A ready demand for Hampshire Downs underpinned by breed newcomers from as far a field as Lanarkshire and Devon, led bidding to peak at 850gns at the breed association’s annual show and sale in Stratford upon Avon, on Sunday 27 May.

The day’s champion and 850gns top lot from Chris Westlake.

Sale leader at 850gns was the day’s male and overall champion, a ram lamb from Chris and Kay Westlake, Cadeleigh, Tiverton. Selected earlier in the day by judge, Phil Kettle for ‘demonstrating   all the attributes of a modern Hampshire Down – height, length and good hind quarters’, the ram lamb was enjoying his second successful outing within days having been placed interbreed reserve ram lamb at the Devon County and also second in the interbreed performance recorded class. Sired by Parkstock Royal and out of a homebred ewe going back to Moybrick lines, he was knocked down to Charles and Sally Horrell, Thorney, Peterborough.

Next to go at 640gns was a first prize shearling ram from Kevin and Anna McCarthy, Comber, County Down. Sired by Ballyvester Apollo, this second class prize winner at the Balmoral went to join Andrew and Caroline Ivinson’s newly established flock at Martindale, Penrith. The same buyers also went to 460gns for the day’s highest shearling ewe, an entry by Wattisfield Lancelot from the Banks and Green partnership, Great Ellingham, Norfolk.

A two shear ram by Yarcombe Echo from Jennifer Atkinson and David Smith, South Kelsey, Market Rasen made 560gns to Francis and Sian Wigram, Lewdown, Okehampton. The Atkinson and Smith partnership reinvested the majority of their earnings when they paid 520gns for a shearling ram by Yarcombe Highjack from Henry and Hilary Derryman, Yarcombe, Honiton.

The ewe lamb section peaked at 400gns with a first class prize winner by Kelsey Achilles from John and Sue Davies, Llandrindod Wells. She sold along with two more entries to Alan Jackson, Covington Mill, Biggar who is establishing a Hampshire Down flock to run alongside his family’s pedigree Beltex, Texel and Suffolk.

Averages: 12 ram lambs £319.17; 7 shearling rams £381.43; 1 aged ram £588; 13 ewe lambs £205.67; 12 shearling ewes £235.67.

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