Entries from Louise Elworthy’s Fingle flock from Crockernwell, Exeter, led the sale of Beltex males and females at Frome Livestock Auctioneers’ Frome centre on Friday, 25 September, when a ram lamb realised 600gns and a ram lamb and shearling ewe both sold for 480gns apiece.

The small entry hit that 600gns top price for a substitute ram lamb named Fingle Fbi, which sold to FJ Doble, Yeovil. Sired by Swelle Angus, Fbi’s dam is the Teign Valley Trigger-sired Fingle Bridge.

The first at 480gns was Fingle Fletcher, a January-born ram lamb by Finniness Comic and out of the Swelle Angus daughter, Fingle Dolly Mixtures. He sold to the team at Highway Huntaways, Cucklington.

Matching that was the shearling ewe, Fingle Eugenie, which this time sold to Stuart Clatworthy for his Huntspill flock near East Huntspill. Sired by the imported ram called The Bare Boy, Eugenie is out of Fingle Amellia, a Kingledores Tempest daughter.

Shearling rams peaked at 420gns for Margaret Heard and John Garland’s Maundown Ean from their flock at Wiveliscombe, Taunton. Selling to WA Waterman, Bockhampton, Ean’s sire is Glantre Arnold while his dam is Maundown Amy, herself by Teign Valley Tornado.

Averages: One shearling ram, £441 (5 x £300 in 2019); three ram lambs, £511 (3 x £308); one aged ewe, £289; four shearling ewes, £441 (2 x 420); one ewe lamb, £210.