Stags of South Molton report a bigger than expected entry of prime lambs and a better than expected trade.

A very varied quality entry forward and the best trade for the heavy lambs. All lambs with weight met a strong demand with over 35 pens selling in excess of £105 to a top of £125.50.

As farmers have pitched hard in the lead up to the festival there is an obvious lack of well fleshed lighter lambs nationally. The stronger sappy lambs also met a strong demand especially those 44kg plus sorts. The lighter and leaner lambs again harder to sell but there were a few new faces looking for the feeding lambs.

Top was £125.50 to a super single 57kg Suffolk cross lamb from Messrs AD & SM Bray of Knowstone who had a 55kg Texel cross following at £124. £122.50 to 60kg indoor Suffolk crosses from Messrs Parsonage Farms of Chulmleigh with £120 to 59kg Texel crosses from Mr AJ Bassett of Iddesleigh. £119 twice; the first to 55kg Charollais crosses from Messrs B & T Baker of Alverdiscott and the second to 55.5kg Texel crosses again from Messrs Bray. £118 to 59kg indoor lambs from Mr DJ Govier & Partners of Chulmleigh with £117.50 four times; the first to 52.5kg Pure Texels from Mrs PA Stentiford of Whiddon; the second to 54kg Texel crosses from Mr MJ Avery of Yarnscombe; the third and fourth pens to 50-51kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of also of Yarnscombe. £116.50 twice; the first to 52.8kg Charollais crosses from Messrs KW, MJ & JP Moore of Newton Tracey and the second to 51kg Texel crosses from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton. £116 to 51kg Charollais crosses from Mr WI Thorne & Son of Ashreigney with £115 to 49.6kg Texel crosses from Messrs DL & JM Bray & Son of Knowstone.

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Best pens to 236ppk to 48kg Charollais crosses from Mr NJ Sharland of Braunton with 232ppk twice; the first to 47.4kg Charollais crosses from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton and the second to 49.6kg Texel crosses from Messrs DL & JM Bray & Son of Knowstone. 231ppk twice also; the first to 50.8kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of Yarnscombe and the second to 49.4kg Suffolk crosses again from Messrs Bray. A double at 230ppk; the first to 42.3kg Texel crosses from Mr D Easterbrook & Partners of Yarnscombe and the second to 42kg Texels from Mr Irwin again. A hat trick at 229ppk; the first to 47.3kg Charollais crosses from Messrs FG & LA Nott of Meshaw; the second to 50.1kg Charollais crosses from Mr NJ Sharland of Braunton and the third to 51.2kg Charollais crosses again from the Woollacott Family. 228ppk twice; the first to 50kg Charollais crosses from Mrs PA Stentiford of Whiddon and the second to 51kg Texel crosses again from Mr Irwin. 227ppk three times; the first to 51kg Charollais crosses from Mr WI Thorne & Son of Ashreigney; the second to 48kg Charollais crosses from Mr JWJ Milton of West Anstey and the third to 44kg Texel crosses from Mr FC Reed of North Molton. 226ppk twice; the first to 50kg indoor Suffolk crosses from Messrs Parsonage Farms of Chulmleigh and the second to 44kg Suffolk crosses from Mr JC Isaac of Rackenford.

A slightly larger entry of cull sheep than last week with a lot of medium ewes forward. Trade held up throughout and only back £5 per head on the better, biggers ewes; with the leaner and grazing sorts very similar to last week. Best trade for the strong, not over fleshed ewes as well as the best shapely continental ewes. Best Suffolk Mules £86- near £90 and best Mules £75-£80. Top of the day at £97 to a Charollais ram from Mrs FE Tucker of Twitchen with a Chartex from Messrs B & T Baker of Alverdiscott at £93.50. Best ewes to £89.50 to Suffolk Mules from Mr FC Reed of South Molton closely followed at £89 twice; the first to Texel crosses from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham and the second to Suffolk Mules from Messrs JC & ME Barnes & Son of North Buckland. £88.50 three times and all to Suffolk Mule pens from; Messrs Bulworthy Partnership of Rackenford; Messrs C & DR Nicholas of Beara Charter and Messrs AJ & TLJ Hawkins of Simonsbath. £88 twice; the first to Texels from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland and the second to Suffolks from Mr RH Dymond & Son of Croyde. £87.50 to Texels again from Mr Reed with similar ewes from Messrs Nicholas at £86. £85.50 twice; the first to Texel crosses from Mr EF Thorne of Tawstock and the second to Messrs Barnes. Five pens at £85; the first and second pens to Suffolk Mules from Messrs Barnes again; the third to Texel crosses from Bulworthy Partnership again; the fourth to Suffolk Mules from Mr R Richards of Heasley Mill and the fifth to Texel crosses again from the Bolt Family.