Recently in Southdowns Category

The sheep championships happen tomorrow at Smithfield, but some of the individual sheep classes have been going on at the same time as the beef today.

 

In the trimmed sheep section, for pairs of lambs born in 2011, the Beltex class was won by R J Slade with his homebred Beltex x Dutchel Texels. In second was Andrew Morton's pure bred Beltex and third another pure bred, this time from Mr A D Bishop.

 

The Blackface class, had two entries forward - both pure bred and from G and A McFadzean.

 

The Charollais section was won by M J and J A Pinny with their Charollais x. In second was J and C Maxwell and their pure bred pair.

 

The Hampshire Downs saw Jonathan Long taking the top spot with his Hampshire Down x Beltex cross and Messrs E J and P J Cresswell taking second with a pure bred pair.

 

In the Southdowns class, Messrs Harmer and Wakeham-Dawson had success with their pure bred. In second it was R O Cox, again with a pure bred. The third spot was taken by Jonathan Long with a homebred Southdown x Beltex cross.

 

Messrs Malcolm M Stewart came first in the Suffolks class with their Suffolk x Beltex and in second it was M J and J A Pinny with their Suffolk x. Third was W A and A J Windsor with a pair of Suffolk x Texel.

 

In the Texels class, Mr A D Bishop went away with the top spot with his pure bred pair. In second was D S and L E Wadland with their Texel x Texel cross and third, R J Slade with a homebred pure bred pair.

 

Eifion Hughes came first in the any other native breed longwool with his Border Leicester x Welsh Mountains. In second and third was two pure bred Romney entries from Horne and Son.

 

Any other native breed shortwool had David and Susan Eglin in first with their pure bred Polled Dorsets.

 

The any other native hill breed class had John R Taylor in first with his North bred North Country Cheviots. In second was another from Eifion Hughes, this time a pair of pure bred Cheviots. In third was a pair of pure bred Exmoor Horns from Richmond J Harding.

 

D S and L E Wadland won the any other continental breed class with their Blue Texel x Texel cross and R J Slade cam second with their pure Blue Texel. In third was Ivanhoe Livestock's Blue Texels.

A strong crowd, bolstered by Welsh buyers seeking high indexed rams, greeted Saturday's Southdown sale at Worcester, with a top price of 510gns paid for a shearling ram from Michael and Gail Sprake's All Saints flock.

This was All Saints 10/0029, a ram in the top 1% of the breed for growth which sold to Welsh breeder O T Jones, Llangefni, Anglesey. He is by East Dean 05/0320.

Another shearling ram from the same flock, All Saints 10/0026, an All Saints Dudley son with figures in the top 25% of the breed for muscle depth sold at 480gns to T R Davies, Cwmderwen, Clwyd.  

Then at 460gns was a shearling tup from Simon and Jayne Hutley with figures in the top 10% for growth and by All Saints Patrick. He sold to L P Griffiths, Crewe. And another from the same home went at 440gns, with this one being another All Saints Patrick son and this time with figures in the top 25% for growth. He was knocked down to O W J Singleton and Sons, Brecon.

Topping the ram lambs was Brompton 11/00006 from Antony Glaves. This is by Chaileybrook 07/00019 and sold at 360gns to Jim and Patsi Cresswell, Suffolk.

Selling at 270gns was  a tup lamb from the Sprakes, All Saints 11.00069, an All Saints Dudley son with figures in the top 10% for muscle depth. He headed to Wales, with J D Rawlins, Colomeny, Denbigh

In the females the best call of the day was a 280gns bid for a shearling ewe from G R Hargreaves-Jones. This East Dean Hector daughter sold to O T Jones.

And at 250gns was another shearling ewe, this time a Southern Cross 08/0012 daughter from Howard Wood's Prescoed flock. In the ewe lambs the top call was a 240gns bid for a lamb from the All Saints flock, with this being a daughter of Chaileybrook Charlie 09/0002. She had figures in the top 5% for growth and sold to T R Davies.

At 230gns was the champion from the pre-sale show, a ewe lamb by Southern Cross 09/11 from Jim and Patsi Cresswell's Wattisfield flock.

