Suffolk National Sale peaks at 15,000gns
Prices peaked at 15,000gns at the Suffolk Sheep Society’s National Sale at Shrewsbury at the weekend (23 July).
Brisk trade saw 17 ram lambs sell for more than 2,000gns, with a total of 149 ram lambs averaging £1,231 – up £88 on the year, with 14 more sold – and selling to a clearance rate of 79%.
Leading trade at 15,000gns was the champion ram lamb from JG Douglas, Fraserborough, Aberdeenshire. Sired by Ballygarvanstud Flashdance, he is out of the top Thurston ewe by Thurston Warrior. He was bought in a two-way share by G Troup and JA Gibb, Aberdeenshire.
Male champion and overall champion was a ram lamb from JG Douglas, selling for 15,000gns © MacGregor Photography
Next best and selling for 13,000gns was another ram lamb, born in January 2016 and sired by Rookery Best of the Best from CJ Holmes, Broadway, Worcestershire. This one, out of a Haddo High Voltage ewe, was snapped up by GC Beacom, Fivemiletown, County Fermanagh.
A ram lamb from CJ Holmes sold for 13,000gns © MacGregor Photography
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Third best and selling for 7,500gns was the first son to be sold from the twice Royal Highland champion, Sowaybank Eva Jane, from I and J Barbour, Annan, Dumfries and Galloway. This one is out of Lakeview Harbinger, whose dam was the three-times Balmoral Champion. Buyer was G Killilea from Cregcarragh, County Galway.
Powys’s DJ Harvey paid 4,400gns for John Sinnett’s ram lamb, by Iron Grey Blackmagic, making him a paternal brother to this year’s Royal Welsh interbreed champion, a ewe lamb also from Mr Sinnett, Stockton-On-Teme, Worcestershire.
Then GC Beacom recouped his earlier spend, selling his Rhaeadr Rolex ram lamb JFF:16:02107 for 4,200gns to JC Innes & Sons, Dunscroft, Huntly. This one is out of a Cairness Classic Fyvie ewe – a sister to the three-times Balmoral Show Champion, Lakeview Queen of the Maze.
Selling for the same money was a Muirton One Direction ram lamb from local breeder PW Poole, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. This December-born twin is out of a Rhaeadr Rastafari-sired ewe and was the pick of G Biddulph, Gawsworth, Cheshire.
Shearling rams sold to a top price of 1,000gns for a Birness Murray son from S and W Tait, Lislap, County Tyrone. Buyer was D and EH Thomas, Cefneithin, Carmarthenshire.
Females
Leading female trade at 900gns was a ewe lamb from SJ Buckley, Buxton, Derbyshire. Sired by Stockton Turbine, she is out of a Haddo High Voltage ewe and was the pick of Mardle Suffolks, Devon.
Meanwhile, a small entry of shearling ewes peaked at 750gns for a Rhaeadr Skyfall ewe from P Lupton, Ripon, North Yorkshire. This one was bought by A Arena, Italy.
Averages: 149 ram lambs, £1,232; five shearling rams, £746; six ewe lambs, £609; three shearling ewes, £560.
(J Straker Chadwick & Sons and Halls)