A flying trade for shearling rams at the Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders’ annual sale of pedigree rams and females produced a top call and new club record price of 7,000gns (£7,350) for the first prize shearling ram.
Peter and Elizabeth Longdin’s February, 2021, Wellingley Emperors, of the Wellingley flock in Tickhill, Doncaster, is a semen-sired son of the £100,000 Sportsmans Batman.
Out of a dam by Wellingley Whiskey Galore, the venue record price shearling sold in a 50:50 split between Cheshire’s Ken Hodge, of Greenarch Texels in Mobberley, near Knutsford, and Scottish breeder John Elliot, of the Roxburgh flock in Kelso.
The Longdins followed up with a further sale highlight when hitting second top price of 4,800gns with Wellingley Elliott, another February, 2021, shearling, this time by the Beautry Achilles son, Hornacott Commander, out of a another ewe bred by Whiskey Galore, which joined DH Ryder, in Lindley, Otley.
Two other Longdin shearling rams made 2,000gns and 1,800gns, their six-strong consignment selling to an overall average of £3,115.
Other keenly sought sheep produced a 3,500gns sale for the first prize winner in the Signet recorded shearling ram show class from East Yorkshire father and son, Jack and Mark Lucas, who run the Fimber flock in the village of the same name near Driffield.
Their Fimber Emperor, a March, 2021, son of Rugley Bonzo, acquired three years ago and himself by Cambwell Trademark, out of an Ettrick Tartan Special-sired dam, had stood first prize shearling in local shows and reserve champion at Thornton Dale.
He too was claimed by the Hodge and Elliot partnership, who both major in breeding shearling rams and feel their Skipton purchases will fit well into their respective flocks.
Mr Elliot, who is a Texel Society South East of Scotland region board member and also serves on the Breed Development Committee, said: “The top price shearling is a ram with a lot of balance, a terrific carcase and skin, with very good breeding from well proven lines.
"While the Lucas ram is in the top 1% of the breed, again a terrific looking individual, backed up by excellent performance data.”
The two other rosette winners in the same show class both hit four figures, the runner-up from Jennifer Aiken’s Coniston flock in Wennington, Coniston Excalibur, a son of Mullan Chancellor, out of a Rugley Best Ever-sired dam, making 3,000gns, her trio forward averaging £1,960.
The Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders’ annual sale took place on September 15 and 16 at Skipton Auction Mart.
