Quality sees awesome’ Lleyn ram reach 9000gns

An “awesome” ram – that was how two Cumbria sheep producers described the 9000gns Lleyn tup they bought at the breed society’s sale at Carlisle last week.

Buyer Rob Wilson, who bought the ram jointly with breeder John Page, said: “He’s by far the best Lleyn ram I have ever seen.

He’s got tremendous power and shape, great length, good legs and bags of style – just awesome.”

Mr Wilson will use the ram to artificially inseminate 200 of his Lleyn ewes near Penrith, Cumbria.

“The aim is to make four years progress in one season,” said Mr Wilson.

The Group 1 ram was one of a strong consignment of tups from Derek Steen’s well known flock at Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

The shearling ram average was up almost 300 to level at 1165 and one of the breed’s long established flocks, run by Powys breeders D N Bennett & Son, shared in the bonanza.

They produced several of the sale’s most sought after rams selling at 8500gns to W Davidson, of Moffat and 4500gns and 4000gns to Denton park Estates, Ilkley.

Messrs Bennett & Son also topped the females with a pen of ewe lambs that made 300 apiece to Mr Davidson and they re-invested some of their takings to pay 7000gns for a ram from Jim Goldie, Dumfries.

Also at 7000gns was a ram from L Steen, Lockerbie, taken by Laga Farms of Orkney.

Ewes prices reached 96 for a pen from John Harrison, Penrith, and sold to M Percy, Glasgow, while Kendal’s John Geldard led the shearling gimmers with entries at 260 to J A Robertson & Partners, Renfrewshire.

Averages: 552 ewes 64.96, 2096 shearling gimmers 99.80 and 2211 ewe lambs 68.51.

Rams – 12 aged rams 1284 and 136 shearlings 1165.

(Harrison & Hetherington)
jh@jeremyhuntassociates.com