A trio of new centre records were established at the Southdown Sheep Society’s Premier Sale, Worcester, with new marks set for shearling rams, ram lambs and shearling ewes, with a number of relatively new and young breeders making their mark.

The sale saw strong demand, with clearance rates of 89% in the shearling ewes, 79% in the shearling rams and 66% and 60% in the ram lambs and ewe lambs, respectively. Averages rose in all sections too, with increased numbers of shearling ewes and shearling rams finding new homes.

Leading the sale and setting a new shearling ram, male centre record and breed auction sale record at 2800gns was Preen Bank 22/03965 from the Robinson family, Church Stretton. This son of the imported sire Dartagnan is out of Brant-bred dam, herself by another imported sire, Percheron, and was subject to fierce ringside bidding before falling to Maria Cork for the Yeaside flock, Ashbourne.

Next best in the males at 1200gns and setting a new centre and breed ram lamb record was another Dartagnan son, this time from young breeder Sophie Long’s Littlebrook flock, Herefordshire. Taking this price was Littlebrook Eddie The Eagle, a ram lamb out of a dam by Chaileybrook 18/00297. Unshown in the pre-sale show due to Sophie’s father, Jonathan, judging, this one had picked up a fistful of red tickets on the summer show circuit and was again well bid for before being knocked down to Nick Page on behalf of Goodwood Estate, Chichester for the Goodwood flock.

Third in line at 1000gns was Prescoed Monet from Howard Wood, Usk. This son of Brant 19/00638 is out of a dam by East Dean 17/03198 and had been male champion and reserve overall champion at this year’s Royal Welsh Show. He sold to join the Trumper family’s Beiliau flock, Abergavenny.

Following that in the males came a brace of 850gns bids, with the first coming for the day’s male, reserve overall champion and reserve young breeders’ champion from the pre-sale show, Calley Castle 23/00348 from another young breeder, Annabel Halcrow, Kettering. He is by the privately purchased Chaileybrook Diablo and out of a dam by De Pibac Max and was taken by the judge, Jonathan Long and daughter, Sophie, for the Chaileybrook and Littlebrook flocks.

Also at this money was a shearling ram from the Humphrey family’s East Dean flock, East dean 22/05767. Sired by Goodwood Ebor, he is out of an East Dean 18/3797-sired dam and was the pick of Roland Williams for the Greenlands flock, Aberystwyth, having stood first in the pre-sale show.

Young Sophie Long then took 675gns for her shearling ram Littlebrook 22/01604. This son of Chaileybrook 18/00277 is out of a dam by Chaileybrook 18/00297, a previous Premier Sale topper, and sold to Huw and Kate Williams, Llandeilo, Carms.

It was back to the ram lambs for the next best call when Jonathan Long sold Chaileybrook 23/00153 at 580gns. This son of imported sire Ibanez is out of a dam by another imported sire, Macron, and had previously been reserve male champion at the breed’s National Show. He was another bought by the Trumper family, Beiliau.

And Annabel Halcrow then sold Calley Castle 23/00359 at 550gns, with this ram lamb being by Chaileybrook 23/01033 and out of a dam by Brant 12/00124. He sold to join Robert Cox’s Port Hill flock, Leics.

Howard Wood followed with Prescoed Merlot at 500gns, with this one being another by Brant 19/00638 and this time out of a dam by Ridings 15/03077. He sold to join Sophie Davies’ Revesby flock, Lincs.

Females

Setting the sale’s third centre record was the top priced female, a shearling ewe from Elizabeth Sargent’s Offham flock. Selling at 1850gns was Offham 22/09033. Sired by the imported sire Napoleon, she is out of a dam by Ridings Performer and was knocked down to Roland Williams, Greenlands.

Second best in the females was the female, young breeders champion and overall champion from the pre-sale show, Fulfen Echo from Emily Yates, Staffs. Sired by Ibanez, she is out of a dam by Breton and after competitive bidding fell to Tom Chester for the Chapel House flock, Staffs.

Elizabeth Sargent then sold another at 780gns, with this being Offham 22/09051. She is by Ridings Acrobat and out of a dam by Ridings 11/00701 and is full sister to the female and reserve breed champion at the breed’s National Show this year. Buying her was Megan Chilcott for her Huntspill flock, Somerset.

The best of the ewe lambs then followed at 620gns, with this being Jonathan Long’s Chaileybrook 23/01776. Another by the imported Dartagnan, she is out of a dam by the homebred Chaileybrook 19/00560 and was taken by Stephen Cobbald for his Lavenham flock, Suffolk.

Back with the shearling ewes and Howard Wood sold Prescoed 22/00576 at 580gns to Roland Williams, Greenlands. She’s by Brant 19/00638 and out of a dam by the homebred Prescoed Griff.

Messrs Humphrey then sold their best at the same money, with this one being East Dean 22/005735, a Goodwood Ebor daughter out of a dam by East Dean 14/001652. She headed back to Surrey with Joshua Farell for the Nightingale flock.

And the Trumper family then took 520gns for Beiliau Sparkle, a De Pibrac 18/00299 daughter out of a Chaileybrook-bred dam by Percheron. She found a new home with Grace Denning, Somerset

Elizabeth Sargent was back in action then, selling a brace of ET sisters to her female topper at 500gns to previous buyer Joshua Farrell. These were by Napoleon and out of a dam by Ridings Performer.

And the same money secured Jonathan Long’s second ewe lamb of the day, Chaileybrook 23/01782, a daughter of Chaileybrook 18/00277 out of a dam by Chaileybrook 12/00011. She found a new home with Scarlet Hale’s Sacombe flock, Herts.

Averages; 39 shearling ewes £399.82 (+£57), three ewe lambs £479.50 (+£154), 15 shearling rams £640.15 (+£46), 10 ram lambs £508.67 (+£70) (McCartneys).