North West Auctions held its Ambleside show and sale of store lambs on Thursday 19th October, which saw a new market record of lambs forward, with new customers in attendance, selling from throughout the northern counties and buying from throughout the UK. An overall market average of £81.50 was achieved, with all vendors leaving well suited with prices. The pre sale show was kindly judged by Mr Alan Bargh, Morecambe who made the following prize awards:

CLASS 1: 20 LOWLAND SIRED LAMBS
1st SJ Atkinson, Quarry Top

CLASS 2: 20 MULE OR MASHAM LAMBS
1st TLB&J Knowles, High Borrowbridge
2nd SJ&M Richardson & Son, High Row
3rd R Lawrence, Greave Farm

CLASS 3: 20 PURE HILL BRED LAMBS
1st E Parker, Burnhead Farm
2nd Messrs Hodgson, Rydal Farm

Todays sale peaked at £123 for a pen full of Texel x Beltex lambs from R&E Ladds, Kendal who sold another pen full at £122 with others achieving £120 from RA Gibons, Flookburgh. Pure and ¾ bred continental lambs attracting a keen buyer interest, regularly selling at £98 to £110. Medium keep cross bred lambs were nicely selling at £81 to £90, with a large number of longer term lambs regularly selling at £72 to £83, depending on quality and type. Mules sold to £103 for a ring full of Cheviot Mules from M Allen, Yealand with North County Mules selling to £99 from Messrs Caley and Mitchinson, Troutbeck. Pens of well grown stronger Mules were generally selling at £88 to £93, with mediums £83 to ££87. Pure Hill bred lambs sold to a top price of £89.50 for Cheviots from PW Clarke, Crossthwaite with a ring full at £86 from MB Meredith, Coniston. Herdwicks sold to £75 from F&JF Mason, Mansergh with Swaledales to £74 from E Parker, Mewith.

SALE STATISTICES:
Texel x to £123, averaged £87.76.
Beltex to £113, averaged £98.
Suffolks to £99, averaged £91.10.
Charollais to £96, averaged £83.21.
Mules to £103, averaged £82.25.
Herdwicks to £77, averaged £55.
Horned to £74, averaged £54.51.
Cheviots to £89.50, averaged £78.7.

The next sale of store lambs is on Thursday the 2nd November with catalogue entries required by Wednesday 25th October.