Hazel buys Record Blue at 26,000gns
A strong trade for the best quality tups at the NSA’s Wales and Border sale saw a traditional-type Bluefaced Leicester shearling sell for a record 26,000gns and minutes later, a similarly aged Texel achieve 24,000gns.
The sale, at the Royal Welsh Showground, had been delayed by a week because of the HM The Queen’s funeral. It produced a turnover of £1,956,127.99 with 2795 sheep and an 88% clearance. The overall average was up £5.23 on 2021 at £699.87, but for 54 fewer sold.
Star attraction was a Blue shearling ram from Vale of Glamorgan breeders, Tudor and Janet Harris’ Bonvilston flock. Their 26,000gns sale exceeded their previous 12,000gns high – achieved here in 2018 – with this year’s topper selling to Scottish breeder, Hazel Brown, for her 70-ewe Leadburnlea flock, at Gorebridge.
Breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show, her purchase was second at the pre-sale show to another Bonvilston tup. He is got by semen from the Welsh ram, Graig yr Orsedd, purchased from the Ingrams, from Logie Durno, by his daughters as a Christmas present, while the dam is by Myfyrian K8.
Later, a Bluefaced Leicester from Wyn and Siwan Harries’ Hope flock attracted a 15,000gns ram lamb record when selling to Scott Thomason’s Piel View flock, at Walney Island, Cumbria. He is by the N2 Brindifield and bred from a Hope ewe by North Burndale F3.
Alan McClymont, Kirkstead, Yarrow, was another in the money, taking 13,500gns for his pre-sale traditional Blue champion lamb, Kirkstead A-Lister, from the Bennett family, Springwood, Carmarthenshire.
He is by the £3200 Bonvilston N11 that was breed champion and reserve inter-breed at the Royal Highland in June, and bred from a ewe by the £3200 Mendick H16.
Leading the Texel trade at 24,000gns and setting a new centre high, was the champion, Wilodge Ex Factor, a shearling from Paul Tippetts and Christine Williams, Shropshire. He is by Teiglum Crackerjack and out of a dam by Claybury Basic Instinct going back to a 2016, 16,000gns Beautry ewe.
Ex Factor sold three ways, to Ted Fox, for the College flock, St John’s Kirk, Thankerton; Jonathan Watson, Brijon, Berwick upon Tweed; and Michael James, Duhonw, Powys.
Next best, at 7500gns, was Will and Emma Gittoes’ Bryndu Earthquake, another by Crackerjack, out of a dam by Blaencar Bandit. Fourth in the pre-sale show, he sold to Russell and Gill Watkins, Millend, Hereford.
His full ET brother, Bryndu Ezy Ryder, made 5800gns to Eion and Geoff Probert, Mortimers, Worcs.
Procters Farm, Lancs, went to 5200gns for a shearling son of Whitehart A Lister, from Stephen Abberley’s Old Hemley flock.
Texel ram lambs peaked at 5200gns for the Davies family’s Teilo Fendigedig, a Hope Valley C The Stars son purchased by the Chave family for their Peacehay flock, Somerset.
The same flock sold the second highest priced Texel lamb at 3800gns up to Orkney with JS Baillie and Co, Tankerness. Teilo Fawr, is by Teilo Enfawr.
Charollais sold to 3800gns for a yearling from Messrs Probert and Sons Mortimer flock.
A shearling from Jim and Nikki Hartwright’s Springfields flock, topped the Suffolks at 3500gns when selling to Aled Williams, of the Mon flock, Anglesey.
North Country Cheviots peaked at 2100gns from N and CM Barratt, Condover, Shrewsbury, purchased by Alan Jones, Corwen.
Lleyns sold to 1250gns, Blue Texels to 3200gns for a ewe lamb, and South Country Cheviots sold to 1400gns.