2006 English National Texel Show and Sale
Monday 28th & Tuesday 29th August 2006

ENGLISH NATIONAL SEES BLOODLINES SPREAD AROUND

A top price of 12,000 guineas for a Goldies ram lamb with an index of 305 was the highlight of the AMC National Texel Show and Sale at Worcester. A few more sought after sheep reached high prices but otherwise it was, as Society Chairman Victor Chestnutt put it, 'a day when the money was well spread about'.

Top price at the English National Sale went to Jim Goldies’ Goldies Matador, selling for 12000gns to David Milne of Forfar.

Mr Chestnutt went on to explain: "Today a pile of breeders have been getting a good price as opposed to one getting a fantastic price and that will do the breed good.

"After genotyping, our bloodlines got very tight and this is the year when they will spread out again. While it's nice to have the hype of a big high price, it's far more beneficial to have the money spread around".

Of 467 sheep forward, 80.5% of females were sold, 65% of ram lambs and 51% of shearling rams. Average prices for shearling ewes were up 100 guineas, down a hundred guineas for ram lambs and similar to last year for shearling rams. McCartneys partner, Clive Roads, said it had been a good sale, although he was a little disappointed with the clearance rate.

But all eyes were on Jim Goldie's, Goldies Matador, Lot 192, genotype ARR/ARR from the outset. One of triplets, it went to David Milne, of Forfar, Angus, who had bred the dam's sire, Turin Hardy. The full brother had made 8,000 guineas at Lanark the previous week and the sister was being retained.

Jim Goldie attributed the price to 'a combination of breed character, conformation, and good recording figures'. The index of 305 was the best they had had this year.

"When you are eating lamb, you like to eat the eye muscle that is what matters if you see these in a shop", he added. "And with an ultra sonic scan, it tells you what you are getting. But the flockmaster's eye is still important. Your eye is the first thing, the figures come second".

Even so, Jim Goldie is convinced enough to have commissioned the new gene test, taken from a drop of blood. He had his best lambs tested and found that it backed up the recording figures, with 75% of the sheep tested placed in the top category.

David Milne who runs a hundred pedigree Texel ewes and has been breeding them for thirty years said that in his opinion his purchase had been the best ram in the sale.

"It's the one I wanted, the only one I wanted today", he added. "It has the breed characteristics that I like, and the bloodline."

Second top of the day 9200gns went to Milnbank Mercedes, from Mrs Margaret Lyon and sold to Jimmy Douglas of Cairness.

The second highest price paid was 9,200 guineas for a novice ram lamb, second in its class. Lot 388 was Milnbank Mercedes, genotype ARR/ARR, sold by Mrs Margaret Lyon to Jimmy Douglas of Cairness, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. The sire was the 18,000 guinea Clougher Lincoln.

Selling for 8000gns was Cambwell Mountain from T&A Laird and purchased by TJ&JH Prentice of Ipswich.

The third highest price was 8,000 guineas for lot 309, Cambwell Mountain, bred by T & A Laird of Skirling, Biggar, Lanarkshire. The genotype ARR/ARR February born ram lamb was second in the Signet/MLC recorded lambs class and was sired by Cambwell Laird and sold to T J and J H Prentice of Creeting St Mary, Ipswich, Suffolk, and P K Woof of Kendal, Cumbria.

The Supreme Champion, Lot 11, was a shearling ewe bred by relative newcomers, Peter and Janet Vaughan, and sons Nick and James, of Leominster, Herefordshire. It sold to Gordon Gray for his Ettrick Flock at Selkirk for 5,500 guineas.

Supreme & Female Champion of the day was a Kingsland Shearling Ewe from Messrs Vaughan, selling for 5000gns to Gordon Gray of Selkirk.

The Vaughan family founded their Kingsland flock just three years ago and the genotype ARR/ARR shearling ewe was sired by Haddo Jogger, bought then for 22,000 guineas. His daughter was reserve Interbreed Champion at this year's Royal Welsh Show.

"He (Haddo Jogger) is the most successful ram to have left Scotland in the past three years", enthused Peter. "He was the most powerful ram I have ever seen in my life on the day and he is still as fit as a fiddle – and that is so important when it comes to commercial sheep on the farm."

The success was all the more welcome as show day coincided with the Vaughans' twenty sixth wedding anniversary!

Champion Ram Lamb & Reserve Supreme Champion, Baltier Masterstroke from Robert Forsyth of Whithorn sold for 2500gns.

