NSA Wales & Border Main Ram Sale 2017

Date: 25th September 2017

Location: Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, LD2 3SY

A Blue Faced Leicester ram lamb topped a lively trade at the NSA Wales & Border Main Ram Sale on the Royal Welsh Showground, selling for 9,500 guineas. The sale turnover was well up on last year at £2, 225,138, with 87% sold and averages up on last year.

NSA Wales & Border Executive Director Jane Smith was pleased with the day’s trading. She said: “Turnover was £13,000 up on last year, with a similar number of rams sold and a strong, steady, trade for good, commercial tups across the breeds.”

Chairman John Owens added: “We have had another successful sale with increased turnover, a good clearance and the average price is up on last year. Generally, people were happy with the trade.”

The NSA Wales & Border Ram Sale Chairman’s Suffolk tup achieved the breed’s top price. It was sold by J & P Owens to G Davies & Co, Llangamarch Wells, for 1500 guineas

The headline price went to Michael and Nicky Gray, who run the Espley Flock of Blue Faced Leicesters near Morpeth in Northumberland. The ram lamb was originally one of quads, the second surviving ram will be sold next year as a shearling and his full brother sold at Builth Wells last year for 7,500 guineas.

It went to W & C Ingram of Logie Durno, Pitcaple, Aberdeen, and was breed champion at the pre sale show. The ram was out of F2 Ashes and a dam out of C15 Gurgoer, whose twin lambs sold last year for 7,500 guineas and 2,500 guineas respectively.

The 9,500 guineas was the highest price the Gray family have yet achieved. It followed a run of high prices for the breed, including tups selling at 5,000 guineas and 4,000 guineas.

It was a good day, too, for the Texel breed and in particular for Michael James, whose Duhonw flock is based just a short distance from the Royal Welsh Showground. His 8,600 guinea shearling lamb was one of a pen that sold for 8,000, 5,200 (2 rams @ 5,200 gns each), 3,100 and 2,900 guineas, averaging £2,595 for 18 shearlings.

His headline price shearling won the first prize in the pre sale breed recorded ram class before the sale, one of a bunch of rosettes won by Michael James.

 Lleyn bred by Derek Steen of Lockerbie sold for 3,500 guineas The shearling sold to S J Kavanagh. Simon Kavanagh, from Skipton, who has been trading at the Builth sale since 2002 praised: ‘the good, correct and stylish tup with a straight top line’.

The highest priced Charollais was sold by Jeremy Price of Oakchurch Farm, Staunton on Wye, Hereford. It went for 2,850 guineas to Joe Powell of Welshpool, The highest priced Charollais ram lamb was sold for 2,300 guineas by the Corbett family of Newent, Gloucestershire, to David Roberts who runs the Shropshire based Boyo Flock.

The Border Leicester sale was topped by a ram sold for 2,500 guineas by Roddy and Libby Jones to the Richards family of Park Farm, Crosswell. The shearling is the ‘best ram we have ever bred’ according to the couple and won the pre sale breed championship. They have been selling at the NSA Wales & Border Main Sale since 1984 and had the two highest breed prices last year,1350 and 1250 guineas.

A North Country Cheviot, sold by Peebleshire based Cockburn and Partners, went to Jane Jackson, Lockerbie, for 1800 guineas. A Beltex sold for 1600 guineas from Dafydd Lewis of Llanwrda to Evans of Cwm Saeson, Llanarth, and a Beltex X from Michael Owens of Llandussul sold for 1650 guineas to D J Lloyd & co, Trefeglwys..

A Blue Texel ewe from David Alexander, Ayrshire, sold to CC & S Edwards of Bishops Castle for 1500 guineas. A Balwen from G Morgan of Llanfynydd, Carmarthen, sold for 880 guineas to Mrs Jones of Abergele. A Berrichon ram lamb from BC & JW Evans of Trefeglwys, Powys, sold to Chris Jackson of Lancashire for 800 guineas.

A Badger Face ram lamb from the Joseph family of Brecon sold for 850 guineas to D Harries of Llangadog.

 

The days top price ram from the Epsley flock, Northumberland
The days top price ram from the Epsley flock, Northumberland