THE annual show and sale of the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders' Association at Craven Cattle Marts' Skipton auction mart last Friday was a sparkling occasion.

The "Champagne sale" celebrated 100 years of close liaison and goodwill between auctioneers and breed society, with the link established at the former CCM-run Hellifield mart.

In recognition of the milestone show - the 113th annual event - buyers received a free bottle of Champagne when they bought three lots and subsequent multiples. Aled Rowlands, of Bala, North Wales, was the first to receive a bottle and he and three other enthusiastic Welsh buyers accounted for nine of the 30 bottles presented.

In addition, a bottle of malt whisky for the highest price went to Wensleydale Longwool breeders Tom amd Ena Kirkman, of Desford, Leicestershire, who paid 450gns for the supreme champion, a shearling ram, bred and entered by Ruth Pedley, from Hunton, near Bedale.

Her Skipton champion also won the shearling ram class at this year's Great Yorkshire Show, on its only other outing.

Reserve was a shearling ewe bred by J Watkinson, of Constable Burton and entered by Ernie Sherwin, of Nosterfield, near Bedale, who is in his final year of showing Wensleydales. The former company secretary at Wharfedale Farmers' Auction Mart at Otley is to concentrate on his auctioneering and valuing business at Thirsk mart.

Judges at the event were J Ripley and A Bainbridge, well-known for their achievements with Teeswater, Masham and Charollais sheep. Both commented very favourably on the quality of the sheep entered, and in particular on conformation improvement over the past 20 years.

"At that time", said Jack Ripley, "most Wensleydales had only one front leg - now you see legs straight set on at each corner and well apart, while their hindquarters are square and well-fleshed."

Averages: rams 138gns rams; ram lambs 90gns; shlgs ewes 118gns; ewe lambs 76gns. Further details and prices are given on the association's web site: www.wensleydale-sheep.com.