National Show & Sale - Shrewsbury 2022

23,000gns tops at the Suffolk National Championship & Sale

Date: 29th & 30th July 2022

Judge: Mr Viv Samuel, Monkton Flock

Sponsor: Norbrook

Auctioneers: J Straker Chadwick and Sons and Halls

The annual Norbrook sponsored National show and sale of Pedigree Suffolk breeding stock was held at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on Friday the 29^th of July and Saturday the 30^th of July. Following the show on Friday the sale commenced at 10.30 am under the appointed joint Auctioneers J Straker, Chadwick and son of Abergavenny, and Halls of Shrewsbury.

The top price at the Sale was 23,000gns for the Forkins McCoy sired ram lamb from Arnold Oare’s Flintshire based Groes flock. Out of a Rhaeadr Raring to Go sired Rhaeadr dam, he was bought by Neville and Charlotte Pitman from Devon for their Foxhillview Flock. The Pitmans also invested in females buying Stephen Bolland’s (Wharfe Flock) top price ewe lamb for 1,800gns, as well as another shearling ewe (900gns) from the same flock and Mrs JJ Tooze’ ewe lamb for 600gns.

Next on the money list at 15,000gns was S Craft’s Lakeview Lot 202. This Mullinvale Munro sired ram lamb out of a Rookery Rodeo sired dam was bought by Worcestershire breeder, Jed Sharp for his Hawshill Flock. Sharp also invested 8,000gns for Welsh breeder, Myfyr Evans’ (Rhaeadr Flock) 15,000gns Stockton Sniper’s Son sired lot 81. This December born ram lamb was out of a Limestone Limited Edition Lakeview dam.

Two lots then sold for 5,500gns, Aberdeenshire breeders, John Gibb and Jimmy Douglas purchased D G Jones’ (Frongoy Flock) Strathbogie Rock on Tommy sired lot 127 for their Cairnton and Cairness flocks, and lot 82, another Sniper’s Son sired lamb from the Rhaeadr pen, was knocked down to Dennis Taylor (Ballynacannon Flock) from Northern Ireland. Local breeder Phil Poole (Salopian Flock) bought the Strathbogie Ghost Rider sired lot 211 from Dennis Taylor’s pen (Ballynacannon Flock) for 5,000gns.

The best average for 3 or more ram lambs sold was achieved by Arnold Oare from Flintshire with his Groes Flock at 8,250gns. He topped the sale getting 23,000gns for lot 264 going to Devon with the Pitmans. Lot 265 and 266 sold for 1,200gns and 550gns respectively. Myfyr Evans’ got 8,000gns, 5,500gns, 2,000gns and 1,400gns for 4 lambs sold averaging 4,225gns and Stuart Craft’s Lakeview Pen sold 5 ram lambs with an average of 3,640gns including the 15,000gns lot 202.

Reserve Champion and winner of the Single Ram Lamb Class lot 76 from T J & C R Boden’s Sportsman pen was purchased by Holly Bowdler for 4,000gns for her Shropshire based Tombridge Flock with the Show Champion, lot 174 from the Birness pen, bought for 2,600gns by Norman Howl (Normandy flock) from Northamptonshire.

The top priced shearling ram was from Stephen Bolland’s pen at 2,800gns bought by T J Griffiths for his Carmarthenshire based Tir Flock. Top priced female was DP and RA Delves’ (Bridgeview Flock) shearling ewe (lot 8) bought by Irish breeder Sean O’Gorman from Blanchardstown for 3,000gns.

“The sale was a great success and a flagship day for the breed and the Society, achieving an overall clearance of 73% and an average of £1500.01 for the 168 sheep that went to new homes. Its also great to see another young breeder topping the sale, a big Congratulations to Arnie Oare for breeding such a popular lamb.”
Robin McIlrath, CEO

Sales Averages:

Ram Lambs:

Top: £24,150

Ave: £1,512

Clearance: £72% (134)

Shearling Ewes:

Top – £3,150

Ave: £1,018

Clearance: 84% (16 sold)

Ewe Lambs:

Top: £1,890

Ave: £728