A Charollais shearling ram sold for a standout 3,500 guineas has set the tone for a strong start to the 2025 ram selling season at the first NSA Wales & Border Early Ram Sale.
The National Sheep Association’s (NSA) first Wales & Border Early Ram Sale of the 2025 season got off to a strong start on Monday 4 August, with a Charollais shearling ram reaching a top price of 3,500 guineas.
The sale, held in Wales, grossed £118,282.50 with a healthy 70% clearance rate. It marked the beginning of the season’s trading and set a high bar for the weeks to come.
One buyer travelled from as far as Plymouth, Devon, to secure the highest-priced Suffolk ram of the day, underlining the significance of this early-season sale.
A second early event took place today (Tuesday 5 August) in Hereford to support English vendors affected by ongoing bluetongue restrictions.
NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales Chairman Geoff Probert welcomed the sale’s performance: “There was a good clearance rate and it came in very well in the circumstances,” he said.
“It was a real team effort, with the committee, auctioneers and everyone working together. The venue worked well. Fingers crossed for the same in Hereford.”
It was a particularly successful day for breeder Paul Curran of Wernfawr, Talgarth, who topped the sale and also took the highest price in the crossbred section.
His Charollais shearling ram, Wernfawr Chieftain, was named champion in the pre-sale show and had previously secured second prize shearling at the 2025 Royal Welsh Show.
Mr Curran, who breeds Charollais, Texel, Suffolk, and Beltex cross tups alongside his partner Ally Davies, said: “We’re very pleased with the trade for the Charollais here today.
" Our shearling is a heavily fleshed tup, with a big gigot. We registered him last year. We pick the best rams out in May. He is a yearling born in December 2023.”
The ram was purchased by Gwyn and Gail Jones, who had spotted him at the Royal Welsh Show.
“They praised him as a good shaped sheep, very correct,” the NSA reported. “They also liked his father, Glyn Coch Ace, and plan to use him as a stock tup on their 70 Springfield ewes near Chepstow.”
Other notable prices included 1,450 guineas for the top Texel, bred by Gethin Hatcher of Gorsgoch, Llanybydder. Mr Curran also sold the top-priced crossbred ram – a Charollais-Texel-Beltex yearling – for 2,100 guineas.
The leading Suffolk, from Richard Western’s Tredodridge Flock in the Vale of Glamorgan, sold for 1,100 guineas. This January-born shearling had been champion lamb in the Suffolk class at the 2024 Royal Welsh Show.
Steve and Rachel Lang, who made the journey from Plymouth, secured the Suffolk. Mr Lang described the tup as “a big strong, super sheep with a good back end,” adding:
“I knew the breeder and was confident it would be a good stock tup for my Langley flock of pedigree ewes.”
Chairman Geoff Probert also sold 12 Charollais rams from his own Mortimer Flock, averaging 907 guineas and with two surpassing 1,000 guineas. He was pleased with the day’s outcome:
“Very solid trade,” he said, noting his satisfaction with the results at his first early sale as a vendor.
