Chelford / Beeston Beltex
Sale
Saturday 5th January 2008
The inequitable nature of the Bluetongue control measures were seen yet
again when Auctioneers, Frank Marshall & Co., held their annual sale
of In-lamb Beltex females on Saturday 5th January 2008.
Due to the geographical accident of Chelford being situated just within
the Surveillance Zone, stock from the clean zone were sold at Beeston, another
sale whereby the cooperation agreement between Frank Marshall & Co.,
and their Cheshire neighbours, Wright-Manley, enabled the sales to proceed,
albeit between the two centres.
AT BEESTON, selling to an unrestricted client base, trade
was lively throughout but once the sale reverted to Chelford, with customers
only from within the Surveillance Zone, trade was much more difficult, although
a couple of north west breeders did negotiate with vendors, prior to sale,
so that if they purchased sheep, the vendors would take them home and test
them under the new pre-movement regulations, allowing movements from the
last week of January.
As the sale was split between two venues, the normal show was cancelled.
The leading entry was a 2005 born ewe from Anglesey breeder, Evan Evans.
Sired by O-Fon-Happy and carrying twins, she made 370 guineas to Mr. Critchley,
Hutton, Preston. Best of the Shearling Beltex ewes, also came from Mr. Evans,
a daughter of Brickrow Hunters Valley making 250 guineas to J. Owens, Shobdon,
Herefordshire.
Also at Beeston was a reduction sale of 60 Texel and Rouge cross ewes, all
in-lamb to a pedigree Beltex, from Beltex breeders, Les and Sian Hewitt of
Pen-y-ffordd, Chester. These peaked at 120 guineas for shearlings carrying
twins, and averaged just under 96 guineas.
BACK AT CHELFORD for the second half of the sale. The entries
met spirited, but limited trade, with averages some two thirds of those achieved
at Beeston.
The trade was led with a top price of 450 guineas for the best Shearling
out of the Coningswick pen, put forward by Messrs. Frazier & Son, of
Kidderminster, Worcestershire. This ewe, by Pentland Hero and carrying twins,
made 450 guineas to Cumbrian Texel breeder, Peter Woof, with the vendors
taking the ewe home for pre-movement Bluetongue testing.
Leading the ewes was one of a consignment from the Lincolnshire based Highlander
flock of Frank and Auriol Robinson, regular consigners to Chelford, and having
a Reduction of their pedigree flock. The top price of 300 guineas was paid
for Highlander Jessica, Llwynneuadd Gigalo daughter in-lamb to Borderesk
Kung Fu and carrying twins. She was also sold to Peter Woof, again taking
advantage of the vendor’s offer to blood test the ewe prior to movement.
Averages:
BEESTON
Beltex Shearlings £173.75
Beltex Ewes £263.33
Crossbred Ewes In-lamb to Beltex £95.55
CHELFORD
Beltex Shearlings £267.75
Beltex Ewes £211.50
Beltex Ewe Lambs £112.00 |
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