STAGS of South Molton report a bigger entry of prime hoggs than the previous fortnight and yet another serious jump in trade.

Generally a strong quality, however a few pens of Exmoor Horn, Closewool and Dorset crosses were forward.

Every buyer around the ring needed more hoggs and the trade got dearer as the sale progressed. All hoggs were wanted and weight was certainly paid for.

Top of the day at £137 for 64kg Charollais crosses from Mr MJ Selley of South Molton with £132 to 62kg Texel crosses from Mr B Elston of Rose Ash.

£131.50 to 67kg Texel crosses from Mr R Richards of Heasley Mill, closely followed at £131 to 60kg Texel crosses from Messrs Irwin & Sons of Mariansleigh.

£128.50 to 55.6kg Suffolk crosses from Mr SJ Parkin of Ilfracombe with £127 to 59kg Mules again from Mr Richards. 57kg Texel crosses from Messrs RH & GA Morrish Ltd of Torrington at £126 with £125 to 57.3kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs WJ & EJ Mann of Peters Marland.

£124.80 to 56.4kg Texel crosses from Messrs Milton & Thorne of Molland with £122.80 to Messrs Mann’s second 55.7kg pen. £122 to 53.3kg Texel crosses from Messrs MG & SR Kingdon of Swimbridge closely followed at £121.50 to 53kg Texel crosses again from Messrs Morrish.

£118.80 to 57.5kg Charollais crosses from Mr AE Chudley & Son of Romansleigh with £118 to 54kg Charollais crosses from Messrs CJ & SE Ley of Burrington. £117.80 to Mr Richard’s third pen of 52.2kg Texel crosses with 53.3kg Charollais crosses from Mrs S May of Ashford at £117.50.

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Best pens to 253ppk for 45kg Pure Berrichons from Messrs MC & KD Yeo of Yarnscombe with 247ppk to 41kg Texel crosses from Mr NA Cooke of Torrington.

246ppk to Messrs Yeo’s second 39kg pen of Berrichons with 244ppk hit twice; the first to 43kg Texel crosses from Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey and the second also to 43kg Texel crosses from Mr ME Snell & Son of Knowstone.

243ppk twice; the first to 40.3kg Texel crosses from Mr MGN West of Combe Martin and the second to 41.6kg Texel crosses again from the Snell Family. 242ppk twice; the first to 43kg Texel crosses from Mr MJ Holman of Torrington and the second to 45.4kg Charollais crosses from Mr G Grigg of Westleigh.

Three further pens at 241ppk; the first to 45.5kg Texel crosses again from the Snell Family; the second to 38.8kg Texel crosses from Mr Westaway again and the third to 46.6kg Suffolk crosses from Mr B Elston of Rose Ash. Double at 240ppk; the first being 39kg Charollais crosses from Messrs D & J Baker of Yarnscombe and the second to 42.5kg Dorset crosses from Mr Westaway.

Five pens at 239ppk; the first to 42.1kg Texel crosses from Mr Elston again; the second to 41.3kg Charollais crosses from Mr Grigg again; the third 38kg Texel crosses from Mr NA Cooke of Torrington; the fourth to 44kg Charollais crosses from Mr RL Ash of North Tawton and the fifth to 44.7kg Suffolk crosses from the Snell Family.

238ppk five times; the first to 41.5kg Texel crosses from Mr RP Williams of Winsford; the second to 42kg Charollais crosses from Mr S Stentiford of South Molton; the third to 43kg Texel crosses from Mr Westaway; the fourth to 42kg Texel crosses from Messrs Irwin & Sons and fifth to 46kg Texel crosses from Mr MGN West of Combe Martin.

A disappointing number of cull sheep but again a dearer trade with a lot of medium ewes forward.

Not many big ewes on offer making the overall average £85 look all the more impressive. Best Suffolk Mules up to £110 plus and best Mules all £88-£95. More ewes wanted with buyers again needing more to fulfil orders.

Best ewes at £120 twice; the first to Suffolk Mules from Messrs CJ & SE Ley of Burrington and the second to a Charollais from Messrs D & J Baker of Yarnscombe. £119.50 followed closely for Suffolk Mules from Messrs IP & L Stagg of Barnstaple with similar bred ewes from Messrs IJ & CR Vigus of Oakford at £116.50.

Further blackfaces from Mr W Smale at £113.50 with Texels from Mr SJ Smyth of East Worlington at £110.50. £107 to Mr Smale’s second pen of Suffolks with £105.50 to Texel crosses from Messrs Irwin & Sons of Mariansleigh closely followed at £105 twice for a pen of Charollais from Messrs Vigus and Suffolk Mules from Mr MGN West of Combe Martin.

£104.50 to Texel crosses from Mr PT Slade of Braunton and £104 to further Texels from Mr RL Ash of North Tawton. £103 to Texel crosses from Messrs Ley again with £101.50 to a pair of Zwartbles from Mr Ash.

£100 to Mr Smyth’s second pen of Texels with £97.50 to Suffolk Mules from Mr Slade again. £95.50 to North Country Mules from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh with Charollais again from Messrs Vigus at £94.50. Best rams to a Charollais at £115.50 for Mr RL Ash of North Tawton, with a Suffolk from Mr WR Rogers & Son of Landkey.