AS Christmas fast approaches, trade was stronger at Friday's Exeter Store Market, when the top price was £1,000 for a blonde steer from Mrs J E Clark of Moretonhampstead. She was delighted to achieve a four figure sum and she also realised £980 and £920 for groups of three steers, and sold a blonde heifer for £755. A Charolais steer from Mr W Bromell, of Chagford, fetched £755, while suckled calves sold to £635 for Mr W B Luxton, of Moretonhampstead. Of the beef breeds, Messrs P R and R Hill, of Dunsford, saw their good quality South Devon calf sell for £185, and in the dairy breeds they received £90 for a British Friesian calf. The Exeter Christmas market schedules: Friday, December 12, special show and sale of dairy cattle for Axminster YFC. Friday, December 19, fortnightly sale of breeding, store and finished pigs, sows and boars, and store market. Mondays, December 22 and 29, primestock market.