Averages; nine shearling ewes £236.83, seven ewe lambs    £201, six shearling rams £383.25, six ram lambs £243.25 (McCartneys).

A highly selective trade saw Southdowns sell to a peak of 550gns at Maidstone on Saturday, with this top price paid for the second prize shearling ram from Daniel Bunting's Golden Valley flock. This one by French sire TC70098 is out of a dam by Steepdown S38 and sold to the pre-sale judge Brian Glaves for the Brompton flock, Scraborough.

Second best in the males was a 460gns bid for a shearling from Philip Whitcombe's Southern Cross flock. This son of Southern Cross Bradman is out of a dam by Bryvale Victor. Selling at 260gns was a shearling ram from Goodwood Estates when he joined Messrs Latham. This one is by Chaileybrook 06/0007.

And Mr Bunting led the way in the ram lambs too, selling the reserve male champion from the pre-sale show at 380gns. This was another son of TC70098 which went to Leconfield Farms, Petworth.

A brace of lambs from Jonathan Long's Chaileybrook flock then sold at 220gns, with the first being a son of French sire TC4028 which sold to Robert Paton, while the second, again by TC4028 sold to Alison Allen.

Chaileybrook breeding was to the fore in the female trade with a pair from the flock setting the standard when selling at 260gns apiece. First at this money was a TC4028 daughter which sold to Messrs Bulmer for the Habton flock, Malton. The same buyers then paid the same price to take a Southern Cross 07/0013 daughter back to Yorkshire.

At 240gns was another shearling ewe from Chaileybrook, again by the Southern Cross sire. This one, out of a TC4028 daughter, sold to Mr Glaves.

Best of the ewe lambs was a 150gns call for the first prize lamb from the pre-sale show from Messrs Clark and Littmoden. This Southern Cross 07/0004 daughter sold to Messrs Latham.

And shortly behind that at 140gns was the best of the day from the Chaileybrook team, a Brompton 09/0026 daughter which sold to Messrs Bulmer.

Regular contributor to the Taking Stock blog Jonathan Long and partner Chrissie Lawrence, had much success at last weekend's South of England Show taking the interbreed championship for the second year in a row and the fourth time in six years.  

 

 

Heading up the Chaileybrook team was the senior Hampshire Down tup Kelsey Knockout who took the interbreed title.

 

The three-shear Knockout, a son of Owlesbury Rapier out of a Brittons dam, is on his final season on the show circuit and was praised by interbreed judge and butcher Brian Glaves for being exactly the type of modern sire the industry needed.

 

"He's square on his legs, moves tremendously, but most importantly he has fantastic fleshing with minimal waste. He's everything I like to see in a senior tup."

 

Knockout has previously been breed champion at South of England, reserve breed champion at the Royal Highland and breed and reserve interbreed champion at Edenbridge and Oxted. He now heads to this week's East of England Show.

 

Southdowns sold to a top call of 980gns at the breeds premier sale at Maidstone last weekend, with the top price paid for the pre-sale champion from Duncan and Monica Crundwell's Ladywell flock. This one was a shearling ram by Heathgate 07/0033 out of a homebred ewe. He sold to M J Slater for his Weaver flock, Middlewich.

Next best in the males on offer was a 620gns sale for a shearling tup from Philip Whitcombe's Southern Cross flock. This one by East Dean Guardman 05/0271 sold to Messrs Humphrey for their East Dean flock.

In the females on offer the trade was led by the female champion, Chaileybrook 09/0021 from Jonathan Long, this one, by Southern Cross 07/0013 and out of a dam by French sire TC4028 sold to Jon Aisbitt. Leading the ewe lambs at 260gns was one from the Southern Cross entry sired by East Dean Guardsman. She sold to Joe Philips, Canterbury.

Averages; 19 shearling ewes £205.80, 11 ewe lambs £190.05, 12 shearling rams £418.95, two ram lambs £210 (Lambert and Foster).

With the sheep sales season now firmly underway it is set to be a hectic few days for Taking Stock with a plethora of events coming a short space of time.

