The second to last lot of the day at this year’s Northern Dorset Breeders Club Show and Sale at Chelford Agricultural Centre took the top price with Alex Birch’s Horn Ram ‘High Rakes Tubby T153’ sired by Richill Saracen selling for 590gns. Being the only Dorset Horn entry on the day, he attracted considerable interest.

Two females shared the top price of 320gns. Firstly Edwin Pocock’s smart shearling ewe and Female Champion ‘Hall Lane T101’, sired by ‘Hall Lane Lancelot’ who had been running with the ram. Secondly, James Royan’s ewe lamb ‘Bennachie Una U2’ by ‘Sherborne Prince Regent’. This ewe lamb was second in the ewe lamb class earlier in the day. Sam Driver’s shearling ewe, ‘Sandy Lane T1071’ a ‘Ballytaggart Pele’ daughter scanned in lamb with a single was next in the top prices at 310gns. She sold to NDBC member David Hullah for his Fourways Flock.

Trade for females was consistently good throughout the day with a sound commercial base price. Many of the individual females sold to Dorset flocks, established and starters. Several lots of penned sheep found homes as embryo recipients, a very useful extra market that the Dorset females have.

Rams on the other hand were harder to sell with very few customers in attendance. James Royan’s Male and Supreme Champion a cracking ram lamb by ‘Sherborne Prince Regent’ unfortunately failed to meet its reserve. Edwin Pocock’s 1st prize Shearling ram ‘Hall Lane Titch’, by ‘Ballytaggart Nijinsky’ with a sire index of 407 points, putting him in the top 1% of the breed was the second highest ram price at 400gns.

The club would like to thank Iolo Davies our judge for the day and Wright Marshalls the auctioneers.

Top Price Rams
Alex Birch Lot 358 590gns
Edwin Pocock Lot 341 400gns

Top price Shearlings
Edwin Pocock Lot 303 320gns
Sam Driver Lot 301 310gns
Edwin Pocock Lot 305 270gns

Top Price Ewe Lambs
James Royan Lot 319 320gns
James Royan Lot 318 310gns
Sam Driver Lot 327 240gns (x2)