THE annual festive show for cast ewes at Skipton mart was won by Easingwold husband and wife, Ken and Hazel Gamble, for an unprecedented fourth year in succession.

The couple from Brickyard Farm sold their title-winning pen of five pure Texels for the top price of £115.50 per head to Yorkshire Halal Meats for its supermarket in Keighley. They also bought the 2015 champions from the Gambles, who sold a second pen this year at £99.50.

Getting on for 5,000 prime sheep were also penned for sale, among them 4,478 prime lambs which averaged £76.68 per head, or 174.35p/kg, overall. Cull ewes averaged £46.34 and cast rams £55.83.

ends