A young farmer has been celebrating after selling a pedigree sheep for almost £10,000.
George Cropper, 24, was rubbing his hands after he sold one of his prize winning Beltex sheep for a record breaking £9,995.
It was the highest price ever recorded for a single sheep sale at Skipton Auction Mart in its 100 year history.
The butcher from Baxenden, who also manages the farm shop Roaming Roosters in Higham said he couldn’t be happier.
He said: “I’m absolutely chuffed to bits, I more than doubled my previous price for a Beltex sheep and enjoyed sales of £21,500 over the course of the event, not bad for a day’s work.
“A lot of hard work goes into rearing these sheep and all around a busy full time job, but it goes to show that all that effort was certainly worth its while.
“The pressure’s already on for next year’s show.”
The sale took place at the Beltex Sheep Society’s 14th annual show and sale of pedigree rams, where George was crowned supreme champion for a third consecutive year.
George who has been rearing sheep since 2007, said it takes 18 months to prepare the sheep ready for sale, and when he’s not working, he tends to his small flock to make sure they are the best they can possibly be.
George said: “I come from a farming family so I guess it’s in my blood, I’ve always been interested.”
George is a member of the Beltex Youth Council where he is recognised as an up-and-coming breeder and ‘one to watch’.
The highest priced ever recorded for a Beltex at auction marts throughout the UK is £16,000 sold last year in Carlisle.
