Rare breeds show sees record price tumble

Poll Dorset champion
Poll Dorset champion

Three new records were set for Shropshire breed sheep and a complete flock of pedigree Llanwenog Sheep was sold at the successful seventh Traditional, Native and Rare Breeds Livestock Show and Sale at Shrewsbury Auction Centre.

The show and sale, hosted by auctioneers Halls, incorporated the National Show and Sale (West) of the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association. It’s the largest sale of Shropshire sheep anywhere in the UK this year.

A ewe lamb owned by William and Archie Dorrell from Stonegrove Livestock, Worcester, which went on to sell for a record 520 guineas, was selected breed champion, ensuring that the Morley Perpetual Challenge trophy returned home with them for the second year running.

British Saddleback champion
British Saddleback champion

Reserve champion, a shearling ewe from Mark and Sue Shimwell, Congleton, also sold for a record price of 880 guineas and was purchased by Mr G. J. Hockridge, Oakhampton, who also paid a record breaking 1,000 guineas for the shearling ram Sprotborough Pinnacle by Stonegrove Archie from Alan Oliver, Doncaster.

The Shimwells also had a successful day in the show ring, winning the Roydon Shield for best opposite sex to the champion with a ram lamb. Highest priced ram lamb was from the Ushers Flock and was purchased by M. Zielinski of Shawbury for 800 guineas.

The Dorrells capped off a successful day for their flock by winning the Southworth Shield for the best pen of two Shropshires.

Longhorn cow champion
Longhorn cow champion

Shropshires averaged £567 for adult rams, £530 for shearling rams, £431 for ram lambs, £119 for adult ewes, £284 for shearling ewes and £190 for ewe lambs.

The sale also included the dispersal of the Henson family’s 81 pedigree Llanwenog Sheep from the Brithdir Flock, Brithdir, Llwynmawr, Llangollen, which attracted keen interest.

Top price in the flock went to a ram which sold for 405 guineas.

Despite the Shropshires reaching record prices, the overall sheep section champion was a Poll Dorset ram, Buckenhill Wise, from Louise Crowther and Matthew Gray from Bormyard.

The longwool sheep champion was a Greyface Dartmoor shearling lamb, Boris, owned by David W. Booth.

Top price for a rare breed sheep other than a Shropshire went to a Greyface Dartmoor ewe owned by Liz Dawson, Criggion which sold for 380 guineas.

The cattle champion was a Longhorn cow, Julaw Gloria, owned by L. E. Dixon, Home Farm, Attingham, near Shrewsbury, which sold for 750 guineas and the champion pig was a British Saddleback boar from Home Farm, Tatten Park, Cheshire.

For the first time, poultry entries were welcomed to the event and the 60 cages were on offer, with plans to have show classes next year.

“Entries in most sections were 10 per cent up on last year and the sheep section was boosted by the sale of the Llanwenog flock, which attracted a large crowd of buyers and competitive bidding,” said auctioneer Nick Hyne from Halls, Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager.

“This is now one of the country’s most important rare breed shows and sales and we hope to continue the growth next year.”

For the third time, the event also included an auction of vintage farm machinery and smallholders’ equipment.