First up is tomorrow's Northern Area sale of Suffolks at Edinburgh, traditionally the breed's showpiece sale there will no doubt be some big prices paid following last week's 26,000gns sale topper at Shrewsbury. Unfortunately, I can't get to Edinburgh tomorrow, but I'll have a spy ringside, so will bring you the news as I get it.

Then on Saturday will be the Pyebrook Limousin herd dispersal for the Matthews family in Shropshire. This promises to be an exciting sale with plenty of top bloodlines included in the catalogue. No doubt some of the usual big spenders will be in action there too, but once again I can't get there, so the spies will be out in force keeping me informed throughout the day, although I may not be able to give much info until a little later on.

The reason I can't be at either sale is that Saturday is the main sale for the Southdowns and I have a number of sheep entered there. This of course is unlikely to rival the prices made at either Edinburgh or Pyebrook, but it does mean I'm tied up for a couple of days.

And on Monday it is the first NSA tup sale of the year at Builth, hopefully the ongoing resurgence in the sheep market encourages a bouyant trade there too.

All in all it look's like there'll be plenty to report in the next few days, so keep tuned to Taking Stock for the latest news.

SHEEP

 

Lincoln Longwool

 

Mrs S A  Chapman's yearling ewe; res, Mrs S A  Chapman's shearling ewe

 

Suffolk

 

Liz Needham's shearling ram; res, County Turf's ewe

 

Texel

 

H S  Ashley's ewe; res, P C  Longdin's ewe

 

British Charollais

 

C R Sercombe's ewe; res, C W & V  Marwood's ram

 

Oxford Down

 

James Hook's  shearling ewe; res,  James Hook's  shearling ram

 

Hampshire Down

 

Mrs D  Middleditch's shearling ram

 

Lleyn

 

C C Bray's ewe; res, C C Bray's shearling ewe 

 

Other Pure Native Breed

 

D Williams' Southdown ram; res, D Williams' Southdown shearling ewe

 

Beltex

 

J F Sharp & Son's shearling ewe; res, J & E P  Hedley's shearling ram

 

Other Pure Continental

 

G C  Watson & C J Grain's Berin-du-cher shearling ewe; res,  J McInnes Skinner's Bleu De Maine ewe

 

Cross breed sheep and commercial ram

 

G W Allison's pair of Beltex X ewe lambs; res, Mr H & C Taylor's Blue Texel 

 

Commercial Lambs

 

C R Fawcett's pair of Texel X lambs; res, C R Fawcett's pair of Texel X lambs

It was a good day for Taking Stock here at South of England today with the interbreed sheep title going to the Southdown champion, a shearling ewe from my own Chaileybrook flock. She is by our imported French tup TC4028 which we brought in back in 2005 and is out of a homebred ewe which herself was reserve breed champion here in 2004.

Standing reserve was a homebred North Country Cheviot tup from Don and Jo Masters' flock based at Goudhurst, Kent.

The Southdown Sheep Society's second annual sale at Worcester saw a steady trade with females in strong demand, while tups were harder to place.

But, despite this, it was the male champion from the pre-sale show which led the day's trade at 550gns. This one was a January-born ram lamb from the Glaves family's Brompton flock, Scarborough. By Chaileybrook 07/0019, sire of this year's Royal Show reserve male champion and sale topper at the breed's Maidstone fixture, Brompton 09/0026 is out of a homebred ewe. With a muscle depth scanned at 37mm at 21 weeks, this one headed back to Kent to join the Chaileybrook flock of his sire.

Next best call was a 275gns bid for the day's female and overall champion from Stephen and Paul Humphrey's East Dean flock. This shearling ewe, by East Dean A136 and out of East Dean A1 sold to Martin Smale, Tavistock.

Then at 230gns was another shearling ewe, this time from Bob Backshall's Caesars flock. She is by Caesars 04/001 and out of Caesars 04/0012 and sold with a second prize ticket from the show to Messrs Glaves.

Selling for 220gns was the best shearling ewe of the day from Howard Wood's Prescoed flock. This one, by Southern Cross 06/0010 and out of Prescoed 06/009 sold to Drew Coulter, Lanark.

Best among the shearling rams on offer was a 240gns call for Brompton 08/0040 from Messrs Glaves. This one is a son of Brompton 04/0003 and out of Brompton 04/0046. He sold to Mr Westwood.

