Dutch Spotted sheep breeders were brought down to earth with a bit of a thud at their breed show and sale at Carlisle where averages all sections bar one, fell on the year.
Following last year’s record breaking trade of 28,000gns for a ram lamb, this year’s event was led by females selling at 16,000gns and 12,000gns.
Sale leader was Cannon Hall Faye, an ET gimmer daughter of Drumhirk Decider, from Richard Nicholson’s well-known TV open farm at Cannon Hall, Cawthorne, Barnsley. Bred from an imported ewe, she was knocked down to Henry Jewitt, Barnard Castle, Co Durham.
Another by the same sire and from the same stable, Cannon Hall Fable ET, made 3000gns selling up to Keith with Messrs Riddoch. She is bred from an imported ewe.
Longfield Forest, a gimmer from Northern Ireland breeder, Robert Nelson, Glenarm, sold next at 12,000gns to Jonathan and Janet Corbett buying for their Wedderburn flock from Newent, Glocs. Her pedigree features Challoch Bearskin onto Glencoy Brooklynn, a daughter of an imported ram.
Bearskin was also the sire of Longfield Florrie ET, from the same home which made 5000gns to an undisclosed buyer. Florrie is bred from the £3500 Highmead Edit, by A Noah of Glencoy.
The female champion, and supreme overall, a ewe lamb from ARP and DR Wilson, Cnwch, Llandrindod Wells, went under the hammer for 7000gns when selling to Messrs Jones, Kirkby Stephen. This was Cnwch Gypsey Vanner, a February-born ET and the result of a flush from the Hiroshima-sired Cnwch Esperanza and got by semen from the imported Dutchman.
Females from Tom and Louise Nash’s Merryboro flock, Wiston, Haverfordwest, sold to 4000gns for Merryboro Flower, a gimmer by the imported Boris, out of an imported Darkside ewe. She headed home with Darren Mattia, buying for the How Caple flock from Hereford.
Top price for Oliver Watson’s C View flock from Beckside, Pennington, Cumbria, was 3500gns for the March-born ewe lamb C View Glitter Bomb, a natural-born daughter of the 7000gns Hazelberry Fatboy Slim. Bred from an imported ewe and fourth at the pre-sale show, Glitter Bomb headed home with B Chew, Bingley.
Another two females sold at 3000gns with the first, Broadwater Flower ET, a gimmer from Northern Ireland breeder, J Johnston, Aghalee, Co Antrim, knocked down to Messrs Palmer, Clitheroe. Her pedigree features McDermott’s Eminem and Ty-Gwyn Divine.
Later, DB Roberts, Leasowes, Kenley, Shrewsbury, went to the same money for the first prize ewe lamb, CJ Johnstown’s Johnstown Glamour ET, from Killarbran, Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone. Living up to her name was a March-born entry by Saveock Espresso Martini out of the Spaniard imported-sired ewe, Glencoy Charlene.
Rams were topped at 7500gns by M and R McCornick’s three-shear ram, Westbroad Diego, from Barquhill, Wigtown, Newton Stewart. Reserve male champion at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2021 and the sire of this year’s breed leader at the Royal Highland and the Great Yorkshire, this big lad bred by Duncan Welsh is by Ancholme Casper and out of a Westbroad ewe by an imported sire. He sold across to Ireland with Messrs McGettigan, Co Donegal.
The male champion at this year’s Royal Highland, Irthing Valley Goliath, an ET-bred ram lamb from Nick Brown, Carlisle, sold next at 5000gns. Second in the February-born ram lamb class, he is by an imported sire and the result of a flush from Irthing Valley Emma, a Westbroad B Explorer daughter. Goliath sold jointly to Messrs Bradly, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland and Messrs Jones, Gwynedd.
It was another two-way partnership that bought the 4000gns Back Tor Godzilla ET from J Simpson and S Shirt, Middleton,Hope Valley, Derbyshire. Drew Guthrie, Myreside, Selkirk and Andrew Beattie and Lauren Kennedy, Carlaustan, Kippen, Stirling, forked out the money for this February-born ram lamb by Mount Pleasant Freeze and bred from Tiptop Easy Girl.
The same home also produced overall champion, Back Tor Gunner, a ram lamb that made 3200gns to Cannon Hall Farm. He is by Diamond Fandabbydozzy and out of Tiptop Diamond by Westbroad B Explorer.
Milltown Fury ET, the first prize shearling and reserve male from A and R McCutcheon, Bodoney flock from Trillick, Co Tyrone, made 3800gns. His pedigree features Drumhirk Decider, while his dam is Diamond Destiny by a Spaniard import. The buyers were Messrs Williams and Co, Abergele, Clwyd, Denbighshire.
Just behind, on 3000gns, the Whitefords from Tercrosset, Brampton, bought Callum Dodd’s February-born ET lamb, Hazelberry Gee Wizz, from Pearsbyhall Farm,Tundergarth, Lockerbie. Another by Drumhirk Decider but bred from an imported Bali ewe, he is a full brother to the 7000gns Hazelberry Fatboy Slim and stood fourth in his class at the pre-sale show.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Averages: MV accredited – Three aged rams, £3073.00 (+£1947.75 for three less); 39 shearling rams, £798.00 (-£280 for nine more sold); 80 ram lambs, £761.64 (-£418.34 for 23 fewer); 11 ewes, £420.95 (-£419.05 for eight more); 84 gimmers, £1601.50 (-£192.07 for 35 more); 93 ewe lambs, £949.62 (-£643.50 for nine less).
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