There was a fantastic atmosphere for the collective show and sale of pedigree Lleyn breeding stock at Ross on Wye with plenty of people there to buy both females and rams.

There were buyers looking for those special pens of females and rams for registered breeding whilst there was also a strong commercial demand also looking for quality stock.

The ram section attracted a particularly interested crowd around the ring up until the end with only 11 of the 70 entries not finding a new home.

The top price of the day, 2,300 guineas, was realised by Lionel and Jenny Organ, Llangeler with Southam Freddie who had stood runner up in the show championship.

Sired by Whitlaw Driver from Farmstock Genetics he was out of a homebred ewe and was jointly purchased by Roger and Helen Wells of Cardigan and Dai and Cynthia Morris, St Clears..

W J and D J Williams, Pwllheli sold Tacho Fellow sired by a Hamish Goldie ram for 1,250gns to W J Lewis, Ceredigion.

The Appledown Flock of Manor Farms East Marden sold a shearling ram sired by Plasucha Dashing for 1,150gns to I Horsley, Alfrick and the top prizewinning ram, ‘Fred’, from John Hamer, Oswestry sired by White Grove Dyffryn sold for 700gns to P Hale, Tibberton.

Many rams sold in the 350gns to 900gns region.

The aged ewes got away well with a pen of 6 three year olds from K Thorne, Bridgend selling for £115/head to R Jones, Eldersfield. The same buyer bought 6 more from the same home at £110/head. K A and E A James-Evans, Lampeter sold 5 three year olds for £105/head to J C Mathias, Swansea.

The ring really came to life with the shearling ewe section with D N Bennett & Son, Meifod topping the sale with their first prize pen of 5 which sold for £340/head to Penrice Castle Frams, Swansea. The Bennetts also took best with the pen of 10 which went on to sell for £200/head to J Morris, Presteigne. D J Steen had a worthy journey down from Dumfries when selling a pen of 6 shearling ewes for £235/head to H G Thomas, Llandeilo and another pen at £200/head to G Deakius, Knighton. In the stride of the sale there was a strong clearance as many pens sold for £140 – £165/head.

The ewe lambs sold with a similar average to last year. The stronger lambs and those pens picked out sold easily with tupping lambs able to command £90 plus.

The top price of the day was £120/head and this was realised twice by Colin Price, Brecon. Colin sold both the firstt prize pen of 5 and pen of 10 to the same buyer A J Jones, Monmouth. D W and C F Morris, Carmarthen sold a pen of 5 for £110/head to G G and H E Sevenoaks, Abergavenny and W J and D J Williams, Pwllheli sold a pen of five outside the ring for £110/head to M Williams, Pwllhelli.

Sale averages: Rams to 2,300gns av. £614 (+£46 on last year), Aged ewes to £115 av. £91 (+£9), shearling ewes to £340 av. £159 (+£13), Ewe Lambs to £120 av. £91 (+£1).

SHOW RESULTS

(Judge: Daniel Rowbottom, Lincolnshire)

Shearling rams – J Hamer, res – L and J Organ.

LionFive Shearling Ewes – D N Bennett & Son, res – G G and H E Sevenoaks

Ten Shearling Ewes – D N Bennett & Son, res – W J and D J Williams

Five Ewe Lambs – C Price, res – P S Hale.

Ten Ewe Lambs – C Price, res – C and R Bowen.