Demand drives high clearance rate at
Suffolk National Sale, Shrewsbury
A bumper crowd drove demand for well fleshed, commercially focused ram lambs at the first Suffolk
Sheep Society sale of the season, the National Sale, at Shrewsbury, on Saturday (19 July).
With trade peaking at 10,000gns and a 75% clearance rate in the ram lambs which averaged
£1282.75 Society chief executive Lewis McLinton said it was clear both pedigree and commercial
buyers had been prepared to pay well for the lambs on offer.
"This was great vote of confidence for the Suffolk breed and the clear focus breeders are placing on
delivering sheep suited to modern commercial sheep production. With the lamb trade struggling in
recent weeks it is clear the early growth and quick finishing of the Suffolk is in demand as producers
look to breed lambs capable of being sold earlier in the season when the better prices prevail."
Leading the trade at 10,000gns was the champion from the pre-sale show, a ram lamb from Chris
Holmes and family's Rookery flock, Broadway, Worcestershire.
This lamb, DND 14:00338, is a son of the 21,000gns joint purchase from last year's Stirling sale,
Cairness Great Expectations. Bred from a dam by Cairness Achievement which was purchased at
Beeston for 3000gns, this lamb caught the eye of a number of breeders and had previously been
breed champion at Royal Three Counties Show in June. He sold to Mary Julia Cornish for her Mardle
flock, Devon, after a bidding battle which left Willie Tait of the Burnview flock, Northern Ireland, as
the disappointed under bidder.
It was another lamb from the same pen, DND 14:00385, which then took the second best price of
the day at 5200gns. This was another son of the 21,000gns Cairness Great Expectations and is out of
a homebred dam by Williamsgill Prince William. He is maternal brother to a lamb sold to Lilburn
Estates for 4400gns last year and sold to the same buyers.
Following him at 4400gns was the best of the day from Steven and Louise Buckley's Sitlow flock.
Their pen topper was 45Z 14:01359, a son of last year's 4400gns purchase Stockton Turbine out of a
dam by Strathisla Sinatra and going back to Perrinpit High Peak. Selling with an index of 2.52 he was
bought by J M Robinson and Son, Great Limber, Grimsby.
And just shy of that at 4300gns was another of the Rookery lambs, DND 14:00334. This one is an ET
bred full brother to the champion and sale topper and was bought by Paul Fletcher, Kidderminster,
Worcestershire.
Then making 4000gns was the reserve champion from the pre-sale show from the Liggett family's
Carony flock, Drumquin, Co Tyrone. This lamb, DBB 14:00454, is sired by the 4800gns purchase
Rhaeadr Vodka and is out of a dam by Rhaeadr Red Bull, this winning mix was sold in a two-way
partnership with Hazel Martindale and Caroline Roots taking half each for their Landale and Kilnford
flocks, respectively.
Selling at 3400gns was the best of the day from Mike Davies' Saffadan flock, NLH 14:00546. Sired by
the 4000gns Forkins Fagan this lamb is out of a dam by Kings High and Mighty and sold to Richard
Fitton, Bolton, for his Maestro flock.
Following that came a pair at 3000gns, with the first of these being a lamb from Co Fermanaghbased Gary Beacom. This one, JFF 14:01180 is a son of Malinhead Ice Cold Gold and is an ET bred
lamb out of a Cairness Cyclone dam which was bought for 8000gns. He sold for export to Belgium to
join the flock of S Roels, Oulueg.
The other at this money was from the Buckley family's pen. This was 45Z 14:01407, a Stockton
Turbine son out of a Sitlow Centurion sired dam. Selling with an index of 3.11 he was claimed by Tom
Cox, Church Eaton, Staffordshire.
Then came a 2600gns bid from Dai Harvey, Newbridge On Wye, for another of the Carony lambs
from the Liggett family, DBB 14:00420. Again sired by Rhaeadr Vodka he is out of a Conveth Royal
Flush daughter and goes back to Kings High and Mighty.
Two then traded at 2500gns, with the first being John Park's Y68 14:06237 from the Drinkstone
flock. Sired by Drinkstone Napoleon and out of a dam by Earl B3175 this lamb sold with a top 1%
index of 7.37 and was bought by Matt Prince, Derbyshire.