Another of Mr Backshall's strong pen then made 200gns. This one, also by Caesars 04/001 and out of Caesars 03/0039 sold to local buyers Messrs Burroughs. (McCartneys).

The premier Southdown sale at Maidstone on Saturday saw stock sold to buyers from across the country who were keen to secure the breed's leading bloodlines and tellingly it was these well travelled buyers, many of them commercial producers who bid strongest.

Leading the trade at 590gns was the best sale of the day from my own Chaileybrook flock, a shearling ram which had stood reserve male champion at this year's Royal Show. This one is by a homebred sire, Chaileybrook 07/0019 -  a son of out imported French sire, TC4028 - and out of a ewe by the same sire. He sold to Kevin Hawes, Hartfield, for his Nightingale Farm flock.

Selling at 580gns was the best of the day from Messrs Whitcombe's Southern Cross flock, Churt, Surrey. This one by East Dean Guardsman 05/0271 and out of a homebred ewe sold for commercial use.

At 560gns was another from the Chaileybrook and another by the same sire. Also out of a TC4028 daughter this one sold to Harry Emslie, Peterhead, Aberdeen, for use in his commercial flock.

Champion from the pre-sale show was yet another from Chaileybrook, this time a son of TC4028 himself and out of a homebred ewe by East Dean Z30. This one sold at 420gns to commercial farmer Mr Coulter, Biggar, Lanarkshire, who is establishing a nucleus purebred flock as well.

Among the ram lambs on offer it was again a Chaileybrook animal which topped the sale, with a March-born son of Southern Cross 07/0013 out of a TC4028 daughter, which was full sister to this year's South of England Show female champion, making 300gns when selling to Gail Sprake for her All Saints flock, Suffolk. A full brother to the pre-sale champion then sold at 200gns to an Oxfordshire buyer for his pedigree flock.

Then among the females the fine form of the Chaileybrook offering continued, with a shearling ewe by Chaileybrook 07/0019 and out of a dam by TC4028 making the day's top female price of 340gns when selling to Messrs Bulmer, Malton, North Yorkshire.

The pre-sale female champion and reserve overall champion was a shearling ewe from Messrs Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer's Ridings flock. This one, by Chaileybrook 06/0007 and out of a homebred ewe sold at 250gns to Mo Williams, Derbyshire.

And the top call in the aged ewes was another from Chaileybrook, this time the dam of the top-priced shearling ewe which sold for 170gns to Mr Coulter, Biggar.

Leading the ewe lambs was the the pick of a strong pen from Messrs Whitcombe's Southern Cross flock. This one also sold to Mr Coulter at 180gns. Next best call here of 150gns was shared by two. The first was the pre-sale reserve female champion from the Whitcombes. This was a Southern Pastures 44/91 daughter out of a homebred ewe which sold to Jim Cresswell, Suffolk. The other at this money was again from Chaileybrook, this time a TC4028 daughter out of Chaileybrook A2, this sold to Mr Coulter.

Averages; seven older ewes £93.45, 18 shearling ewes £165.90, 11 ewe lambs £116.55, 13 shearling rams £433.65, four ram lambs £189 (Lambert and Foster).

Judging has just finished in the sheep lines for today and I've got a few more results to bring you.

Firstly the Beltex champion went to Steve and Sara Gibbons with their tup lamb, reserve were Andrew and Becky Bishop with their ewe lamb.

In the Bluefaced Leicesters the champion was Michael James with his aged ewe and reserve was Merv Roberts with an aged tup.

Finally the Southdown champion went to Sophie Arlott with her aged ewe and reserve was Roland Williams with an aged tup.

Continuing a strong show season this Susan Harmer was yet again on winning form taking supreme sheep championship on behalf of the Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer parnterhsip from Lewes, East Sussex.

 Their Southdown shearling ewe which is by a Chaileybrook top 06-007 also took reserve honours at the Royal Show a few weeks ago.

Standing reserve was a Charollais shearling ewe from John and Anne Griffiths' Chestnutt Park flock. 

