Record Sale
A Texel shearling that sold for 20,000 guineas topped a record £3million turnover NSA Wales & Border Ram Sale at the Royal Welsh Showground.
Vendors and buyers were on top form as 2,600 rams went under the hammer. Turnover was up half a million pounds on last year at £3,023,828.75, with a clearance of 91.1%. The overall average was up from £694.63 to £1,161.67 giving an increase of £467.04.
NSA Wales & Border Chairman Geoff Probert was delighted with the day’s trading. A good number of quality rams and outstanding prices had achieved a lot of smiles. The auction system had worked well.
He said: “Today’s figures reflect an outstanding day’s trading. The vendors are very happy and buyers will be pleased with the quality of their purchases, reflecting the buoyancy of the sheep industry at the moment.”
The 20,000 guinea Montana Texel was one of six shearlings offered for sale by R&A Howells of Court Farm, St Mary Hill, in the Vale of Glamorgan. They have 65 Texel ewes plus 200 commercials and were exhilarated, having sold at Builth since 1989.
Robert Howells said: “We noticed this ram all summer. Now other people have seen his value today, so we’re pleased with how well he’s achieved his price in the market.”
Speaking for the Ellis family who bought the tup for their Cressage Flock, stockman Will McCaffrey was clearly exhilarated: “I’m over the moon. He’s very correct, he’s so wide and his back end and his loins are good.
“He’s so even in his back end and his legs are good. He has lovely white hair and he was the most correct sheep in the market on the day.”
A Charollais shearling sold for 8,000 guineas and a Charollais X for 1750. A Blue Texel ram sold for 3,800 guineas. A South Country Cheviot for 2,000 and a North Country Cheviot Park for 2,000 guineas. A Suffolk sold for 3,800 guineas.
An 11,000 guinea Blue Faced Leicester shearling bred by Aled Jones of Tal y Cafn, Colwyn Bay, sold to the McClymont Flock.
Aled and son Aron were delighted with their first yearling through the ring. It had been the champion in the pre-sale show, it was the pinnacle of the year to do so well at the Royal Welsh Showground.
And he praised his son: “Aron has been producing the stock and all year he has been telling me we had a good one. The ram has gone up to Kirkstead in Scotland with the McClymont family and we’re just so thrilled he’s found a good home.
The new prize for best Blue Faced Leicester pen of 11 to 30 sheep went to Ian and Wendy Jones, Upper Rheol, Erwood, who run the Underwood Flock.
