THE high-flying Procters Farm pedigree Texel flock took the three leading prices at Skipton Auction Mart’s first pedigree fixture of 2021, the 28th annual open winter sale of Texel females for members of Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders.

With planned show classes cancelled, Jeff Aiken, flock manager at Procters Farm, based at Moss House Farm, Wennington, close to the Lancashire-Yorkshire border, hit the headlines when stepping up with a high price in-lamb shearling ewe hat-trick, leading the way at 3,200gns with a March, 2019, daughter of the highly acclaimed Garngour Alabama son, Sportsmans Batman, a notable 100,000gns purchase last year.

It found a new home in Shropshire with Ben Lowe.

Had the show classes not been postponed. Cumbria’s Peter Woof, who runs the Stainton flock at Storth End Farm near Kendal, would have been going for his fifth consecutive title win at the seasonal breed highlight.

As it was, his 2021 consignment saw another good following, peaking at 700gns for a Gyrhos Andy shearling, out of a Sportsmans Tremendous 11 dam and carrying a single lamb to Craig Douglas Dancer, himself a son of Sportsmans Cannon Ball. Stainton had others at 650gns and 600gns.