Kerry Hill shearling rams met a flying trade at the breed’s annual show and sale at Ludlow where prices peaked at 5500gns for a tup from John and Philippa Owens’ Woodhouse flock from Presteigne.
Sale leader from the Herefordshire-based flock was the pre-sale show champion, Woodhouse 2 Defender. Reserve male champion at this year’s Royal Welsh Show, he is sired by the Scottish ram Dalwyne Avici, bred by David Morrison, and is out of a home-bred ewe carrying home-bred lines on both sides. Backing his convictions, judge Will Evans purchased his choice of champion at 5500gns for his and J Etheridge’s Lowlands flock, based at Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
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The Woodhouse team continued their strong run of form selling the shearling, Woodhouse 2 Dare Devil for 3800gns. By Fronarth Champ and out of a Clayfield-sired home-bred female, he was knocked down to Ed Simmons and Kate Esler of the Kingswater flock, Clevedon, Somerset.
Another from the same stable by Dalwyne Avici, Woodhouse 2 Derrick, the reserve champion at Burwarton and Tenbury Shows, made 3500gns. He goes back to Sallens breeding on the dam line and sold to AT Probert of the Leinthall flock, Ludlow, Shropshire.
The long trip south from Lockerbie, also proved fruitful for Jack Graham, when he took 3200gns for Birsca Dark Magic. A son of the home-bred Birsca Black Magic, out of a Crochmaid female carrying Fronarth and Mowhaugh bloodlines, he sold back up to Scotland with D Brown, Creetown, Newton Stewart.
Also heading north, Stuart and Angie Burgess of the Top Spot flock from New Abbey, Dumfries, went to 3000gns for the shearling ram, Downwood Dewi, a Lowlands Cody son, from Jim Rowe and Tom Webb, Leominster, Hereford.
Also joining the Top Spot flock at 1700gns, was the lead priced female, Pentrenant Cracker, a ewe lamb and reserve female champion consigned by RF and DJ Price, Churchstoke, Powys.
On the income side, the couple sold the lead priced ram lamb at 1750gns. This was Top Spot Evoque, a son of Pentrenant Choir Boy. Reserve male and reserve overall at the pre-sale show, he was the pick of Anna Wilson, Nunthorpe, Middlesborough.
The female champion, a gimmer from the Woodhouse flock that stood second at the Royal Welsh, made 1600gns. By Dalwyne Zeus, she was purchased by Thomas Peters, Dumfries.
David Morrison, Dalwyne, Barr, forked out 1100gns for the ewe lamb Downwood Eye Candy, from Jim Rowe and Tom Webb. She is sired by Purclewan Callum
Auctioneers: McCartneys.
Averages: Seven ewes, £259.50; 52 gimmers, £410.11; 40 ewe lambs, £435.75; six ram lambs, £726.25; 26 shearling rams, £1240.21; four aged rams, £1454.25
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