Quality shearling rams were thoroughly in demand at this year’s NSA Builth Man Sale, with trade witnessing a new centre record of 8000gns and a record average of £1116.96 for 207 shearling rams sold. 

Leading the trade was the pre-sale reserve champion and this year’s reserve male champion from the Royal Welsh Show, Foxholes Darkhorse, from father and son team, Nick and Huw Layton, Lyonshall, Herefordshire. By Loanhead Washington and out of a Robleston female by Arbryn Tonto, this one heads to Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, with the Ingram family. 

Next best at 5000gns was a shearling ram from Huw Roberts, Ruthin, Clwyd, with Bachymbyd 25YMH04284. By Pembroke Benchmark and carrying homebred breeding on the dam side, this one was the pick of Sam Furness, Wheston, Derbyshire. 

At 4000gns came the pick of the Robleston pen of R G and R A Jones and Son, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, with Robleston 25WGN07418, a son of the £7000 Robleston Be Rich out of a Gwyndy female by Wedderburn Rogue. This one has gone back with the Probert family, for the Mortimer flock, Holt Heath, Worcestershire. 

Meanwhile, his pen mate, Robleston 25WGN07473, was the pick of judge Hannah Jackson of the Rigghead flock in the show ring to take the pre-sale overall championship and joins the previously mentioned Robleston top price on the trailer back to Worcestershire with the Probert family. This one is by Robleston 24WGN06945 and is out of another Gwyndy female, again by Wedderburn Rogue.  

Huw Roberts was back in action with another from his Bachymbyd flock, this time with another son of Pembroke Benchmark and out of a homebred daughter by Cavick What A Boy! Taking this one home at 2100gns was Esmor Evans, Mold, Flintshire, for the Maerdy flock. 

Next up at 2000gns was another from the Layton family, in the form of Foxholes 25VNU02357, an Artnagullion Turbo son out of a Padest female, by Castellau U Beauty. The hammer fell for this one to Eynon Farms, Beulah, Powys. 

Ram lambs 

Ram lambs peaked at 2100gns for the Daflog pen of D J Thomas, Penybont, Carmarthenshire. Dafolog 26VFC01019 is by Moelfryn Ding Dong and is out of a homebred female by Dafolog Umpire. This one was snapped up by the Davies family, Manordeilo, Carmarthenshire, for the Glyn Coch flock. 

From the same pen came Dafolog 26VFC01087, a Dafolog Crackerjack son out of an Oakchurch female by Cavick Whgat A Boy! This January-born lamb sold to B and R Farming, Newtown, Powys. 

A class winner from the Wernfawr pen of Paul Curran then sold for 1500gns. Wernfawr 26XEV02869 is by the 10,000gns jointly owned Cavic Davinci Code and is out of a Dalby female by Edstaston Tullooch and was third at this year’s Royal Welsh Show. Backing her convictions from the judging ring was Hannah Jackson and the Sloan family for the Rigghead flock, Dumfriesshire.  

Other leading shearling ram prices:

• B and M Farming Ltd, sold Firtree 25VHZ00106 (by Galtres 22ZKT04116), for 1950gns to C W Marwood and Son, North Yorkshire. 
• Hopkins Partners, sold Gwilli 25BC00282 (Trebarried flock) (by Loanhead Al Pacino), for 1700gns to J Phillips and Son, Lisvane, Cardiff. 
• Hopkins Partners, sold Trebarried 25WUT00703 (by Loanhead Al Pacino), for 1650gns to J Phillips and Son, Lisvane, Cardiff. 
• Hopkins Partners, sold Trebarried 25WUT00697 (by Loanhead Al Pacino), for 1650gns to D J and M D Prosser and H R Jones, Libanus, Powys. 
• E Probert and Sons, sold Mortimer 25HH09482 (by Prestleigh Achilles), for 1600gns to J P Manns, Gloucestershire. 
• Huw Roberts, sold Bachymbyd 25YMH04272 (by Pembroke Benchmark), for 1600gns to R C and N A Ellis, Flintshire. 
• R G and R A Jones and Son, sold Robleston 25WGN07464 (by Robleston Be Rich), for 1600gns to R and A Howells, Bridgend. 
• A J and T Snaith, sold Burgh Hill 25WCS16173 (by Logie Durno Bruno), for 1600gns, to D Lewis, Narbeth, Pembrokeshire. 

Averages: 207 shearling rams £1116.96; 106 ram lambs £662.69; 3 aged rams £962.50; 4 shearling ewes £693.00 (Hereford Livestock Market).