Southdown trade hits 1,000gns at Maidstone

A solid demand for both males and females saw Southdown trade peak at 1000gns at the breed’s premier sale at Maidstone on Saturday.

Leading the way was a shearling ram from Georgie Helyer’s Langford flock, with Langford 12/00136, by Brompton 10/0012 and out of a homebred dam by a Wyndham sire. He sold after spirited bidding to Stephen and Paul Humphrey for their East Dean flock, Chichester.

Second best of the day was another shearling ram, this time from Jonathan Long’s Chaileybrook flock. Sired by an imported French sire, TC10187, this was Chailebybrook 12/00014 and is from the same female family as the recent breed record setter. He sold for commercial use in Aberdeenshire, heading to Harry Emslie.

A 770gns bid saw the Humphries brothers recoup some of their outlay when they sold their first shearling in the ring, East Dean 12/00791. Sired by Southern Cross 09/0002, this one is out of a homebred dam by a homebred sire and sold to another Scottish buyer, this time Lanarkshire-based Drew Coulter.

Northern Irish buyers the Baxter family, Co Tyrone, then claimed the next best priced tup when paying 600gns for the pre-sale male champion from Duncan and Monica Crundwell’s Ladywell flock. This was Ladywell 12/0109, a son of Southern Cross Manuka out of a dam by an East Dean sire. Another from the same home then sold at 570gns when joining new breeder Jess Middleditch, Suffolk. This was Ladywell 12/0111, again by the Southern Cross sire he is out of a 2005-born homebred dam.

The Crundwells then sold another from their pen at 550gns, with this being Ladywell 12/0098. Also heading across the Northern Ireland with the Baxter family, he is again by the Southern Cross sire and had stood third in the pre-sale show.

Leading the day’s ram lamb trade was a bid of 440gns for a ram lamb from the Chaileybrook flock of Jonathan Long. This money was paid for Chaileybrook 13/0003, a maternal brother to the £2500 breed record holder and sired by TC4028, another imported French sire.

He sold to join the Pen Parc flock of Helen Smith, Welshpool. Second best of the lambs was a 300gns call for the second lamb from the Chaileybrook pen, Chaileybrook 13/0018. He is sired by TC10187 and is out of a full sister to the 440gns ram lamb. Buying this one was Jason Smith, Reigate.

Females

Demand for females was equally as strong and dominated by a number of new breeders eager to establish flocks from the best available genetics.

Topping the trade and setting a new breed female record at 750gns was the day’s female and overall champion, a shearling ewe from the Goodwood flock under the management of shepherd Nick Page. This was Goodwood 12/01440 a daughter of homebred sire Goodwood 10/00044 and out of Goodwood 06/14. She sold to new breeder Nigel Barrington-Fuller, Clacton on Sea, Essex.

Second best here was a 370gns bid for a shearling ewe from the Southern Cross flock of Philip Whitcombe. She is by Southern Cross Bradman and out of a Kingsley dam and sold to Katie Potter, Canterbury.

Then at 330gns was another of the Goodwood entry, Goodwood 12/01416. Sired by Golden Valley 10/0020, she is out of a Strawberry Down dam and sold to Jess Middleditch. Just shy of that at 320gns was Southern Cross 12/334, a daughter of New Zealand sire Clifton Downs CD225/06 and out of a homebred dam.

Four shearling ewes then sold at 300gns, with the first being from the Goodwood pen and by the Golden Valley sire. This was Goodwood 12/01476, out of a homebred dam she was knocked down to Jess Middleditch.

Averages; four ewes £115.50, 39 shearling ewes £225.75, eight ewe lambs £133.35, 17 shearling rams £505.05, seven ram lambs £270.90, one ram £336 (Lambert and Foster).