Suffolks to 9000gns at new Shrewsbury site
Suffolk buyers at last week’s national show and sale at Shrewsbury failed to match the 70,000gns seen at Edinburgh the previous week, with a top price of only 9000gns.
Nevertheless, the switch to the new Shrewsbury site saw 133 lambs average £938 – up £106 on the year.
A Glenho Gurka-sired ram from Robbie Wilson’s Strathisla flock took the top bid.
This lamb’s roots go back to the noted sire Crosemanor Commandeur.
He was bought by Orkney-based Keith Hourston for his Didcot flock.
Next was breed stalwart Jimmy Douglas with the pre-sale show champion, a tup by Cairness Spartacus which led the way in the Signet recorded class.
This one sold at 6000gns to the McNeill family’s 40 ewe Tarneill flock.
Meanwhile, Mr Douglas’ first prize winner from the single ram lamb class took bidding to 3000gns.
By Glenhead Grandmaster, this one headed north to Derbyshire with the Gould partnership of Buxton.
Having failed to make sparks fly at Edinburgh, John Sinnett’s Stockton flock enjoyed a more profitable Shrewsbury sale, taking a top price of 4800gns for his 3rd prize lamb from the Signet recorded class.
This lamb, by Strathisla Scorpion and out of a ewe by Stockton Solid Gold, was claimed by show judge and society president-elect Stephen Cobbold.
Overall, the Stockton flock’s six lambs achieved the sale’s fourth highest average at £1548.
Welsh breeder Myfyr Evans’ continued his successful summer.
Having claimed reserve breed champion at the Royal Highland Show, breed champion at last week’s Royal Welsh Show and top price at the Edinburgh sale, his best at Shrewsbury was a 3500gns sale to Absdael Suffolks, Belgium, for a Castlewellan Cruz-sired lamb.
At 3200gns was George Stuart’s Birness flock.
This lamb was by Plasllewelyn Pure Genius and out of a dam by Irish-bred sire Gleho Brisbane.
The Birness entry recorded the day’s top flock average of £1953, with all five lambs attracting four-figure sums.
As the society is urging members to promote recorded stock and ensure the breed improves performance at every turn, it was fitting that the sheep with the best figures were among the top sales.
Arnold and John Park’s Drinkstone flock sold to a top of 2600gns for a son of Ortum Supersire 05.
This lamb had a weight EBV of 14.16, a muscle figure of 6.28 and a whacking overall index of 5.58.
He sold to Malcolm Stewart’s Sandyknowe flock at Melrose.
Also at this money was Keith Evans, Plasllewelyn, with son of Stockton Sledgehammer out of a Crosemanor-bred ewe by Birness Aqua.
This one goes to Aberdeenshire to join Jimmy Douglas’ Cairness flock.
(John Swan and Son with J Straker Chadwick and Halls)