Despite a smaller entry at this year's NSA Early Builth sale, demand was still strong with a 71 per cent clearance and the top price seen in the Charollais ring.
Charles Marwood's Foulrice Charollais flock saw the highest price of the day - 3,800gns. The February-born yearling is notified and out of a home-bred ewe, and sired by one of their stock tups, Lowerye Vulcan.
After winning second prize in the recorded class, it went under the hammer to be purchased by Hywel and Avril Rees, Vale of Glamorgan, where it will be used on their Llynfi flock of Charollais.
Mr Marwood has retained a twin brother as a stock ram which is in the top one per cent of the breed and won second prize shearling at the Great Yorkshire Show.
The next highest price in the ring, at 2,000gns, went to a notified Charollais yearling from the Jones family, Pembroke's Roblestone flock. The December 2021-born ram is one of a triplet, sired by 10,000gns Loanhead Washington and out of a home-bred ewe. It has found a new home with R.J. Towers, Ingelton, Yorkshire.
A price of 1,100gns was achieved for yearling Arbryn Ace, which was awarded breed champion in the pre-sale show, from Arwyn Thomas, Carmarthen. It is sired by Hyde Vinny and out of a Dalby ewe. Shown successfully as a ram lamb, it picked up second at the Royal Welsh and was then used on some of their pedigree ewes. S.R. Lang purchased it to take home to Plympton, Plymouth.
Gwent-based G. Jones hit 1,000gns for a yearling ram from their Springfield flock. The daughter of a home-bred ewe, the lamb is sired by Loanhead Vantastic and now calls Haverfordwest home with R. Chinn.
Topping the ram lamb trade at 650gns was Tim Prichard, Llantrisant, Glamorgan. This was Mr Pritchard's last crop of rams to sell after he dispersed his Castellau flock earlier this year with an on-farm sale.
The December 2022-born lamb is home-bred on both sides, sired by Castellau Va Va Voom which was second at last year's Royal Welsh. It was purchased by Messrs Davies, Ceredigion.
Mr Pritchard also had the next two top prices of 520gns and 500gns.
The Loosebeare flock topped the Texel trade, with yearling ram, Loosebeare Foxy, going under the hammer for 1,150gns. The March 2022-born ram is sired by Loosebeare Dynamic and out of a Canllefaes ewe. It sold to Lewis Rea, Hay-On-Wye, for his newly established Cusop flock, where it will run with nine pedigree ewes.
Rusell and Gill Watkins, Herefordshire, saw the next top price of 1,100gns for Millend Flame, a March 2022-born ram which is home-bred on both sides, sired by a Peacehay bred ram. It was purchased by C. Gittoes.
Another ram reaching 1,000gns was Peacehay First Pick, from F.H. Chave, Somerset. The February 2022-born ram is sired by Tullagh Dizzee Rascal and out of a home-bred ewe with brothers that reached 6,000gns. It sold to A. Davies.
The Peacehay pen was home to the Texel breed champion of the day under judge Adiran Davies, Glyncoch. Peacehay Footprint is also sired by Tullagh Dizzee Rascal. It went under the hammer for 900gns to E.M. Williams.
Reserve champion was awarded to Corras Fernando from Rob and Nesta Watkins, Hereford. The February 2022-born ram is sired by Langside Dan Dare and sold for 1,000gns to H. Guile.
Cross-breds
Demand was high in the cross-bred ring, topping at 1,260gns from Jan Boomaars, Kent. The Charollais cross-bred yearling sold to O. and C. Roberts, Llandovery.
The next highest price was 1,050gns for a three-quarter bred yearling Beltex ram from Tim Pritchard. This sold to K. Davies, Cray. Mr Pitchard's pen of three rams saw an average of 970gns.
Adrian Davies, Llandeilo, reached 1,050gns twice with two Beltex cross Charollais yearling. These sold to E. Evans, Ceridigion, and J. Evans, Carmarthen.
Suffolk yearlings from B. Jones, Gower, topped at 750gns and sold to A.L. Morgan, Talybont-On-Usk.
Averages: Charollais, 75 yearling rams, £6768.85; 38 ram lambs, £462.00; Texel, 63 yearling rams, £711.14; 3 yearling ewes, £420.00; Suffolk, 4 yearling rams, £770.00; Beltex cross, 28 yearling rams, £762.50; Texel cross, 5 yearling rams, £787.50; Charollais cross, 5 yearling rams, £550.20.
Auctioneers: Clee, Tomkinson and Francis, Hereford Market Auctioneers and McCartneys.
