Southdown rams sell to 1050gns at Maidstone

Jen Heathcote’s champion Pluckley 13/00048, led trade at Saturday’s Southdown Sheep Society Premier Sale, Maidstone, when he was knocked down at 1050gns.

This son of Goodwood 10/00049 is out of dam by Morebread 05/0009 and sold to bulk buyers on the day, Messrs Sinden, Brenzett Green, Kent.

Second best on the day was a 950gns call for a shearling ram from the Whitcombe family’s Southern Cross flock, with this being Southern Cross 14/00578, a Southern Cross 10/0070 son out of a dam by East Dean 05/0271. He was bought by Messrs Coney, Belton, Lincolnshire.

Next top in the rams was a 500gns call for the first prize shearling ram Ladywell 14/00168 from Duncan and Monica Crundwell. This son of Southern Cross 10/00065 is out of a dam by Ladywell 09/0282 and sold to Michael and Gail Sprake for the All Saints flock, Suffolk.

Next best was a second prize shearling ram from Jonathan Long and family at 480gns. This was Chaileybrook 14/0005, a son of the imported French sire TC4028 out of a Southern Cross bred dam. This ram is a full brother to the joint breed female record holder Chaileybrook 13/0024 and sold to Jess Middleditch, Sudbury, Suffolk.

Females

Trade for females was strong throughout, with a number of establishing flocks eager to supplement their numbers with extra bloodlines.

Heading the trade at 700gns was a ewe lamb from the Goodwood flock, with Goodwood 15/05221 which was champion at the National Show this year. Sired by Ridings 11/701 and out of a Wyndam dam by a Brompton sire, this one sold to the Sinden family, Brenzett Green.

Next best in the females was a 650gns call for a shearling ewe from the same home. Sired by Ladywell 12/00095 she is out of a homebred dam and also sold to the Sindens.

The same vendor and buyer combination was then responsible for a 620gns sale when Goodwood 14/04995 sold. This one is by the same Ladywell sire and is again out of a Goodwood bred dam.

Also at this price was the best of the aged ewes, a 2012-born ewe from the Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer’s Ridings flock. This was Ridings 12/001344, a daughter of Benoit out of a dam by a homebred sire. She sold to an undisclosed Welsh buyer.

Close behind at 600gns was a shearling ewe from the same home, with this being Ridings 14/002181, a daughter of East Dean 11/00418 out of Ridings dam. She was bought by the Sinden family.

Averages: four older ewes, £262.50; 20 shearling ewes, £310.50; three ewe lambs, £399; 10 shearling rams, £486.15; seven ram lambs, £185.85.

(Lambert and Foster).