Shearling rams were on flying form at Ludlow on Saturday (7th September) for the annual Kerry Hill sale, which saw a top price of 5500gns for the Owens family’s Woodhouse flock.
Sale leader from the Presteigne, Herefordshire-based flock was the pre-sale show champion, Woodhouse 2 Defender. Having stood reserve male champion at this year’s Royal Welsh Show, he’s by Dalwyne Avici and is out of a homebred ewe carrying homebred lines on both sides. Backing his convictions, judge Will Evans purchased his championship choice at 5500gns for his and J Etheridge’s Lowlands flock, based at Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
The Woodhouse team continued their strong run of form selling another shearling ram, Woodhouse 2 Dare Devil for 3800gns. By Fronarth Champ and out of a Clayfield-sired homebred female, this one was knocked down to Ed Simmons and Kate Esler for their Kingswater flock, Clevedon, Somerset.
Next best at 3500gns was yet another from the Woodhouse string, this time Woodhouse 2 Derrick. Reserve champion at Burwarton and Tenbury Shows this year, this one is another Dalwyne Avici son going back to Sallens breeding on the dam line. Taking this one home to Ludlow, Shropshire, was A T Probert, for the Leinthall flock.
Next up at 3200gns was Birsca Dark Magic from Jack Graham, who made the journey down from Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire. By the homebred sire Birsca Black Magic and out of a Crochmaid female carrying Fronarth and Mowhaugh bloodlines, this one was knocked down to D Brown, Creetown, Dumfries and Galloway.
Leominster, Herefordshire-based breeders Jim Rowe and Tom Webb then took 3000gns for their shearling ram, Downwood Dewi, a Lowlands Cody son out of a homebred dam by a Garregllwyd sire. This one headed north with Angie Burgess for the Top Spot flock, New Abbey, Dumfries.
Aged rams then saw a top call of 2750gns for Woodhouse 2 Chaos, from A McConnell, Broughshane, Co Antrim. By a Downwood ram and carrying Clayfield blood on the dam line, this one was the pick of S Lane, Newtown, Powys.
Meanwhile, ram lamb topped at 1750gns for Top Spot Evoque from previous buyer Angie Burgess. By Pentrenant Choir Boy, he’s out of a homebred dam by a Marlbrook ram and won the ram lamb class before going reserve male and reserve overall champion in the pre-sale show. This one was the pick of Anna Wilson, Nunthorpe, Middlesborough.
Female trade was steady across the board with a top price of 1700gns for the first prize ewe lamb and reserve female champion from the pre-sale show, Pentrenant Cracker from Mr and Mrs R F and D J Price, Churchstoke, Powys. This one joined the journey home to New Abbey, Dumfries, with Angie Burgess.
Next best at 1600gns was the female champion, a shearling ewe from the Woodhouse team. By Dalwyne Zeus and out of a homebred female by a Pentrenant ram, this one previously stood second at this year’s Royal Welsh Show. She heads to Dumfries with Thomas Peters.
Then at 1350gns was the best ewe lamb from Leominster, Herefordshire-based John Croose’s Marlbrook pen. Homebred on both sides, this one was knocked down to R Mawson, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Jim Rowe and Tom Webb were back in action selling ewe lambs, their best being Downwood Eye Candy at 1100gns. By Purclewan Callum and out of a homebred dam by a Glenro ram, she sold to D Morrison, Girvan, Ayrshire. From the same pen was Downwood Enchanted, this time by Lowlands Candy and selling to G W Jones, Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
Averages: 7 ewes £259.50; 52 shearling ewes £410.11; 40 ewe lambs £435.75; 6 ram lambs £726.25; 26 shearling rams £1240.21; 4 aged rams £1454.25 (McCartneys).
