Hampshire Downs hit 850gns

Leading breeders were to the fore at last weekend’s Hampshire Down sale, Stratford, where the top bid of 850gns was taken by Tiverton, Devon-based Chris and Kay Westlake for their ram lamb by Parkstock Royal. With dam lines going back to Moybrick, he was sold to breed president Sally Horrell and her husband Charles’ Podehole flock, Thorney, Peterborough.

Next top of 640gns was for the leading shearling from Kevin and Anna McCarthy, Comber, Co Down. Their shearling, by Ballyvester Apollo had previously stood second at the Balmoral show and joins Andrew and Caroline Ivinson’s new flock at Martindale, Penrith. Also heading for the same Cumbrian home was the top priced shearling ewe at 460gns from the Banks and Green partnership, Norfolk.

Two more rams topped 500gns, firstly a two shear from Jennifer Atkinson and David Smith, Market Rasen which made 560gns to Francis and Sian Wigram, Lewdown, Okehampton, and secondly, a shearling from Henry and Hilary Derryman which saw the Atkinson and Smith partnership reinvest most of their earnings, spending 520gns on this Yarcombe Highjack son.

Top price in the ewe lambs was 400gns for John and Sue Davies’ first prize winner by Kelsey Achilles. This one headed to Lanarkshire, with two other entries to form the foundation of a new flock for Alan Jackson, Covington Mill.

Averages: 12 ram lambs £319.17; shearling rams £381.43; 1 aged ram £588.13; ewe lambs £205.67; 12 shearling ewes £235.67.