The champion ram lamb, Lot 265, was Baltier Masterstroke, bred by Robert Forsyth and Sons, of Baltier Farm, Whithorn, Wigtownshire. Genotype ARR/ARR it sold for 2,500 guineas. It was bred from an embryo sired by Douganhill Jeronimo.

The dam, out of Craighead Hercules, was purchased by him for 5,000 guineas at Carlisle two years ago. The ram lamb is a full brother to the previous week's Lanark champion which sold for 18,000 guineas.

Claybury Mainlander sold for 4500gns for breeder AD Bishop of Edlersfield, Gloucestershire.

Other high prices included Lot 183, a Claybury ram lamb which sold for 4,500 guineas to A D Bishop of Edlersfield, Gloucestershire. H J & J R Draper's Claybury Mainlander was third in its class of Signet/MLC recorded ram lambs and was sired by Glenside Lord of the Ring. Its dam was out of Caron He Is Classic and also bred Claybury Legacy which sold for 5,500 guineas at Lanark in 2005.

Glenside Marcus sold for 4200gns for breeder John Forsyth.

The reserve male champion, John Forsyth's Glenside Marcus, Lot 300 sold for 4,200 guineas to L Jones of Tywyn, Gwynedd. The ram lamb was sired by Castlecairn Keltic Star. The dam was described as an 'outstanding ewe' sired by the 88,000 guinea Claybury Istabraq.

Langford Leader Again sold for 3800gns to Neil Crichton, Berwick on Tweed

The top price shearling was Lot 460, the 3,800 guinea Langford Leader Again, fourth in its class and sold to N S Crichton, Berwick on Tweed. It was sired by Handbank Jack The Lad and its dam was by Baltier Favourite.

Crookholm Montoya also sold for 3800gns for breeder KD & DE Millar of Crookholm Farm, Canonbie, Dumfries-shire

Also sold for 3,800 guineas was Lot 135, K D & D E Millar's of Crookholm Farm, Canonbie, Dumfries-shire, Crookholm Montoya, a ram lamb which went to E Gwyn, Banwell, Weston Super Mare. It was sired by Penparc Lexus and its dam was sired by Forkins Jacko.

Lot 385 Bruce Renwick's Castlecairn Massimo sold to G V & J A Hardman, Shrewsbury, for 3,400 guineas. The ram lamb was sired by Baltier Kracker and the dam was sired by Muiresk Forever.

Ettrick Moscow Flyer sold for 3200gns for breeder Gordon Gray

Gordon Gray's ram lamb, Ettrick Moscow Flyer, Lot 331, sold for 3,200 guineas. The ram lamb was fifth in its class and sired by the 52,000 guinea Baltier King, its dam was sired by Cornerstone Isaac. The dam is ET sister to the dam of Mighty Mouse, reserve male champion at this year's Highland Show.

Haddo Marvel sold for 3100gns for breeder William Knox

William Knox's Haddo Marvel, Lot 314 sold for 3,100 guineas. The ram lamb was sired by Glenside Loneranger. The dam was sired by Kirtle Banker and the lamb is a maternal brother to the 10,000 guinea Kinship.

Society Chief Executive, Steven McLean, said it had been a good day with a good, commercial, bottom to the sale. Auctioneers, McCartneys, had made effective use of a marquee to bring all the sheep together and, most importantly, there had been plenty of good sheep.

Judge Geraint Jones makes his selection

Judge Geraint Jones of Nanterwhaidd, Gwyddelwern, Corwen, Denbighshire, praised the 'good standard of sheep'.

Signet representative Maurice Jones reported that of the 154 sold, there were 110 non-recorded which averaged 790gns, whilst the 44 recorded animals averaged 1211gns. Also, those with an Index in the top 10% of the breed, averaged 1721gns.

Show results:

Supreme Champion: Vaughan Farms Kingsland 5500 guineas

Reserve Supreme Champion: Robert Forsyth Baltier 2500 guineas

Male Champion: Robert Forsyth Baltier 2500

Reserve Male Champion: John Forsyth Glenside 4200

Female Champion: Vaughan Farms Kingsland 5500

Reserve Female Champion: P K Woof Stainton 1400

Class One. Shearling ewes:

1st Vaughan Farms Kingsland
2nd P K Woof Stainton
3rd J & G Y Davies Aman

Class Two. Shearling Rams:

1st Mrs A Nairey Meinspride
2nd F H Chave & Son Peacehay
3rd S J & H Smith Penparc

Class Three. Novice Ram Lambs: