Some 19 four-figure prices and ram lamb averages up £155 on the year, ensured most breeders headed home from the Hampshire Down Premier Sale at Shrewsbury, in a buoyant mood.
It was a particularly good day for Yorkshire breeder, Louis Stainthorpe’s Whitby flock when he sold the three top priced ram lambs at 4500gns, 3600gns and 3000gns.
Dearest was a son of Whitby Dracula – last year’s champion at the Carlisle sale, out of a home-bred ewe. He headed home with Graham and Judith Galbraith of the Graylen flock, Kendal, who first spotted him at the National Training weekend.
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The 3000gns Whitby lamb was also sired by Whitby Dracula and out of a Wilstrop Legend daughter. He was bought by DJ Taylor, Taunton, Somerset.
Irene Steel of the Powblack flock, Stirling bought the 3600gns lamb, a son of Treworthal Poldark, out of a Thorbeck ewe.
Judge, Roy McFarlane of the Lecropt flock, Bridge of Allan, found his supreme in a ram lamb from Henry Derryman and family’s Yarcombe flock, Devon, which later sold for 2300gns. Breed and inter-breed ram lamb champion at the Devon County Show the previous week, he is sired by Millfields Sergeant and out of a home-bred Ballycreelly Duke daughter. He sold back down to Devon with Crediton-based R Reddaway.
At 2200gns Graham and Judith Galbraith, sold a lamb from the Graylen flock to T and N Bougourd, Loxhill, Somerset. The breeding behind this transaction includes the home-bred Quartermaster, onto a ewe by Wilstrop Legend.
Top price amongst the shearling rams was 1200gns from Sophie Manners and Joe Dilibero, Towcester, Northants. Their Seawell ram by Wilstrop Legend and out of a Yarcombe ewe headed home to Watchet, Somerset, with Lucy Heywood of theThornfalcon flock.
Females peaked at 1900gns for a gimmer from Austyn Chapman and Nikki Wadkins Eppleby flock, based at Richmond, North Yorkshire. A daughter of Chaddlehanger King Eric, bred from a Lepcropt-bred ewe, she was bought by C Hadwin, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria.
The reserve female, a gimmer from Louis Stainthorpe’s Whitby flock, made 1600gns to Harry Elsden, Welyn, Hertfordshire. She is by Whitby Storm. Whitby also took 1400gns for a ewe lamb by Treworthal Poldark, purchased by David and Denise Middleditch, Sudbury, Essex.
Matching that 1400gns bid was a ewe lamb entry from Henry Derryman and family. Yarcombe. She is sired by Millfields Sergeant and caught the eye of Harry Elsden.
Averages: 34 ram lambs £1110.22 (+£155); five shearling rams £875.70; 14 gimmers, £656.25; 15 ewe lambs, £828.80.
Auctioneers: Halls, Shrewsbury.
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