With five Texels exceeding the 15,000gns mark and a new record breed shearling average of £1,669, the top draw of the day came from Rob and Amanda Howells, Bridgend, with Montana Intelligent. Sired by Whitehart Gigantic, it stood fifth in the pre-sale show and sold to Messrs Ellis, Cressage and Scholars flocks, Shropshire.
The second highest price of 18,000gns was for Stonegrove Ironside from Richard and Anna Dorrell, Worcester. The third-prize winner by Loosebeare Guardian went to Esmor Evans, Mold.
Andrew Reed, Haverfordwest, was awarded the reserve champion large pen across the whole sale in the inaugural pen competition. His Scolton pen topped at 17,000gns for Scolton Illustrious, a son of 24,000gns Caereinion Goliath, which sold to Llion Jones, Pant. The Reed family reinvested on 16,000gns for Cressage Icon from Messrs Ellis.
The Williams family, Lampeter, saw 15,000gns for Caron I Am Classic, a Peacehay Gangnam Style son which was bought by A. Davies, Erwood. The Williams family were awarded the reserve champion small pen across in the new pen competition.
The reserve pre-sale champion, Millend Imperial King, sold for 10,000gns. From Messrs Watkins, Hereford, and by the 10,000gns Harehead Governor, it sold to Alistair Smith, Dunblane, and Matthew Seed, Turriff.
Next best, at 8,200gns, was Blaencar Icarus from the Morgan family, Brecon. A son of Caereinion Goliath, it sold to W.G. Davies, Hirwaun.
First through the ring and setting the pace for the day at 8,000gns was a shearling ram from PaulTippetts and Christine Williams, Shifnal, which sold to the Davies family, Rhayader.
Making 7,800gns for Phil and Helen Weaver, Nottinghamshire, was Empire Im Sparta, which went home with C. Cornthwaite, Clitheroe.
The pre-sale show champion from Owen and Rachel Watkins, Hay-on-Wye, was Caenantmelyn Irresistible, which sold for 7,500gns. Sired by Whitehart First Class, it went to Messrs Joseph, Brecon.
Tup lamb trade hit a high of 2,700gns for Rhys Jones, Welshpool, for Llyn Y Bugail Jack Daniels. The third-prize lamb is sired by 11,000gns Plasucha All Star and sold to J. and H. Thomas, Anglesey.
In the Bluefaced Leicester ring, the trade followed the pre-sale show when the traditional champion was knocked down for 11,000gns. The shearling from A. Jones' Craig Yr Orsedd flock, Conwy, went to R.A. McCymont, Kirkstead.
Messrs Harries, Llandeilo, sold a three-year-old Woodcroft-bred traditional tup for 6,000gns to M.A. Quinn, Fife. Another traditional tup from Messrs Griffiths, Tyhir, Carmarthen, was in the money at 3,800gns, selling to S.A. Thomason, Barrow-in-Furness.
The Charollais met a consistent commercial trade, but the star came from Huw Layton, Hereford, with Foxholes Darkhorse, setting a new breed sale record of 8,000gns. The Loanhead Washington son went to the Ingram family's Logie Durno flock, Aberdeen.
Sam Furness, Derbyshire, purchased a shearling by Pembroke Benchmark for 5,000gns from the Bachymbyd flock of T.H. Roberts, Denbigh. The Jones family, Haverfordwest, turned out more than 150 tups to the sale and topped at 4,000gns for a Robblestone Be Rich son, which went to Probert family, Worcester.
The unregistered Texel ring met 8,000gns for A. Davies, Erwood, which sold over the phone to J. Jones, Talgarth. Another two from this pen sold for 3,500gns and 3,000gns.
The Suffolk trade peaked at 3,800gns for a shearling from John Elliot, Kelso, which sold to Mark Lloyd, Hereford. While tup lambs saw a 100% clearance with D. Jones, Frongoy, Aberystwyth, topping the trade at 2,050gns, selling to G. Owens, Brecon.
Cheviots saw a strong trade, with both types topping at 2,000gns. The North Country Park-type came from P. Jones, Usk, purchased by the judge, Roderick Runciman, Galashiels. The South Country Cheviots also peaked at the same money for the champion from W. Flemming, Hawick, which sold to G. Orrells, Abermule.
AVERAGES
Shearlings - 306 Bluefaced Leicester, Traditional type, £1,306.98; 11 Bluefaced Leicester, Crossing type, £1,021.36; 43 Lleyn, £706.67; 5 Blue Texel, £1,260; 18 Berrichon, £822.50; 8 Hampshire, £711.93; 14 Chamiose, £596.25; 196 Charollais, £1,117; 123 South Country Cheviot, £798.09; 9 Scotch Blackface, £497; 3 South Wales Mountain, £420; 79 North Country Cheviot Park, £749.35; 4 North Country Cheviot Hill, £341.25; 274 non-MV Suffolk, £1,401.02; 21 Bluefaced Leicester cross, £953; 121 continental cross, £971.99; 171 non-MV Texel, £1,213.61; 522 MV Texel, £1,637.54.
Lambs - 43 Bluefaced Leicester, Traditional, £1,019.23; 3 Bluefaced Leicester, Crossing type, £815.50; 4 Blue Texel, £315; 2 Berrichon, £840; 66 MV Charollais, £662.69; 117 MV Suffolk, £778.88; 166 Texel, £1,862.77.
Auctioneers: Clee, Tomkinson and Francis; Hexham and Northern Marts; Jones Peckover; McCartneys; Ruthin Farmers Auction Co; J. Straker Chadwick and Sons; and Michael Walton.
