Averages rise for all Suffolks at north event
Averages rise for all Suffolks at north event
By Jeremy Hunt
AVERAGES were up in all sections at the northern regional show and sale of the Suffolk Sheep Society at Skipton, North Yorks, where breeders new to this venue scooped the leading prices and the overall championship.
The cancellation of the breeds traditional midlands fixture at Stafford saw more breeders from Cheshire and north Wales making the trip. For Anglesey breeders T and J Vince it was worth it when a ram lamb from their Thorneycroft flock produced the days most spirited bidding to settle at the top price of 1300gns.
The lamb, which had earlier led the trimmed class, is by the 26,000gns Glenhead Gold and out of a ewe by Cairness Courtier. It was bought by J * Grundy, Spalding, Lincs.
But judge David Inman, who runs the Lindum flock at Melton Mowbray, was drawn by the power and stretch of an untrimmed ram lamb from Ken Powells Beechcourts flock based at Tarporley, Cheshire.
Mr Powell has been breeding Suffolks for 10 years. "Five years messing around and five years making progress," he says. And now his work successfully combining families from Muiresk Marvelle and Stockton Stardust is paying dividends.
"We would normally have sold at the Stafford sale but decided to come here this year and its been well worth the journey," said Mr Powell after collecting the overall championship.
And judge Mr Inman supported his decision claiming the lamb at 850gns.
An even longer journey paid off for Norfolk flock owner Janice Broughton, whose ram lamb by Marwood Millenium 2nd realised 1050gns to T L Forster, Hexham, Northumberland. Her Marwood flock has been champion flock in the breed societys Eastern Counties club competition several times. The lamb is out of a Birness-sired ewe.
The next lamb in the ring from the Marwood pen made 600gns and was by Glenisla the Ultimate, which has produced progeny to 2000gns, and out of a Rossibank-sired ewe. The buyer was J W Capstick, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria.
Michael Waltons Roseden flock from Alnwick earned a best of 940gns with a ram lamb by Roseden Whats Wanted out of a ewe by Cairness Explosion. This ram heads for Longtown, Carlisle, with J W Coulthard and Son.
After sweeping the board with major titles at the Royal Show, Cheshire, breeder Geoff Biddulph was in the frame again with a ram lamb from his Pexhill flock taking the reserve male ticket.
This was another son of Daleford Hanky Panky, a ram by Pankymoor Prelude. The ram is a full "younger" brother to the 22,000gns Pexhill Pete and to the ewe lamb that won its class at this years Royal Show. Buyer at 620gns was Harvey Kaye, Chorley, Lancs.
Shearling rams reached 920gns for a Muiresk Kings Champion son from G and A Fort, Keighley, West Yorks.
Averages Shearling rams £481 (+£44), ram lambs £428 (+£66), shearling ewes £232 (+£24), ewe lambs £249 (+£124) (Craven Cattle Marts). *