Skipton Beltex to 4,000gns and 3,700gns at Welshpool

Averages were back slightly on the year for Beltex males and females at Skipton and Welshpool, which both reported strong lead prices last week.

It was shearling rams and gimmer lambs that were dearer on the year at Skipton where 315 lots were forward, while in Wales it was shearling ewes that saw stronger bidding.

Skipton

Scottish breeder Stuart Wood of the Woodies flock, Skene, Aberdeenshire, marked his first visit to Skipton with a lead price of 4,000gns for imported lamb Rene de Coquiamont over the weekend (2 and 3 September).

Rene de Coquiamont © Adrian Legge

See also: Strong Texel trades hits 30,000gns at Carlisle

This was the pick of a run of seven rams levelling at £1,170.

The Belgian sire is by Perfect and out of Olive de Coquiamont and hails from the same flock as The Godfather.

He was knocked down to Richard and Mark Ireland, Whalley, Lancashire, to develop their new Shamrock flock.

Powerhouse Armani © John Eveson

A ram lamb and the supreme champion and female champion then made 2,400gns.

The female was the northern Irish Artnagullion Amazing from Elizabeth and William McCallister, Kells, Ballymena.

She is by a ram imported from Belgium by Andrew Graham, Wigton, Cumbria, and out of Artnagullion Reva, a home-bred, Beach Norman daughter. Buyer was Andrew Wood, Whittingham, Preston.

The Rathbone flock of Mike Davis, Austwick, Lancaster, also made 2,400gns with his ram lamb Rathbone Bradley, a Buckles Whizz Kid son out of a home-bred Dooley Nissan daughter, Rathbone Wisteria.

The winning bid came from Neale and Janet McQuistin, Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway.

Welshpool

Commercial demand drove a solid trade at Welshpool last week (31 August), with a top price of 3,700gns and shearling ewes more than £70 up on the year.

Topping trade was Powerhouse Armani, a shearling from Colin and Wendy Phillips, Weobley, Herefordshire.

He headed home with Steve and Sara Gibbons’ Whatmore flock, Brecon. This Cennen Turbo son is out of a Luggsmill Neely daughter.

Next at 2,000gns was Michael Owens, Llandysul, with Granter Armani, out of a dam by Dooley Racer and by Granter Tywysog.

He went home with Richard Wood of the Kingledores flock, Biggar.

Averages Skipton: gimmer lambs, £653 (up £359); shearling gimmers, £497 (down £32); aged ewes, £326 (down £129); ram lambs, £524 (down £142); shearling rams £710 (up £77); aged rams, £682, (down £315). (Craven Cattle Marts)

Averages Welshpool: 202 shearling rams, £695.03 (down £38.19); 24 ram lambs, £456.75 (down £70.16); 61 shearling ewes, £480.07. (Welshpool Livestock Sales)