A Texel double-header – the second annual Blue Texel Sheep Society sale as well as a new fixture for the Badger Face Texel Sheep Society – created major interest on Saturday as customers flocked to secure quality among these two up-and-coming breeds.
Of the Blues, noted Scottish breeders David and Jennifer Alexander, who run the Millside flock in Ayrshire, far eclipsed their 2,100gns top price for the female champion and reserve supreme at last year’s inaugural sale when topping the 2022 renewal at 5,000gns with their fifth prize shearling ewe.
The February, 2021, twin by a home-bred ram whose own sire was Beili Blues Dylan, out of a home-bred ewe by an imported Dutch-bred tup, sold for what was the highest ever sale price for an Alexander Blue Texel when claimed by N&L Blenkhorn, of Driffield.
The Alexanders, who established their Blue Texel flock in 1998 – now consisting 50 breeding females - were also responsible for the fourth prize shearling ewe, another March-born fully home-bred, sold for 1,200gns to Joanne Lyth, of Stacksteads, Bacup. The consignment of six gimmer shearlings from the Alexanders averaged £1,575.
Trade for females was notably strong, with the same show class also responsible for the day’s second top call of 4,800gns, this also coming from Scotland and falling to the first prize winner, female champion and overall supreme champion shearling ewe from Stasa Moyes and partner Stuart Wood, of the Saltire Blue flock near Skene in Aberdeenshire.
Their Saltire Blue Tooty Fruity is a January, 2021, daughter of Caryl’s Blue Captain, acquired some four years ago for 2,500gns, who has bred ram lambs to 10,000gns, out of the home-bred Saltire A Beauty, who has herself bred daughters to 6,000gns.
Her full sister stood overall Blue Texel champion at this year’s Royal Highland and Royal Welsh Shows, the Skipton victor returning to Aberdeenshire with Alford’s Mark Wattie.
Making 1,900gns from the same home was a full sister to the title winner, Saltire Blue For The Moment, which found a new home in Lancashire with Leyland’s SR Taylor.
Another shearling ewe, Saltire Blue Frisky Lady, a March-born single by the same sire, out of Saltire Blue Betty, a maternal sister to A Beauty, also finished runner-up in its show class, selling for 1,600gns and again returning to Aberdeenshire with Gordon Troup, of Sauchen.
A Frisky Lady full sister, Saltire Blue First Timer, also hit four figures at 1,300gns when again claimed by SR Taylor, another with similar breeding making 1,000gns.
The title-winning duo also chipped in with the third prize shearling ram, Saltire Blue Flash Harry 11, a February, 2021 twin by Pistyll Elite, which made 800gns. The Saltire consignment of ten averaged £1,699.
Top price of 2,000gns among the males fell to the first prize ram lamb, male champion and overall reserve champion from Welsh breeders Martin and Gemma Sivill’s Glanrafon Blue flock in Tremeirchion St Asaph, Denbighshire.
Their Glanraton Blues Gunner Maverick, a February-born single by Cleenagh Fandabadosey, acquired last year and the first to be sold by the son of Cleenagh Exteremist, out of a home-bred dam by Dulas Va Va Voom, returned to Wales with Carmarthenshire’s DL&BWH Jones.
Badger Face Texels sell to 1,600gns
Blue Texel show judge Dylan Jones, of Carmarthernshire, had earlier also judged the Badger Face Texels, when his chosen reserve champion, the first prize ewe lamb from Derbyshire father and son, Dean and Jayden Clamp’s Riverside flock in Ashbourne, went on to secure top price in sale of 1,600gns.
Their Riverside Dorris, a January-born single by renowned Dutch breeder Jan Rodenburg’s Turbo Das Notorious, is the first daughter out of a Turbo dam acquired in-lamb last year.
She has now been shown four times this year, standing third in all her appearances, including to another Clamp ewe lamb that won its show class at the Great Yorkshire. The overall reserve found a new home in Calderdale with G&R Booth, of Huddersfield.
The Clamps, who arrived with lambs from leading bloodlines and half sisters to their unbeaten 2022 Great Yorkshire ewe lamb, made a clean sweep of the prizes in the ewe lambs show class, the runner-up making 700gns, the third prize winner 550gns.
Making 800gns was the first prize ram lamb and overall show champion from Andrew Bailey’s Baileys flock in Chipping, near Preston. His Baileys Dancing Brave is a February-born twin by Llwyn Derw Conan, acquired as a lamb from her Welshpool breeder.
The sire has already performed with credit in the show arena, standing champion and reserve interbreed at Cheshire, breed champion at Shropshire and male and reserve breed champion at the Great Yorkshire, also one of the first prize pairs.
Out of another imported Turbo ewe, the victor joined fellow exhibitor Sam Duggan’s Cornhill flock at Boughrood, near Brecon, a second shearling ram from the same home making 500gns.
Aberdeenshire’s Stuart Wood was also represented with his own Woodies flock, claiming two solid selling prices of 800gns and 750gns for a brace of March, 2021, shearling ewes, both Dutch imports, both selling locally to Anthony Thompson in Foulridge.
