NSA
Wales and Border Ram Sale at Builth Wells
Monday 18th September 2006
A record price of 6,200 guineas was achieved during
a day of strong trading at the NSA Wales and Border
Ram Sale at Builth Wells. There was a definite buzz
on the Royal Welsh Showground from early on as buyers
arrived early to select from more than 8,000 rams of
40 different breeds in 20 different marquees.
Turnover was slightly up on last year at £1.85
million, with a very high 82% clearance. Averages
across the breeds were also up at £309.33.
A dozen rams made four figure sums.
Chairman George Hughes said he had been pleased
to note that many buyers were out early looking at
pens in order to select a purchase. It had been a
good sign.
“It was a strong trade with an exceptional
choice of quality rams with many high prices”,
he added. “After a difficult summer the way
sheep have sold here has demonstrated the confidence
buyers have in the sheep we offer for sale here.
"The sale has become a real attraction for
sheep people and it's amazing how far they have come
from. They are here from Scotland and a fair number
from Ireland and they've come both to buy and to
sell".
The champion Texel, a shearling jointly owned by
Cefin Pryce and Gwyndaf Watkins, sold for 6,200 guineas.
. It went to Simon Lorman, who runs the Ora Flock
at Oranges Farm, Sherbourne, Cheltenham. and was
a great boost for Cefin, a builder and part time
farmer from Llanfair Caereinion as it follows his
achievement earlier in the month when he had 4,000
guineas for the highest priced Texel at the Welsh
National sale
Also celebrating were Charollais breeders Arwyn
and Jane Thomas, of Fferm Bryn Gwyn, Whitland. They
achieved a price of 1,800 guineas for the breed champion.
The ram lamb had been one of the winning interbreed
group of three at the Royal Welsh this year. It sold
to Elizabeth Gore of T W Gore Farms Ltd, Radley Farm,
Hungerford
Another Charollais ram lamb went for 2,800 guineas.
It was owned by Adrian Mansel Davies of Manordeilo.
He’s an animal health officer with the state
veterinary service in Carmarthen. It went to F H
and M Kennedy of Western Parkgate Farm, Parkgate,
Dumfries.
Other high prices included 2,500 guineas paid for
a Beltex ram lamb owned by Michael and Heulwen Owens
of Glantre Farm, Llandysul. The couple sell regularly
at the NSA Wales and Border Ram sale and were ecstatic
as they ‘knew he had star quality’. It
went to Richard Pilkington of Shordley Hall, Hope,
Wrexham.
A Blue Faced Leicester shearling, second in its
class sold for 1,700 guineas to Mr Harris, Hope Farm,
Llandeilo. It was bought as a ram lamb at Carlisle
by Dewi Jones of Plas Pigot, Llansannan, Denbigh.
Tim Pritchard who had last year’s highest
price of 5,000 guineas had a top price of 1,550 guineas
for one of fourteen Charollais ram lambs he brought.
And the Kerry Hill champion sold for 1150 guineas
to a consortium of four buyers, led by J & P
Owens of Woodhouse, Shobdon, one of them being sale
sponsor Alan Symonds of Symtag. Alan Symonds went
on to buy a 2 year old ewe to accompany it from Pam
Chilman.
“I’ve been bitten by the bug after twenty
very enjoyable years here”, he said before
going off to buy a 2 year old ewe to accompany it
from Pam Chilman.of Presteigne.
A Lleyn ram sold by D N Bennett and Son, Tyn y Coed,
Pontrobert, Meifod, Powys, made 2,550 guineas and
was sold to D W Lillyman, Pound Farm, Buckland Monocoram,
Devon.
Another Lleyn sold by Mr and Mrs T Rees and Son,
Foel Fach, Manordeilo, Carmarthenshire, made 700
guineas. A North Country Cheviot sold by R and T
Dun of Heriot Midlothian, Scotland, made 900 guineas
and went to R L Roberts of Bryn Mellon, Gwynedd.
The Balwens had a good day with an older ram sold
by K & S Lewis of Tynewydd Farm, Seven Sisters,
Neath, making 1120 guineas. It went to K Earle, Llwyncrwn,
Penybont, Carmarthen. A ewe sold by the Lewis family
made 780 guineas and also went to K Earle.
George Hughes was particularly impressed by the
trade enjoyed by both the Balwens and the Badger
Face. “It seemed to be well up on last year”,
he said. I’ve never seen the Balwen prices
as high. There were prices of six hundred, seven
hundred, eight hundred guineas ……”
It was an indication of the buoyant trade enjoyed
by most breeds at the sale. Quality sold well.
And enjoying the quality was American Robert Swift
and his wife Mary. The couple keep Suffolks and Southdowns
and encourage children at Robert's local 4H club
to show. They came to Wales especially to look at
the huge range of breeds on show.
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