NSA Wales & Border Main Ram Sale
Date: 17th September 2018
Location: Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells
The highest price at the 40th anniversary NSA Wales & Border Ram Sale went to a Blue Faced Leicester ram. The 12,000 guinea sale was the highlight of a day that saw good rams sell well, but that otherwise reflected the current political and weather concerns.
There was an 80% clearance of the 4,727 rams forward. Turnover was £1.84million, 5% down on the previous year.
Executive Director Jane Smith said: “In a year when trade has been unpredictable, we’ve seen a fairly solid trade with some really high prices for top tups. Prices reflected the fact that it’s been such a difficult year and some farmers are into winter supplies. It’s really concentrated minds.”
The 12,000 guinea ram was sold by Vale of Glamorgan couple, semi-retired Tudor and Janet Harris. The Bonvilston yearling was out of a home bred ewe put to the sire, Cendy.
It had won the breed yearling class at the pre sale show and was Reserve Champion. It sold jointly to Hazel Brown, Leadburnlea, and Martin Qunn of Whinnyhall, Fife. A Blue Faced Leicester ram lamb from Scott Thomason, Piel View Flock, Barrow-in-Furness, sold for 5,000 guineas.
The highest priced Texel was the breed champion, a Canllefaes yearling at 5,200 guineas. It was one of 13 tups brought to Builth and all sold by brother and sister team, Euros and Myfannwy Davies.
Euros said: “The trade went better than I had expected. People are getting choosier every year. I put it down to the hard Spring. People were feeding ewes all summer so have spent a lot of money on feed.”
A home bred shearling from Geoff and Bridget Probert’s Mortimer Flock topped the Charollais trade at 4,000 guineas. It is out of a Foulrice tup and sold to Huw Roberts, who runs the Bachymbyd flock at Ruthin and is the third ram he has bought from them.
Other top prices included 3,800 guineas for a Texel from Geoffrey Stringer, Talgarth and 3,800 guineas for an unregistered Texel. A Blue Texel made 2,200 guineas. A Berrichon ram lamb sold for 2,200 guineas, a Lleyn shearling for 2,000 guineas, while retiring Suffolk producer, John Sinnett, secured the highest Suffolk price of 1500 guineas.
A Beltex shearling topped the breed trade at 1300 guineas. A Border Leicester sold for 1100 guineas. A Badger Face sold for 1240 guineas and a Welsh Mountain for 1200 guineas. A South Country Cheviot sold for 1100 guineas.
