NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales – Builth Wells – 26 September 2022

Builth Wells NSA sale

It was certainly a day which could be called “Blue for You” at a sale in which saw 3700 sheep entered and saw three of the four highest prices for the breed, including a record for the sale as a whole, as buyers just couldn’t get enough of the Blue genes.

The sale, which had been postponed last week as a mark of respect for the late Queens funeral, got off with a bang as the first shearling into the Michael Walton ring grabbed the days headlines.  He was from the noted Bonvilston flock of Tudor & Janet Harris ably assisted by son Richard, all the way from Barry Island. The flock has enjoyed some great success over these last few years, with his tups selling well and going on to do well for other flocks, building up a good reputation. His pen leader was no stranger to the Showground at Builth, where the sale is held, having come there in July, and took the breed championship for Tudor and the family. He didn’t take the pre-sale show championship, held on the Sunday night, only picking up a blue ticket, but he did have the last laugh as he strode around the ring, with the bids flying in left right and centre, eventually just two were left slugging it out, and it was Hazel Brown, Leadburnlea, who landed the knockout bid when she nodded at young auctioneer Jack Walton and the underbidders didn’t have a comeback and the hammer fell at 26,000gns, setting a new centre record for any breed. He is by the Craig-Yr-Orsedd tup used at Logie Durno, with Tudor getting some semen as a Christmas present, one of the best he has had I imagine, but just imagine his face as he unwrapped his present that Christmas morning!! He used it in the flock’s best ewe, L42 Bonvilston, and he is her 10^th crop. He always said that it was one of the best he had ever bred, and this sale goes to show he wasn’t far wrong. The flock enjoyed a great trade throughout their run of shearlings, which included the first prize shearling too, which sold for 2000gns.

Another family going home on cloud nine were Wyn and Siwan Harries from the Hope flock, based in Llandeilo, Dyfed, who, along with daughters Sara and Lois, took the Arthur Yates trophy for the best pen of lambs. Despite not getting placed in the show, their pen was buzzing from first light, with top breeders giving the pen a good look over and the number one lamb stood out like a beacon, with great skin and a big, sharp head. Not only that its bloodlines were something different too, sired by a Brindifield tup picked up out of Welshpool, going back to some Heddon Valley bloodlines on its sires’ side and back to a North Burndale on its mother’s side. The flock only run to 13 ewes or so, also running Jacobs, Cheviots and Badger Faced Texels too, and normally sell their tups privately, and has been 8 or 9 years since they last sold at Builth, but it was a welcome return to the sale ring as they stormed away to sell for 15,000gns to Scott and Claire Thomason, Piel View, based up on Walney Island, Cumbria. They enjoyed a great trade with their other lambs too, hitting 3000gns and 2600gns with others in the pen.

The pre-sale Champion was a lamb from the Kirkstead flock, who made the long trek from the isolated depths of Scotland down to the depths of Wales with a pair of cracking lambs. Their champion was the first lamb, nick named “A Lister”, offered by the N11 Bonvilston that they bought out of Kelso last year and has won all in front of him at this years shows, taking the champion tickets at Highland, Penrith, and Peebles, proving somewhat of a bargain after landing him for £3200 last year. He is out of a homebred ewe which is in the show team, by the Mendick H16 tup, which gives this lamb grandsires on both sides to have taken the Reserve Interbreed titles at the Royal Highland show….some serious back breeding on show here. The bidding kicked of at 1000gns, swiftly taking off and when the hammer dropped at 13,500gns, the highest price yet for the Kirkstead flock, the Bennett family from the Springwood flock were the ones smiling as the clinched their target.

Derek Henderson from Burndale is a regular consignor to this sale and has enjoyed some great success down the years here and once again he brought forward a smart lamb, with a great skin and lovely colour. He was by the Kirkstead M1 which they bought privately from the Kirkstead flock several years ago, and has done exceedingly well within the flock, and was also the reserve Male Champion at the sale too, selling for 1800gns late in the day. Out of a homebred ewe by the old Addingham Elite + B1, he had some great bloodlines running through him and he sold for 6200gns to the Mossvale flock of Messrs Minnis.

Other leading prices on a cracking trade included a bid of 4000gns for the pen leader from Dewi Williams with Blacket House P7, a massive tup full of power. He was by the Medwyn N2 and out of a ewe by a Mendick. Another bid of 4000gns saw Aled Jones, Craig-Yr-orsedd sell his first prize lamb from the Recorded section. This one was by Robleston N13 an out of a ewe by a homebred tup. Dona Williams from Elian enjoyed a corker of a trade too, hitting 3800gns with her leading lamb. This was by last year’s purchase P3 Woodcroft.

Trade throughout was strong with good strong sheep with excellent confirmation and skins selling well, and the crowd around the ring all day was testament to the demand and influence that the Bluefaced Leicester continues to enjoy in the UK national flock.

Sale Averages

Aged Rams – 10 sold – £887.25 – 91.67% clearance

Shearling Rams – 300 sold – £880.53 – 98% clearance

Ram Lambs – 77 sold – £1267.63 – 92.79% clearance