Confident Texel sale sees ram lamb head up Welshpool trade at 3,800gns
A top call of 3,800gns and a healthy clearance and strong averages bore out the message that quality always sells when the Texel Sheep Society staged it’s Welsh National Sale at Welshpool on Saturday.
British Texel Sheep Society chief executive John Yates said while the sale may have lacked the five figure prices of the Scottish National Sale at Lanark two days earlier it had been a sale full of confidence and of appeal to commercial flockmasters. “We saw a ready demand for commercial rams, both lambs and shearlings, while females were also in demand from established and new breeders.”
Heading up the sale roll call at 3,800gns was a ram lamb from the Sportsman’s flock of Messrs Boden and Davies, Sportsman’s Urban.
Sportsmans Urban
Sired by the 42,000gns tup Tullylagan Tonka he is out of a Cambwell Rob Roy sired Knock ewe bought in Carlisle last autumn for 6,000gns and is a full ET brother to Sportman’s United II which sold in Lanark two days previously for 10,000gns. Buying this lamb was the breeder of the Lanark champion, David Houghton for his Tophill flock, Lancashire.
Next best of the sale was a bid of 2,800gns which saw David Houghton recoup some of his earlier outlay. His pen leader was a son of 16,000gns Milnbank Times Square out of a dam by Knock Orion. He sold to Gareth Jones of the Meifod fock, Denbigh.
After that selling for 2,200gns was Seiont Ultimate from Osian Rhys, Caernarfon. Ultimate is a son of Knock Stetson which sold to the Howells family for their Tycam flock, Llandysul. He is out of a dam by Douganhill Northern Light.
Three then sold at 2,000gns, with the first of these being the Llyfni Utgorn II from the Williams family, Pontlyfni. He is sired by Carran Turtle and out of a Kelso Picasso daughter and was knocked down to D K and D G Goodwin, Felhampton, Shropshire.
The next to make this money was the pre-sale show champion, Wayside U Bet from Charlotte Alford, Cullompton, Devon. This one is a Douganhill McFly son out of an 11,000gns Fairywater gimmer bought at Ballymena last year. He sold to Michael James, Builth Wells.
Finally at this money was Geraint Jones’ sold entry from his Cae Coed flock, Cae Coed Unique. He is a Llangwm Santa son and is out of a dam by Tophill Pharaoh. He sold to Selkirk-based breeder Gordon Gray for his Ettrick flock.
The final bid above 1,500gns came for Sportsman’s Union from the Boden and Davies pen. Union, a Milnbank Times Square son out of a dam by Mellor Vale Missile, sold to G Scott, Maeshafn, Denbighshire.
Shearling rams
Leading the shearling rams was a brace of 2,000gns bids, with the first coming for Loosebeare Tricolour from the Quick family, Devon. Sired by homebred ram Loosebeare Romeo he is out of a Gaitsgill Officer dam and sold to Messrs Price and Griffiths, Trelech Carmarthen.
Second at this money was Caereinion Thor from the Pryce family. He is a Caereinion Number One son out of a dam by Summerwood Grand Union, and sold John Elliot jnr, Kelso, for the Roxburgh flock.
Following that at 1300gns was Caereinion Thunder Bolt II from the same home. This son of noted sire Cambwell Laird is out of a dam by Caereinion Number One and sold to M E Thomas, Rhydypandy, Swansea.
Gimmers
Female prices at Welshpool peaked at 1,400gns for the pre-sale female champion from John and Linda Mellin’s Hull House flock, MJH1202763. This one is a Castlecairn Red Arrow daughter out of a dam by Moor Top Nero and was bought by Messrs Graham, Plumpton, Penrith, for the Hallrigg flock.
Taking a bid of 1,050gns was a gimmer from the Davies family’s Aman flock, DYA1200163, a Glenside Ring A Ding daughter out of a dam by Tophill Kiwi. Taking this one home to join his Teilo flock was the judge from the pre-sale show John Davies, Capel Issac, Carmarthenshire.
Following her at 720gns was one from the Quick family, QEL1201658, a Caereinion President daughter out of a dam by Winkleigh Falcon. She was bought by G R Davies, Bala, Gwynedd.
Another from the same home, QEL 1201827, then took a bid of 700gns. She is by Peacehay Masterpiece and out of a dam by Bettonfield Janitor and was taken home by A Gruffudd, Lon Pant, Caernarfon.
At the same money was one from Gordon Gray’s Ettrick entry, GGH1202052. She is sired by 46,000gns tup Foyle View Superstar and is out of a dam by Knock Papoose. This one sold to the Howells family for the Tycam flock.
Averages; 69 shearling ewes £381.57, 94 ram lambs £642, 20 shearling rams £812.85 (Welshpool Livestock Sales).