English National Texels to 6,000gns

Mellor Vale Tomahawk confirmed his championship victory at the Texel Sheep Society’s English National sale at Worcester by making the top price of 6000gns for Charlie Boden, Stockport, Cheshire.

In a hectic week of sales for Texel breeders, this ram lamb was another high earning son of the 25,000gns Milnbank Special One bought jointly by the Mellor Vale flock at Lanark last year. Buyers were Shropshire-based Claybury Texels.

And the Boden family continued their success when the ram lamb Sportsmans Thunder from Boden and Davies made 3500gns.

Also by Special One and out of a ewe by Mellor Vale Officer, he goes to Gloucestershire breeder Andrew Bishop.

Special One is by Glenside Razzle Dazzle and it was another son – Milnbank Thatcher – out of a ewe by Castlecairn Provost that was the day’s best for Robbie Wilson. This lamb stayed in the midlands to join A J Meredith’s Hardwicke flock at Kidderminster.

Ram lamb clearance rate was 75%.

Auctioneer Clive Roads of McCartneys was pleased with the trade: “Some very good breeder’s tups as well as plenty to tempt commercial buyers. And we saw an 82% clearance rate for the 71 gimmers that averaged £612.”

Worcestershire breeder Miss N Hartwright topped the shearling rams with two entries from her Whitehart flock. Whitehart Stig – a son of the 2009 Builth Wells sale champion Hendre Oh Boy – goes to Gethin Probert at Leominster at 2060gns, while the Humeston River Dance son Whitehart Special Edition made 2000gns (below) to M A Jones, Clun, Shropshire.

 The two-day fixture saw gimmers go on sale on the first day and reach a top of 5100gns for an entry from the Stonebridge flock of the Richardson family from Barnsley, west Yorkshire (see below). By Allanfauld Rockafella she goes to Devon breeders Mike and Melanie Alford.

Well known Charolais breeder Esmor Evans from north Wales gave 2100gns for a gimmer by Glenside Royal Scot consigned from David Chambers’ Twelve Oaks flock.

The champion ticket went to north Yorkshire breeder Stuart Currie with a gimmer from his Beautry flock by Procters Oswald. She made 1700gns and stays in Yorkshire with W Warren, Cleckheaton.

Averages: 150 ram lambs £823; 43 shearling rams £764 and 71 shearing gimmers £612. (McCartneys)