THERE was a record entry of sheep forward at last week's Great Yorkshire Sheep Sale.

Although top prices for some of the breeds were down, averages held at last year's figures.

This year's top price was 45gns for a Beltex shearling ram from Fran Harrison, of Langtoft, Driffield. The pre-sale champion was a Suffolk ram from Mark Evens, of Steeton, Keighley, which sold at 220gns.

The inaugural club sale of Lleyns saw a much-increased trade, with rams from Peter and Mary Nettleton, of Driffield, going to 280gns, three shear ewes to 42gns and shearling ewes to 65gns.

Sale prices are as follows (the first amount being the top price, the second the average price):

CHAROLLAIS - rams 300gns (174gns), ram lambs 120gns (110gns), ewes 54gns (42gns);

LLEYNS - rams 280gns (160gns), aged ewes 42gns (39gns), shearling ewes 65gns (58gns);

TEXELS - rams 300gns (141gns), ewes 110gns (70gns);

BELTEX - rams 45gns;

SUFFOLK - rams 240gns (168gns), ram lambs 290gns (133gns);

ROUGE - rams 260gns (177gns);

CROSSBRED SHEARLING EWES - 79gns (65gns).