 

Taking the interbreed sheep award at East of England was the Texel leader, Neil and Emma Pamplin's shearling ewe. This homebred ewe, by Ettrick Jackpot and out of a dam by Cowell Maverick is one of 40 ewes kept by the couple at home at Ringstead, Northampton. She was previously interbreed champion at Suffolk last month and is destined for the breed's premier sale at Worcester.

Standing reserve to the Texel was the Suffolk and Native breeds champion, a two shear ram from Merrick and Julie Pinny, Northampton. This one is a Baileys tup purchased privately in 2007 and is one of a team of tups used on the family's 180 ewe Alloaks flock.

Reserve in the Continental section went to a Charollais shearling ewe from Graham Allenby, while the second spot in the Native interbreed was awarded to Basil Cooper's Southdown aged ewe.

The Southdown breed enjoyed a return to winning ways at today's South of England Show, with Messrs Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer's shearling ram taking the interbreed title, a third in four years for the breed at the event.

This one, which stood reserve interbreed at Suffolk and interbreed at Heathfield is by a homebred tup and out of a homebred ewe. He was praised by judge, Charollais breeder Tim Pritchard for his exceptional fleshing throughout and style and ring presence.

Standing reserve was the champion from the Any Other Down Breed section, a Hampshire Down shearling ewe from myself and Chrissie's Chaileybrook flock. This one, by Owlesbury Xerxes and out of a Pode Hole ewe is one of 15 ewes we run at home alongside the 20 Southdowns. She was bought from Charles and Sally Horrell as a ewe lamb for the foundation of the flock and now heads to the Royal in July.

In the sheep lines here at Suffolk Show it was the turn of the Texel champion from Neil and Emma Pamplin, Ringstead, Northampton, to take top honours.

Their interbreed champion was a homebred shearling ewe by Cowell Maverick and out of a homebred ewe by Ettrick Jackpot. The couple run 40 Texel ewes alongside a flock of 30 Beltex ewes.

Standing reserve overall was the Southdown champion, a homebred shearling ram from Messrs Wakeham Dawson and Harmer, Lewes. This one is fully homebred, being by a homebred tup, Ridings 06 042 and out of a homebred ewe.

 

Southdown sired lambs were to the fore in the sheep section at yesterday's South Eastern Primestock Winter Fayre, with both the overall championship and reserve championship going to Southdown progeny.

Leading the way were a pair of purebred Southdowns from Messrs Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer's Ridings flock from Offham, Lewes. This pair had earlier won the purebred native class before going on to take the native championship. These lambs later sold for £80 to local butcher Tony Foulkes.

The reserve pair, were from my own flock and were Southdown x Suffolk lambs by the French sire we imported in 2005 and which has sired sons to £2250. These lambs were May born out of pure Suffolk ewes by a Belgian-bred sire.

Having stood first in the native crossbred class they then stood reserve overall native and followed the purebreds through to the reserve overall award. Mr Foulkes also bought this pair at £65.

Southdown breeders returned to Maidstone last weekend for their annual Premier Show and Sale, having suffered the disappointment of a last minute cancellation last year due to foot-and-mouth.

Topping the trade was Tunbridge wells-based Messrs Crundwell's shearling ram from their Ladywell flock which had stood second in the shearling ram class, sired by East Dean 03/0016 and out of a homebred ewe, this one sold for 550gns to Dennis Jenkins' Heathgate flock, Thetford, Norfolk.

Next top went to the pre-sale champion, another sheep bred by the Crundwell's, but this time forward from Jim and Patsy Cresswell's Wattisfield flock at diss, Norfolk. This two shear, again by the East Dean sire, took a call of 450gns and joins Moira Williams' Pindale flock in Derbyshire.

Leading the way among the local buyers was Udimore-based Frank Langrish when he bid 360gns for Jonathan Long's French sired entry from his Chaileybrook flock. Mr Long was also prominent among the ram lambs, trading one by the French sire at 300gns to join Richard Bulmer's newly established flock at Great Habton, North Yorkshire.

Female trade was led by Messrs Wakeham Dawson and Harmer's shearling ewe which stood female champion, this one is by Steepdown A2 and sold at 220gns, with Philip and Rosemary Whitcombe's Australian-type shearling making 205gns to join Messrs Cresswell (Lambert and Foster).