Charollais sheep were in demand in Worcester on Saturday (4th July) as ram lambs peaked at 16,000gns and shearling rams met a new centre shearling record high of 12,000gns and averages up by more than £200 in the shearling rams and more than £650 in the ram lambs for considerably more stock sold, creating a centre record average for ram lambs of £2123.86.
Setting the sale ring alight were Messrs R G and R A Jones and Son of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, with their 5thDecember-born ram lamb, Robleston Elite. By the 10,000gns Cavick Da Vinci Code, a tup owned in a four-way partnership, this one is out of a Gwyndy female by Wernfawr Vinnie that was purchased for 2200gns at the Gwyndy dispersal sale.
After spirited bidding from the ringside, the hammer finally fell at 16,000gns with the lamb heading to Shepton Mallet, Somerset, for the Prestleigh flock of Tom Newth.
Next in the money with ram lambs was Stuart Ramsey, Kelso, Scottish Borders, with Skyefall Enigma selling for 10,000gns. By the homebred Springhill Adonis son, Skyefall Duke, this one is a son of the Wernfawr Ace daughter, Loaningfoot Broxi. Taking this one home north to Carlisle, Cumbria, was Jonathan Wales and family for the Thackwood flock.
Having secured a hat trick of ram lamb championships, Wymondham, Norfolk-based Mitchell and Elizabeth Britten went one step further to clinch their first Premier Sale championship. Selected by judge John Andrew of the Rowanston flock, Cavick End Game is the first son to be offered by the privately purchased Manor House Destino. Out of a homebred mother by Foxhill Va Va Voom, he was knocked down for 8800gns to Michael and Melanie Alford for the Foxhill flock at Cullompton, Devon.
Next up selling for 7500gns was Thackwood Enzo from Messrs Wales. By Springhill Corker and out of a Thackwood U Corker daughter, he will now be the junior stock ram for George Hoggard’s Manor House flock at Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Meanwhile, at 6000gns, the Jones family were back in action again with their second lot in the ring, Robleston Electric. Another by Cavick Da Vinci Code and this time out of a homebred female by Rhaeadr Real Deal, Electric proved to be the pick of the crop for the Dafalog flock of D A Thomas, Penybont, Carmarthen.
Closing the book with the final chapter of the Edstaston Charollais flock story, Robert and Jeanette Gregory, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, sold their last run of males at Worcester with their pen leader being the 5800gns Edstaston El Paraiso. By the 14,000gns Edstaston Dakota, this top 5% index lamb is out of a Fursdon female by Edstaston Best Bar One. He caught the eye of James Coe for Layer Marney Lamb, Colchester, Essex.
The Wales family’s Thackwood flock was back in the headlines again with Thackwood Endeavour selling for 5200gns. By the 4500gns Springhill Corker and out of a homebred Carnew White Lightening daughter, he was the pick of Helen Sloan and Hannah Jackson for their Rigghead flock, Collin, Dumfriesshire.
Next up trading at 5000gns was the pick of the Logie Durno pen of William and Carole Ingram, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire and the pre-sale reserve ram lamb champion, Logie Durno 26ZNN67438. Sired by Logie Durno Drambuie who is the sire of the family’s winning progeny group in the pre-sale show. This is the first lamb to be offered from the €11,000 record priced Irish-bred ewe lamb H1924029 and will now be stock sire for the Lavenham flock of Stephen Cobbald, Acton, Suffolk.
SHEARLING RAMS
Setting a new centre record for Charollais shearling rams was the multi award winning show ram from Michael and Melanie Alford, Cullompton, Devon, in the form of Foxhill Destroyer.
By the homebred sire Foxhill Chief and out of a homebred Logie Durno Olympian daughter, this one has picked up a haul of championship tickets across the UK prior to sale including the interbreed title at this year’s Royal Cornwall Show. A strong bidding battle finally saw the hammer fall at 12,000gns with Destroyer selling in a three-way partnership to Jeremy Price, Staunton-on-Wye, Herefordshire, T H Roberts, Ruthin, Denbighshire and Esmor Evans, Mold, Flintshire.
Next up at 6000gns was Thackwood Dominator from the Wales family. Another by Springhill Corker and this time out of a homebred female by Thackwood U Corker, this March-born shearing ram was the pick of Emily Scaman, Saleby, Lincolnshire, for her Hilltop flock.
Two shearling rams then commanded a 5000gns price tag, the first being the reserve shearling ram champion, Glyn Coch Discoland from Adrian Davies, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. By Wrenvale Mad 4 Ewe and out of a homebred Logie Durno Wall St daughter. Securing this one was G I Francis and Co, Newtown, Powys.
At the same money was the shearling ram champion and reserve overall champion from the Alford family. Again by Foxhill Chief, Foxhill Diddly Squat is out of a Logie Durno All Star homebred daughter and was the pick of F A Elsworthy, Tiverton, Devon, for the Elsridge flock.
FEMALE TRADE
Charollais females saw a top price of 3200gns for the second prize shearling ewe, Loanhead 25WNC60968 from Gregor and Bruce Ingram. A Foxhill Va Va Voom daughter out of a homebred Wernfawr Ace daughter, she heads back up to Sauchen, Aberdeenshire, for Laura Needham.
Next up in the shearling ewes with a call of 1900gns for Logie Durno 25ZNN60822 from William and Carole Ingram. By Cavick Balenciaga, this one joined the Elsworthy family’s load home to Tiverton, Devon.
Newark-based George Hoggard met a solid trade for his ewe lambs, topping at 2000gns on three occasions. The first was the female champion, Manor House Enyo. All three lambs are by the homebred Manor House Destino with the champion being out of a Logie Durno female. Securing this one was the Jones family for the Robleston flock.
Next up was Manor House Eileithyia, this time out of the Springhill Vodka sired Manor House Bond Girl. She caught the eye of Stephen Cobbald for the Lavenham flock, while the other at 2000gns was Manor House Espresso, a full sister to the female champion. She also heads to Haverfordwest for the Robleston flock.
OTHER LEADING RAM LAMB PRICES
- B B El Salvador from Ben Baker, sold for 4500gns to Dave Roberts, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
- Pembroke Easy Tiger from David Lewis, sold for 4500gns to Will Whiting, Liskeard, Cornwall.
- Loanhead 26WNC67546 from Gregor and Bruce Ingram, sold for 4500gns to E W Quick and Sons, Crediton, Devon.
- Arbryn Efan from P A Thomas, sold for 4500gns to Helen Sercombe, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
- Thackwood Eclipse from Messrs Wales, sold for 4000gns to Messrs Morgan, Hereford, Herefordshire.
- Carnew Excaliber from Jonathan Aiken, sold for 4000gns to P A Thomas, Whitland, Carmarthenshire.
OTHER LEADING SHEARLING RAM PRICES
- Thackwood Destiny from Messrs Wales, sold for 4800gns to C Lewis, Haverfordwest and P A and J Thomas, Whitland, Carmarthenshire.
- Foxhill Del Boy from Michael and Melanie Alford, sold for 4800gns to Einon Probert and Sons, Leominster, Herefordshire.
- Thackwood Dark Storm from Joe Wales, sold for 4800gns to R G an R A Jones and Son, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
- Loanhead 25WNC61002 from Gregor and Bruce Ingram, sold for 4000gns to R J Towers, Carnforth, Lancashire.
AVERAGES:
88 RAM LAMBS £2123.86; 35 SHEARLING RAMS £2712.00; 11 SHEARLING EWES £1603.64; 7 EWE LAMBS £1470.00 (MCCARTNEYS).