The second to make this price came late in the day from the Liggett's pen. This was DBB 14:00476, a
Rhaeadr Vodka son out of a dam by Rhaeadr Red Bull. This one was knocked down to N Howl,
Kettering.
At 2200gns was another from Mike Davies, NLH 14:00563. Sired by Forkins Fagan he is out of a
Strathisla Stoner dam and sold to A Hambleton, Millam, Cumbria.
Just shy of that at 2100gns was the best of the day from Ian and Judith Barbour's Solwaybank flock,
FHT 14:00900. This Rhaeadr Rannoch son is out of a Cairness Castello dam and sold to G Rossiter,
Bannon, Co Wexford.
Shearling rams
The best price in the small offering of shearling rams came for Viv Samuel's first prize winner from
the Monkton flock, Y18 13:017, when he sold at 1400gns. This Rhaeadr General son is out of a
Strathisla Speedway dam and sold to Phil Smith for the Peghouse flock, Worcestershire.
Females
Leading the female trade at 700gns was the female championship winning ewe lamb from the Pryce
family's Horton flock. This was 138A 14:00179, a Lakeview Rambo daughter out of a dam by Pexhill
Real Lucky. She heads to Devon to the Mardle flock of Mary Julia Cornish.
Averages; 111 ram lambs £1282.75, two shearling rams £1102.50, 10 ewe lambs £327.39, two
shearling ewes £357 (J Straker Chadwick and Sons with Halls).
Full pre-sale show report
Chris Holmes and family took the overall championship in the pre-sale at the National Show and
Sale, Shrewsbury, with their winner from the open ram lamb class from their Rookery flock, DND
14:00338.
This son of the 21,000gns Cairness Great Expectations is out of a dam by Cairness Achievement
which was bought for 3000gns at Beeston and goes back to Strathisla Schumacher on his dam's side.
He was 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 DBB 14:00454 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 138A 14:00179. This one 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, 138A 13:007. This is 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, Y18 13:017. This one
is 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, 45Z 14:01407, is out of a dam by Sitlow Centurion and has a
terminal index of 3.11.
Winning the group of three class were a trio from Willie Tait and family's Burnview flock. This trio
were T86 14:00707, T86 14:00763, T86 14:00760, with these being sons of Cairness Sapphire,
Oldmill Lieutentant and Burnview Enzo.
And in the class for the ram lamb with the best gigot the winner was Aled and Nia Williams' lam NCY
14:00410. This Dol-lly Mario son is out of a dam by Rhaeadr Obama and goes back to a dam by
Thorneycroft Prince Owain.
Class results
Shearling ewe
1- John Pryce's 138A 13:010
2 - John Pryce's 138A 13:007
Ewe lamb
1 - John Pryce's 138A 14:00179
2- Katie Brannan's NZD 14:00256
3 - John Pryce's 138A 14:00183
4- D G Davies' PDC 14:0004
Shearling Ram
1 - Viv Samuel's Y18 13:017
2 - Charles Harding's 239 13:067
3 - D G Davies' PDC 13:011
Recorded Ram Lamb
1 - Steven and Louise Buckley's 45Z 14:01407
2 - Willie Tait's T86 14:00763
3 - John Park's Y68 14:06241
4 - Charles Harding's 239 14:1137
Open Ram Lamb
1 - Chris Holmes' DND 14:00338
2 - L and M Liggett's DBB 14:00454
3 - George Stuart's 1W 14:01168
4 - Willie Tait's T86 14:00745
5 - Iain and Judith Barbour's FHT 14:00900
Pen of Three Ram Lambs
1 - Willie Tait's T86 14:00707, T86 14:00763, T86 14:00760
2 - L and M Liggett's DBB 14:00420, DBB 14:00476, DBB 14:00447
3 - Gary Beacom's JFF 14:01176, JFF 14:01227, JFF 14:01209
4 - George Stuart's 1W 14:01140, 1W 14:01139, 1W 14:01151
5 - Chris Holmes' DND 14:00341, DND 14:00334, DND 14:00385
Ram Lamb with the best gigot
1 - Aled and Nia Williams' NCY 14:00410
2 - L and M Liggett's DBB 14:00420
3 - J J Tooze's DYX 14:00152
4 - Gary Beacom's JFF 14:01300
5 - Gary Owen's T31 14:00322