The dispersal of Daniel Bunting’s Golden Valley flock of Southdowns at Worcester on Saturday saw a top call of 900gns and sheep sell across the UK.
Taking the sale’s top call was ram lamb Golden Valley 15/00459, a son of Ridings 13/01444 and out of a dam by a French sire. He found a new home with Roland Williams, Aberystwyth.
Second best at 800gns was the flock’s stock ram and sire of the top priced sheep Ridings 13/01444. He’s by a French sire and out of a Ridings dam again French bred and sold to a consortium of breeders.
Following that at 780gns was the best female of the sale, Golden Valley 13/00230, a daughter of a Southern Cross sire out of a dam by a French sire which sold to Nigel Barrington-Fuller, Clacton, Essex.
After that came a 460gns call for Golden Valley 11/00114, a daughter of an imported French sire and out of a dam by East Dean 05/0213. She sold to Morgan, Carmarthen.
Then making 430gns was the top priced ewe lamb Golden Valley 15/00469. Sired by Ridings 13/01444 she is out of a dam by a French sire and sold to Miranda Wallace, Buckfastleigh, Devon.
Two then sold at 420gns, with the first of these being the top priced shearling ewe, Golden Valley 14/00324. She’s by Southern Cross 11/00229 and out of a dam by an imported sire and sold to Gareth Lloyd Hughes, Aberystwyth.
Second at this money was another of the ram lambs Golden Valley 15/00448. Sired by Ridings 13/01444 he’s out of a homebred dam and was claimed by Patrick Goldsworthy, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
And then selling at 400gns was Golden Valley 14/00311, a shearling ewe by a French sire out of a dam by Southern Cross 04/0001. Buying this one was Sam Bullingham, Sampford Courtenay, Devon.
Another similarly bred shearling ewe, by the same French sire and out of a dam by Southern Cross 09/02 also sold at 400gns, being taken by Megan Chilcott, Huntspill, Somerset.
A pair also traded at the next best price of 370gns, with the first being older ewe Golden Valley 12/00172, a daughter of a French sire out of a dam by Ridings 03/0021. This was bought by Ken Fellows, Tarvin, Cheshire.
The second at this price was a shearling ewe, Golden Valley 14/00308. She’s by a French sire and out a dam by Manor 03/0019 and found a new home with Russel Davies, Carmarthenshire.
Following that came four sales at 360gns. The first of these came for Golden 13/00235, a daughter of the homebred Golden Valley 11/00123 out of a dam by a French sire. She sold to Gareth Lloyd Hughes.
Second to sell at this level was the very next lot in and the first of the shearling ewes, Golden Valley 14/00306. Sired by a French ram and out of a dam by Southern Cross 04/0001 she was second prize shearling ewe at this year’s National Southdown Show and sold to Will Morton, Lincolnshire.
Another shearling ewe then took the third 360gns call, with this being Golden Valley 14/00331. She’s by Southern Cross 11/00229 and out of a dam by a French sire and sold to Max Welton, Ledbury.
The final sale at this price was for the first ewe lamb in the sale, Golden Valley 15/00436. This daughter of 13/01444 was second at the Royal Welsh this year and is out of a dam by Golden Valley 11/00123. She was knocked down to Nikki Carpenter, Warwick.
And then at 350gns was another of the shearling ewes, Golden Valley 14/0332, a daughter of a French sire out of a Heathgate ewe by a Strawberrydown sire. She was bought by Will Morton.
Averages; 22 older ewes £310.22, 12 shearling ewes £378, 19 ewe lambs £263.05, one aged ram £840, one shearling ram £378, four ram lambs £509.25 (McCartneys).
