WHILE the absence of the usual show classes prevented Northern Ireland’s Matthew Burleigh from picking up an unprecedented fourth consecutive title at The Northern Beltex Society’s ninth annual winter sale of pedigree in-lamb females at Skipton Auction Mart he did have the satisfaction of claiming the four leading prices. (Sat, Dec 12) Making his annual foray across the Irish Sea, this year with a quintet of shearling ewes, Mr Burleigh, who runs the Matt’s pedigree flock at Shanra, near Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh, secured top call of 1,000gns with his home-bred Matt’s Endeavour, a March-born twin by the 3.500gns Hackney Download, bred by the Tippetts family in Shifnal, Shropshire. Another 5,000gns tup from the same home was responsible for Matt’s 2019 Skipton title winner.