Two loyal and long-standing breed stalwarts shared the headlines at the annual British Charollais Sheep Society show and sale of commercial rams at Skipton Auction Mart. (Tues, Sept 15)
Supreme championship honours were awarded to a shearling ram from Charles and Valerie Marwood, who run the Foulrice flock at Whenby, York, and are no strangers to success at the Skipton show, having sent out title winners in past years.
This year’s March-born victor, out of a home-bred ewe, is by Ash Charollais Filibuster, bred by Alison Lewis, of, Much Birch, Hereford, and acquired by the Marwoods as a lamb for 2,100 guineas in 2005.
He has since proved a highly successful stock ram, being described as a "tremendous carcass breeder" by Mr Marwood. The same sire was also responsible for the second prize ewe at the Royal Welsh Show and the first prize lamb and reserve male champion at the 2008 Great Yorkshire Show.
The Skipton title winner sold locally for the day’s joint top call of 620gns to Jim and Diane Wood, of Scale Farm, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, who paid the same price for another Marwood shearling ram, fourth in class, by Cwn Dunrig Edward. For 15 years, the Woods have been using Charollais rams on their Swaledale sheep to produce prime lambs.
For good measure, the Marwoods also sent out the second prize shearling ram, again by Cwn Dunrig Edward, with the couple selling five shearlings in total at an average of £586.
Their daughter Deborah Whitcher, whose Galtres flock is also based at Whenby, kept it in the family by showing the third prize shearling ram, a son of Bachymbyd Griff, which became another Jim and Diane Wood acquisition at 520gns.
Reserve champion was a December-born ram lamb from the Cumbrian-based Wraycastle flock of JA and R Geldard & Sons, Low Foulshaw Farm, Kendal, who exhibited the supreme champion at last year’s Skipton fixture.
Shown by Richard Geldard, the son of Banwy Immense was acquired last year from Welsh breeder Arwel Owen, of Foel, Welshpool. One of twins out of a home-bred dam, the 2009 runner-up joined judge Robert Greenwood, West Marton, for 580gns.
The Geldards also sent out a second Banwy Immense son to be third in class, the pair split by another Marwood youngster, again by Ash Charollais Filibuster, sold for 440gns to Lincolnshire buyers R I Clough & Son, Halton Halgate, Spilsby.
First-time Skipton Charollais exhibitor Cyril Dougherty, of Kirby Misperton, Malton, sold his 5th prize ram lamb by Arjane Hardy, champion at the 2007 Worcester Premier Sale, for 400gns to Matt Mason, Appletreewick.
Sale averages showed an improvement on the 2008 fixture, with shearling rams averaging £437 (£405.56 last year) and ram lambs £302 (£280 in 2008).
