With five Texels exceeding the听15,000gns mark and a new record听breed shearling average of 拢1,669, the听top draw of the day came from Rob and听Amanda Howells, Bridgend, with Montana Intelligent. Sired by Whitehart听Gigantic, it stood fifth in the pre-sale听show and sold to Messrs Ellis, Cressage听and Scholars flocks, Shropshire.听
The second highest price of听18,000gns was for Stonegrove Ironside from Richard and Anna Dorrell,听Worcester. The third-prize winner by听Loosebeare Guardian went to Esmor听Evans, Mold.听
Andrew Reed, Haverfordwest,听was awarded the reserve champion听large pen across the whole sale in the听inaugural pen competition. His听Scolton pen topped at 17,000gns for听Scolton Illustrious, a son of 24,000gns听Caereinion Goliath, which sold to听Llion Jones, Pant. The Reed family reinvested on 16,000gns for Cressage Icon from Messrs Ellis.听
The Williams family, Lampeter,听saw 15,000gns for Caron I Am Classic,听a Peacehay Gangnam Style son which听was bought by A. Davies, Erwood. The听Williams family were awarded the reserve champion small pen across in听the new pen competition.
The reserve pre-sale champion, Millend Imperial King, sold for 10,000gns. From Messrs Watkins,听Hereford, and by the 10,000gns听Harehead Governor, it sold to听Alistair Smith, Dunblane, and Matthew Seed, Turriff.听
Next best, at 8,200gns, was Blaencar Icarus from the Morgan family, Brecon. A son of Caereinion Goliath, it sold to W.G. Davies, Hirwaun.
First through the ring and setting听the pace for the day at 8,000gns was a听shearling ram from PaulTippetts and听Christine Williams, Shifnal, which sold听to the Davies family, Rhayader.听
Making 7,800gns for Phil and听Helen Weaver, Nottinghamshire, was听Empire Im Sparta, which went home听with C. Cornthwaite, Clitheroe.听
The pre-sale show champion from听Owen and Rachel Watkins, Hay-on-Wye, was Caenantmelyn Irresistible, which sold for 7,500gns. Sired by听Whitehart First Class, it went to听Messrs Joseph, Brecon.听
Tup lamb trade hit a high of听2,700gns for Rhys Jones, Welshpool,听for Llyn Y Bugail Jack Daniels. The听third-prize lamb is sired by 11,000gns听Plasucha All Star and sold to J. and H.听Thomas, Anglesey.听
In the Bluefaced Leicester ring,听the trade followed the pre-sale show听when the traditional champion听was knocked down for 11,000gns.听The shearling from A. Jones' Craig听Yr Orsedd flock, Conwy, went to听R.A. McCymont, Kirkstead.听
Messrs Harries, Llandeilo, sold a听three-year-old Woodcroft-bred traditional tup for 6,000gns to M.A.听Quinn, Fife. Another traditional tup听from Messrs Griffiths, Tyhir, Carmarthen, was in the money at听3,800gns, selling to S.A. Thomason,听Barrow-in-Furness.听
The Charollais met a consistent听commercial trade, but the star came听from Huw Layton, Hereford, with听Foxholes Darkhorse, setting a new听breed sale record of 8,000gns. The听Loanhead Washington son went to听the Ingram family's Logie Durno听flock, Aberdeen.听
Sam Furness, Derbyshire, purchased a shearling by Pembroke听Benchmark for 5,000gns from the听Bachymbyd flock of T.H. Roberts,听Denbigh.听The Jones family, Haverfordwest,听turned out more than 150 tups to the听sale and topped at 4,000gns for a听Robblestone Be Rich son, which went听to Probert family, Worcester.
The unregistered Texel ring met听8,000gns for A. Davies, Erwood,听which sold over the phone to J. Jones,听Talgarth. Another two from this pen听sold for 3,500gns and 3,000gns.听
The Suffolk trade peaked at听3,800gns for a shearling from John听Elliot, Kelso, which sold to Mark听Lloyd, Hereford. While tup lambs saw听a 100% clearance with D. Jones, Frongoy, Aberystwyth, topping the trade at听2,050gns, selling to G. Owens, Brecon.听
Cheviots saw a strong trade, with听both types topping at 2,000gns. The听North Country Park-type came from听P. Jones, Usk, purchased by the judge,听Roderick Runciman, Galashiels. The听South Country Cheviots also peaked at听the same money for the champion听from W. Flemming, Hawick, which听sold to G. Orrells, Abermule.听
AVERAGES
Shearlings - 306 Bluefaced Leicester,听Traditional type, 拢1,306.98; 11 Bluefaced听Leicester, Crossing type, 拢1,021.36; 43听Lleyn, 拢706.67; 5 Blue Texel, 拢1,260; 18听Berrichon, 拢822.50; 8 Hampshire, 拢711.93;听14 Chamiose, 拢596.25; 196 Charollais,听拢1,117; 123 South Country Cheviot,听拢798.09; 9 Scotch Blackface, 拢497; 3听South Wales Mountain, 拢420; 79 North听Country Cheviot Park, 拢749.35; 4 North听Country Cheviot Hill, 拢341.25; 274 non-MV听Suffolk, 拢1,401.02; 21 Bluefaced Leicester听cross, 拢953; 121 continental cross,听拢971.99; 171 non-MV Texel, 拢1,213.61;听522 MV Texel, 拢1,637.54.
Lambs - 43听Bluefaced Leicester, Traditional, 拢1,019.23;听3 Bluefaced Leicester, Crossing type,听拢815.50; 4 Blue Texel, 拢315; 2 Berrichon,听拢840; 66 MV Charollais, 拢662.69; 117 MV听Suffolk, 拢778.88; 166 Texel, 拢1,862.77.听
Auctioneers: Clee, Tomkinson and听Francis; Hexham and Northern Marts;听Jones Peckover; McCartneys; Ruthin听Farmers Auction Co; J. Straker Chadwick听and Sons; and Michael Walton.
