The sale had a top price of 10,000gns, which was paid for the champion of the pre-sale show, a ram lamb from Chris Holmes and family’s Rookery flock, Broadway, Worcestershire. There was a 75% clearance rate in the ram lamb class, which averaged £1,282. Suffolk Sheep Society chief executive Lewis McLinton said it was clear that both the pedigree and commercial buyers were active on the day.

Shearling rams

The best price in the small offering of shearling rams was 1,400gns for Viv Samuel’s first prize winner from the Monkton flock. He is a son of Rhaeadr General and is out of a Strathisla Speedway dam. Phil Smith was the buyer for the Peghouse flock, Worcestershire.

Females

The top price in the female trade was 700gns for the female championship-winning ewe lamb from the Pryce family’s Horton flock. This Lakeview Rambo daughter is out of a dam by Pexhill Real Lucky. She heads to Devon to join the Mardle flock of Mary Julia Cornish.

Throughout the sale, 111 ram lambs sold for around £1,282 (€1,623). Two shearling rams made on average £1,102 (€1,396), while 10 ewe lambs averaged at £327 (€406). Two shearling ewes made £357 (€452) and were bought by J Straker Chadwick and Sons with Halls.

Pre-sale show report

Chris Holmes and family took the overall championship in the pre-sale at the national show and sale in Shrewsbury, with the winner of the open ram lamb class coming from their Rookery flock.

He is a son of the 21,000gns Cairness Great Expectations, out of a dam by Cairness Achievement, which was bought for 3,000gns at Beeston and goes back to Strathisla Schumacher on his dam’s side. He was the breed champion at the Royal Three Counties Show earlier in the year.

Taking the reserve male championship and reserve overall championship was the second prize lamb from the open ram lamb class, the Liggett family’s lamb from the Carony flock.

Sired by Rhaeadr Vodka, he is out of a dam by Rhaeadr Red Bull and goes back to Conveth Royal Flush.

John Pryce and family’s Horton flock took the day’s female championship and reserve female honours, with their winner from the ewe lamb class. She is a daughter of Lakeview Rambo, out of a Pexhill Real Lucky dam and going back to Deveronside Tevez.

Reserve female honours went to the winner of the shearling ewe class, which was won by a Rhaeadr Ram Rod daughter, out of a dam by Birness Buckaroo and going back to a dam by Perrinpit Popeye.

Winning the shearling ram class was Viv Samuel with a tup by Rhaeadr General, out of a dam by Strathisla Speedway.

In the recorded ram lamb class, the winner was a lamb from Steven and Louise Buckley’s Sitlow flock. Sired by Stockton Turbine, this lamb is out of a dam by Sitlow Centurion and has a terminal index of 3.11.

Winning the group of three class was a trio from Willie Tait and family’s Burnview flock. They are sons of Cairness Sapphire, Oldmill Lieutentant and Burnview Enzo.

In the class for the ram lamb with the best gigot, the winner was Aled and Nia Williams’ Dol-lly Mario son, out of a dam by Rhaeadr Obama and going back to a dam by Thorneycroft Prince Owain.