs forward. The Best Pen of 20 Mule Lambs was awarded to Messrs Hodgson, whose lambs went on to sell for £65.00 per head. The Cheviot Class first prize ticket being awarded to MB & JE Meredith of High Arnside Farm and the Horned Class being won by a pen of 20 Swaledale Lambs forward from FRT Cavendish of Holker Estate.

Strong Mule Lambs met keen buyer demand, with the breed topping at £66.50 for a pen from K Gregory of Croziers Croft followed by a pen from Messrs Watson & Markendale at £65.50. Mule Lambs average £50.32.

Cheviot Lambs sold to £63.00 from JR Park of Black Syke, with others to £60.50 for a pen from S Crompton of Greenbank Farm. The majority of Cheviot Lambs forward for sale, being more suitable for long term keep, reflecting in a breed average of £45.05.

Short term keep Continental Lambs meeting the strongest trade of the day, with Texel Lambs selling to £71, to average £54.83; Beltex Lambs to £68.00, to average £56.21 and Suffolk Lambs to £67.50 to average £56.51.

Horned Lambs harder to place, with the fat market at the moment difficult to predict. Scotch Blackface achieving top price for all horned lambs forward at £49.00 from Messrs Watson & Markendale of Millom.

A very respectful average achieved of £51.34 for a complete clearance for all 3400 lambs forward for sale.