Suffolk ram sells for 20,000 guineas at Shrewsbury

A six-month-old ram lamb sold for 20,000 guineas at the Suffolk Sheep Society’s National Show and Sale in Shrewsbury on Saturday.

The ram lamb, from renowned Scottish breeder Jimmy Douglas’ Cairness flock, sold to fellow Aberdeenshire farmer Messrs C. A. Proctor and Co, Conveth. Born on January 9 this year, it was sired by Cairness Just the Best and the dam was Muiresk Zindane, which cost 11,000 guineas as a ewe lamb.

Held at Shrewsbury Auction Centre for the third year, the sale was conducted by joint auctioneers Halls and J. Straker, Chadwick and Sons, Abergavenny. Buyers and sellers from across the UK and as far away as Belgium attended the sale, with 85 per cent of the 203 catalogue entries selling.

Other leading prices for ram lambs were £6,200 for Mr C. J. Holmes, Broadway and £6,000 for Mr John Sinnett, of W. H. Sinnett and Sons, Stockton on Teme, Worcestershire.

The average price for ram lambs in the sale was in excess of 1,000 guineas.

"There was an excellent attendance of both vendors and buyers from across the UK and we were delighted to sell four sheep to Belgium this year," said Nick Hyne, a director of Halls who manages the auction centre.

"Hosting breed society events of this calibre is helping to establish Shrewsbury as a key venue for national livestock sales. The state-of-the-art livestock facilities and our central position in the UK makes Shrewsbury Auction Centre an ideal choice."