Cracker of a sale: Champion and reserve lambs IT was a Christmas cracker of an annual Christmas show and sale of Butchers Lambs and Prime Cattle at Hopes Auction Mart at Wigton. A change of day to Sunday proved a success with an outstanding show of the best livestock throughout the pens. In the prime lambs ring, judge Philip Parkin of Parkin Family Butchers, Howden placed his Champions, a pair of 35.5kg Beltex Lambs from R Hall & Son, Inglewood Edge, which sold for £195 (549pkg) to Messrs G Cropper, Baxenden. Reserve champion went to young Cumbrian handlers April and Holly Skelton with their pair of expertly presented trimmed lambs weighing 43kg, which made £170 selling to Messrs G Cropper, Baxenden.