Sale Report for SKIPTON - PEDIGREE BLUE TEXEL SHOW & SALE - 9TH SEPTEMBER 2023
Date of Sale: Saturday 9th September 2023
BLUE TEXEL SHEEP SOCIETY
SALE REPORT - SKIPTON SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER
It was the Blue Texel sale that produced the leading prices, top call of 3,500gns falling to the first prize ram lamb, male and supreme champion from Welsh breeders Martin and Gemma Sivill’s Glanrafon Blue flock in Tremeirchion St Asaph, Denbighshire.
Glanrafon Blues Honest Nova, 3,500gns
Their Glanrafon Blues Honest Nova, a January-born single by Cleenagh Fandabadosey, himself acquired as a ram lamb two years ago, out of a home-bred Joe’s Andrew-sired dam, was purchased by well-known Accrington retail butcher George Cropper for three-year-old grandson Barney Mellin, whose parents, John and Clare, farm in Long Preston and are themselves familiar faces at the North Yorkshire venue. Young Barney already has his own Blue Texel and Dutch Texel flock, boosted again thanks to his grandfather.
The Sivills, who stood overall reserve champions last year, also clinched the 2023 female championship with their first prize shearling ewe by the same sire as their title winner, again out of a home-bred ewe, making 1,400gns when joining repeat fixture buyer Joanne Lyth, of Stacksteads, Bacup
Glanrafon Blues, 1,400gns
The same purchaser also paid second top call of 2,000gns, also leading price for a female, for the third prize shearling ewe, a March, 2022, Dragon Fab twin daughter from Scottish fixture regulars, David and Jennifer Alexander, who run the Millside flock on the 200-acre Millside Farm at Galston in Ayrshire and constantly figure among the leading prices at Skipton. The Alexanders also sold a second fully home-bred Millside gimmer shearling at 1,400gns to Leeming Bar’s T Patchett, adding another 1,000gns sale.
Show judge Mark Stephenson, of Londesborough Blues, near York, tapped out his first prize aged ram as reserve male and overall reserve champion. It came from Cumbria’s Allan and Christine Watson, and daughter Ruth, who run the Tyke’s flock in Sandwith, Whitehaven. Their February, 2021, 2-shear Sunnybank Freddy, by an imported ram, was acquired two years ago from breeder Henry Jewitt, progressed to head the aged ram prices at 1,100gns when joining fellow vendor Elsa McKechnie’s local Silver Birch flock in Wigglesworth.
Sunnybank Freddy, 1,100gns
The Watsons reinvested their earnings when paying 1,100gns for the third prize ram lamb from Max Clough, who runs the Heads flock at Snape, Pickering. His February-born single is by Raindale Godfather, the dam another Sunnybank ewe. Mr Clough also made 1,000gns with a second February-born ram lamb, the sixth prize winner, Heads Hercules, by Hunters Grand Prix, out of a home-bred Dragons Dazzler-sired dam. This joined Kirkby Stephen’s Hannah Pedley, who judged the same day’s Badger Face Texel show.
The first prize ewe lamb from Angus Brisbane, of the Auchmantle flock in Castle Kennedy, Stranraer, Auchmantle Hanky Panky, a February-born Pistyll Elite daughter, was another 1,100gns performer when falling to R Hughes & Son, of Angram in Richmondshire.
The same purchaser also paid the same price for the sixth prize shearling ewe from Stasa Moyes and partner Stuart Wood, of the Saltire Blue flock near Skene in Aberdeenshire. Saltire Blue Girl Power is a January, 2022, daughter of the imported Saltire Blue Hulk, out of one of the flock’s foundation ewes.
The first prize aged ewe and reserve female champion from Philip and Laura Melland, who run the Morridge flock near Leek in Staffordshire, Morridge Conney, a 2018 daughter of Hackney Your Joking, bred in Shropshire by Paul Tippett, made 400gns.
Morridge Cooney, 400gns
Top prices and averages: Aged Rams to 1100gns (av £665), Shearling Rams to 600gns (av £403), Lamb Rams to 3500gns (av £1190), Aged Ewes to 400gns (av £304), Shearling Ewes to 2000gns (av £565), Ewe Lambs to 300gns (av £224).
Report courtesy of Robin Moule.
