A strong demand for Charollais shearling rams and ram lambs resulted in a high clearance and a top price of 4200gns at this week’s NSA Main Builth Sale. 

Sale leader was a February-born ram lamb from Paul Amphlett and family, Brecon. Tawelfa 25WBX03043 is by an Oakchurch sire out of a homebred female by Rhaeadr Vogue.

Having stood reserve champion in the pre-sale show under judge Neil Oughton, Powys, he backed his conviction by purchasing the tup in partnership with Tom Newth of the Prestleigh flock, Shepton Mallet, Somerset and Grant Pink of the Bicton flock, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 

Next up was another ram lamb first prize winner in the form of Paul Curran’s Wernfawr 25XEV02690, a son of Glyn Coch Ace out of a homebred Glyn Coch Volcano daughter. The grand dam of this ram lamb produced this year’s first prize ewe lamb at the Royal Welsh and a further ewe lamb that sold for 1300gns at Hereford High Flyers. Taking this one home back to Shepton Mallet was Tom Newth for his Prestleigh flock.

Also in the money in the ram lamb offering at 2400gns was the Thomas family of Pen-Y-Bont, Carmarthenshire. Dafolog Doubleoseven 25FVFC00666 is by the 5000gns Springhill Bright Spark and out of a homebred female by Manxman Nessie and caught the eye of Sam Furness, Wheston, Derbyshire. 

Continuing their run of lambs, the Thomas family then sold Dafolog 25VFC00669, a Dafolog Crackerjack son carrying Tawelfa breeding for 2100gns, along with Dafolog 25VFC00644, an Edstaston Best Bar One son with Cavick What A Boy! on the dam side for 1600gns. Buyers here were R Jones, Powys and the Marwood family for their Foulrice flock, Whenby, North Yorkshire. 

Shearling rams 

The Jones family of the Robleston flock, based at Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, dominated proceedings in the shearling ram offering with their top price being 3000gns for a son of Logie Durno Barbarian, out of a Rhaeadr Real Deal daughter. Robleston 24WGN06852 stood second in his class to the overall champion from the same flock and went home with A J and T Snaith, Thropton, Northumberland. 

Next up was the pre-sale overall champion, Robleston 24WGN06839, another son of Barbarian out of an Arbryn Tonto homebred daughter. This one stood first in the shearling ram class at the Royal Welsh Show this year and was the pick of Messrs Heath and Cowles, Tregare, Monmouthshire, at 2400gns.

Next up for the Robleston string was a call of 2200gns securing Robleston 24WGN06945, another Barbarian son, this time out of a homebred daughter by Skyefall Virgil Van Dijk. Having been used successfully as a ram lamb producing this year’s male champion at the Royal Welsh Show, the final bid fell to S Taylor, Coventry, Warwickshire. 

The best from Mold, Flintshire-based Esmor Evans’s Maerdy flock was a 1900gns shearling in the form of Maerdy 24WLS04750. A son of Boyo Uncle Tom and out of a Rhaeadr Superstar daughter, he found a new home with D T and S M Owens, Pembridge, Herefordshire. 

Next up at 1800gns was another from the Jones family in the form of Robleston 24WGN06924, a Robleston Be Rich son out of a Gwyndy female by Wernfawr Vinnie. This one heads to Hunmanby, North Yorks with T and J Hunter for the Skelton Whin flock. 

Two shearling rams then followed at 1700gns, the first being another from the Robleston flock for another Barbarian son selling to B Jones, Sarn, Gwynedd, while at the same money was the best of Haverfordwest-based Carwyn Lewis’ Riverside pen for a Logie Durno Barracuda son, which sold to R J and J Towers, Ingleton, Yorkshire. 

Averages: 75 ram lambs £887.32; 104 shearling rams £973.88; 4 ewe lambs £372.75; 3 aged rams £892.50 (Herford Market Auctioneers).