A top price of 20,000 guineas for a champion Texel headlined a vibrant, sunny, main NSA Wales & Border Ram Sale. Turnover was a quarter of a million pounds up on last year at more than two and a half million pounds with a 92% clearance. The event was held at the Royal Welsh Showground and reflected confidence in the sheep industry, despite worries over blue tongue, paperwork and inheritance tax.
Chairman Geoff Probert said: “A huge effort by the whole of the team has duly been rewarded. It was probably the best standard of sheep ever seen at Builth and achieved the highest averages to date. “All through there has been a wonderful atmosphere, with everyone involved reflecting the confidence in the sheep sector at the moment.” The 20,000 guinea top price went to the champion Texel ram lamb. It was one of 12 Teilo ram lambs the Davies family brought to the NSA Wales & Border Main Sale and sold to Bruce Renwick for his Castlecairn flock. The family is renowned in Texel breeding and they run a flock of 25 pedigree ewes near Llandeilo.
Each family member works off the farm and they describe their sheep breeding as a ‘family hobby’. The breeding goes back many generations to the Amman flock. The Teilo flock is run by Cai Davies, a land agent, his wife, Sophie, student sister, Miri, his father, John Eirian, and mother, Lynwen. Cai said: “I’m ecstatic. It’s one of those days that don’t come around very often. Obviously! So we’re making the most of it.”
Two Blue Faced Leicester ram lambs each sold for the top price of 7,000 guineas. One was from the Espley Flock, run by Michael and Nicky Gray and the other from Alan McClymont’s Kirkstead Flock. The champion went to the Griffiths family, comprising John and Llinos Davies and their sons Harry and Tom. Their yearling ram had taken second in a strong class at the Royal Welsh Show. It sold to Brian Baker for his Olives Flock for 5,800 guineas. Harry said: “He has been a star at home from Day 1, but we didn’t really know how much of a star. He’s always been a favourite of ours.”
The Suffolk breed saw a 4,700 guinea top price for G Davies & Co’s Llanfechan yearling, sold to HE Havard & Co. Chris Davies was delighted, praising his tup as ‘the biggest we’ve ever bred, big and wide with a nice black head’. He was pleased with the ‘good, level trade’. The family run 25 pedigree Suffolk ewes alongside pedigree Beulahs, Blue Faced Leicesters and Charollais and ‘too many’ Section A ponies.
The highest price for a Charollais was 4,200 guineas and went to Paul Amphlett of Brecon for a ram lamb. The champion Charollais at the pre sale show is from the Roblestone Flock, Haverfordwest, bred by RG & RA Jones & Sons. Gareth Jones said the tup had been the first prize yearling at this year’s Royal Welsh Show. He was sired by Logie Durno Barbarian and sold for 2,400 guineas, while his half brother, the Reserve, sold for 3,000 guineas.
Two South Country Cheviots each made 3,200 guineas, with 100% of the sheep forward sold. A North Country Cheviot from Katie Davies of Rowen, Conwy, sold for the breed top price of 2,200 guineas.
An accredited Suffolk ram lamb from Gavin Rees, Llanwrda, sold for 2,700 guineas. A non accredited Texel from DE&G Davies & Son sold for 3,200 guineas.
NOTE: The number of sheep sold at the NSA Wales & Border main sale amounted to 2,411, 92% of those forward. Turnover was £2,517,845.55, more than a quarter of a million up on last year. Top prices and averages were buoyant across the breeds and the individual average price of a tup increased by 50% to £1044 this year.
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