Lancs Texel still catches bidders eye
Lancs Texel still catches bidders eye
STOCK from Lancashire Texel breeder David Houghton continues to attract attention among breed devotees at the show and sale of the North West Texel Breeders Club.
And it was a 1997-bred ewe that took the championship and made the top price of 1600gns at Chelford, Cheshire.
Twin-born ewe
The twin-born ewe, by Baltier Aerostar was sold scanned with twins to the 10,500gns Tullagh Dazzler whose first crop of sons made the top prices at the breeds sales at Lanark and Chelford last autumn. Buyer was P Woof, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.
Buyers around the ring were selective and showed little interest in open-woolled sheep and those of poorer conformation. But there was plenty to admire in the power and style of the ewe placed second in the shearling class.
This daughter of Muiresk Comrade, from the Cowal flock of Messrs Campbell, Lochgoilhead, Argyll was in-lamb to Nethermuir Confetti and made 550gns to join the Elms flock of Shropshire breeder D N Potter.
The third placed shearling, by Grougfoot Winchester and in-lamb to Ettrick E-Male, made 500gns to R M Payne, Sheffield. She was consigned from the Grougfoot flock of John McKerrow, Linlinthgow.
Careful sifting
Buyers sifted carefully through the entry of ewe hoggs and produced the three top prices for entries from Robert Cartledges Plattin flock from Buxton, Derbyshire.
The highest was a 400gns call from Steve Smith, Welshpool to take a twin-born by Garngour Duke for his Penparc flock. Another by the same ram and out of an Annan Undercover ewe, made 300gns to an undisclosed buyer from West Yorks who also took another at 350gns.
Best trade for ewes came for a 1994 triplet-bred entry by Cambwell Winner out of an Annan Triple Threat ewe from Mr McKerrow. She was sold in-lamb to the 3200gns Haddo Ever-Ready and joins the Penparc flock.
Averages: 17 ewes £126; 66 shearlings £195 and 12 ewe hoggs £173. (Frank R Marshall and Co)