Auctioneers Halls were delighted with the attendance at the sixth Traditional Native and Rare Breeds Show and Sale held at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on Sunday.
The popular event incorporated the National Show and Sale (West) of the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association, which was the largest sale of Shropshire sheep anywhere in the UK this year, with more than 115 on offer.
Shropshires dominated the sheep section where other breeds represented were Dorset Down, South Down, Jacob, Greyface Dartmoor, Hebridean, Manx Loaghtan and Ouessant. Cattle breeds included Longhorn, Highland and Dexter while pig breeds included Berkshire and Welsh.
Despite trade being strongest for the females, it was Charlie Morgan-Jones’ shearling ram, Church Preen Centre (012VK14), which topped the market in the Shropshires.
The ram was sold for 660 guineas to Messrs. R. Foxley and Sons and earned Charlie the Halls Shrewsbury Auction Centre Small Flock Trophy for the highest priced Shropshire from a flock of under 25 ewes. Last year, he was awarded breed champion with a shearling ewe.
The judge John Brigg awarded The Morley Perpetual Challenge Trophy for the Shropshire breed champion to Stonegrove Livestock’s shearling ram, Bruno (XP0814) and his good fortune continued as he was awarded the inter-breed sheep championship, receiving the Osmonds’ Trophy and sash. The breed champion went on to sell at 480gns in the ring.
Mrs. J. Parker, who runs the Berrington flock based in Hereford, won the Southworth Shield for the best prepared pen of two or more Shropshires. The Roydon Shield for the best opposite sex to the champion was awarded to J. H. and P.A. Bowles for their ewe lamb from the Sidesdown flock, which sold for 400gns.
Averages from Shropshires: three adult rams £238, 11 shearling rams £416, eight ram lambs £185, seven adult ewes £273, 39 shearling ewes £284 and 32 ewe lambs £211.
A cup donated by Davina Stanhope for the champion rare breed sheep other than Shropshire was awarded to Mrs Elizabeth Dawson, Criggion for her Greyface Dartmoor shearling ram, Muddle 90, which sold for £400gns. Reserve champion was L. and P. Newman, Norwich for a Southdown shearling ram. Mrs Dawson’s ram was also reserve champion in the inter-breed sheep competition.
The Lloyds TSB Cup for the cattle section champion went to Mr T. Taberner, of Anslow, Burton on Trent for a four-year-old Longhorn bull, Blackdon Cansos, which sold for 1,400 gns to Messrs Smith, Castle Caereinion. Reserve champion was a Dexter heifer from Mrs Finch, Weston-under-Redcastle.
The Lloyds trophy for the pig champion went to Mr G. G. Wickstead, Prees for an in-pig four-year-old Berkshire sow, Boswick Louise, which sold for 205gns. Reserve champion was a Welsh gilt, Peplow Elemora, owned by A. Fearn, Peplow.
For the second time, the event included an auction of vintage farm machinery and smallholders’ equipment.
Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager Nick Hyne, from Halls, said he was delighted by the response to moving the show and sale to Sunday this year.
“There was a larger crowd than usual and livestock sold to a good trade with a high clearance rate,” he added. “Every female Shropshire sheep sold with buyers travelling from across the country.”
