| 2013-07-30 |    |
A solid demand for both males and females saw Southdown trade peak at 1000gns at the breed's premier sale at Maidstone on Saturday (27 July).
Leading the way was a shearling ram from Georgie Helyer's Langford flock, with this one, Langford 12/00136, being by Brompton 10/0012 and out of a homebred dam by a Wyndham sire. He sold after spirited bidding to Stephen and Paul Humphrey for their East Dean flock, Chichester.
Record Female Price - Goodwood 12/01440
Second best of the day was another shearling ram, this time from Jonathan Long's Chaileybrook flock. Sired by an imported French sire, TC10187, this was Chaileybrook 12/00014 and is from the same female family as the recent breed record setter. He sold for commercial use in Aberdeenshire, heading to Harry Emslie.
A 770gns bid saw the Humphries brothers recoup some of their outlay when they sold their first shearling in the ring, East Dean 12/00791. Sired by Southern Cross 09/0002, this one is out of a homebred dam by a homebred sire and sold to another Scottish buyer, this time Lanarkshire-based Drew Coulter.
Northern Irish buyers the Baxter family, Co Tyrone, then claimed the next best priced tup when paying 600gns for the pre-sale male champion from Duncan and Monica Crundwell's Ladywell flock. This was Ladywell 12/0109, a son of Southern Cross Manuka out of a dam by an East Dean sire.
Another from the same home then sold at 570gns when joining new breeder Jess Middleditch, Suffolk. This was Ladywell 12/0111, again by the Southern Cross sire he is out of a 2005-born homebred dam.
The Crundwells then sold another from their pen at 550gns, with this being Ladywell 12/0098. Also heading across the Northern Ireland with the Baxter family, he is again by the Southern Cross sire and had stood third in the pre-sale show.
Leading the day's ram lamb trade was a bid of 440gns for a ram lamb from the Chaileybrook flock of Jonathan Long. This money was paid for Chaileybrook 13/0003, a maternal brother to the £2500 breed record holder and sired by TC4028, another imported French sire. He sold to join the Pen Parc flock of Helen Smith, Welshpool.
Second best of the lambs was a 300gns call for the second lamb from the Chaileybrook pen, Chaileybrook 13/0018. He is sired by TC10187 and is out of a full sister to the 440gns ram lamb. Buying this one was Jason Smith, Reigate.
Females
Demand for females was equally as strong and dominated by a number of new breeders eager to establish flocks from the best available genetics.
Topping the trade and setting a new breed female record at 750gns was the day's female and overall champion, a shearling ewe from the Goodwood flock under the management of shepherd Nick Page. This was Goodwood 12/01440 a daughter of homebred sire Goodwood 10/00044 and out of Goodwood 06/14. She sold to new breeder Nigel Barrington-Fuller, Clacton on Sea, Essex.
Second best here was a 370gns bid for a shearling ewe from the Southern Cross flock of Philip Whitcombe. She is by Southern Cross Bradman and out of a Kingsley dam and sold to Katie Potter, Canterbury.
Then at 330gns was another of the Goodwood entry, Goodwood 12/01416. Sired by Golden Valley 10/0020, she is out of a Strawberry Down dam and sold to Jess Middleditch. Just shy of that at 320gns was Southern Cross 12/334, a daughter of New Zealand sire Clifton Downs CD225/06 and out of a homebred dam.
Four shearling ewes then sold at 300gns, with the first being from the Goodwood pen and by the Golden Valley sire. This was Goodwood 12/01476, out of a homebred dam she was knocked down to Jess Middleditch.
Nigel Barrington Fuller was then back in action, paying 300gns for one from Amy Redhead-Higgins. This was Sutherland 12/00063, a daughter of homebred sire Sutherland 10/10 out of an All Saints dam. Third at this money was the sole shearling ewe from the Humprey brothers, East Dean 12/00773. She is by homebred sire East Dean 09/2131 and joined Mr Barrington-Fullers load back to Essex.
The final 300gns bid came for the first of the Whitcombe's shearling ewes, being Southern Cross 12/341. Another by Southern Cross Bradman she sold to Katie Potter, Canterbury.
Ewe lamb trade peaked at 210gns for a first prize winner from the Goodwood pen, Goodwood 13/01784. She is by Southern Cross 09/0008 and out of a Goodwood dam and sold to Nigel Barrington Fuller. Another from the same home then made 200gns, with this being a twin sister to the last and selling to Rob and Anna Paton, Bedfordshire.
Averages; four ewes £115.50, 39 shearling ewes £225.75, eight ewe lambs £133.35, 17 shearling rams £505.05, seven ram lambs £270.90, one ram £336 (Lambert and Foster).
