A buoyant trade with a steady flow of four figure bids topped by three and a half thousand guineas paid for a Texel shearling and including 2,900 guineas for a Lleyn shearling and 2,600 guineas for a Charollais marked the NSA Wales and Border Ram Sale held at the Royal Welsh Showground on September 21.

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The sale’s reputation is such that interest was registered from as far away as the United States, with Michigan breeder Brenda Lelli shopping to select semen to be fed exed back to her flock of 50 pedigree Blue Faced Leicester ewes. Dutch breeder Rutger van Zeller had also travelled to Builth Wells with Cumbrian trader Mason Weir.

The sale grossed just under £1.9 million with 91% of sheep forward sold. Average prices were well up on last year in most breeds and many top prices well exceeded 2008.

Secretary Jane Smith said:." I think the sale has been very successful with an exceptionally good commercial trade and high clearances. The lamb sales earlier this year had such a buoyant trade followed by ewe sales with continued good prices that it meant there was great optimism among buyers. They were prepared to pay realistic prices for quality rams.

"We introduced the Tup Taxis for the first time at the main sale and while some fine tuning is needed it has certainly cut down the congestion in the sale area. It’s been a learning curve for us all and we will introduce improvements next year to make it even easier for buyers to get their tups home."

Buyers and vendors welcomed the return to the one day format, with a fleet of 21 Tup Taxis brought in to relieve traffic chaos ferrying tups by quad bike and trailer from the sale pen to buyers’ vehicles. It was a particularly good day for Llanfair Caereinion Texel breeder Cefin Pryce who has been commanding consistently high prices in recent years and who achieved 3,500 guineas for his shearling, Caereinion Oggi.

It was bought by E L Evans of Green Farm, Pant y Dwr.

Yorkshire Lleyn breeder Charles Sackville Hamilton’s champion made 2,900 guineas and was jointly purchased by Simon Kavanagh and John Geldard and Sons. One of a pen of champion Charollais shearling rams made 2,600 guineas for Einion Probert and sons and was sold to Neil Houghton and Robert Hopper.

A Blue Texel bred by championship breeders David and Jennifer Alexander was sold to Dan and Janine Jones of Tregynon for 1200 guineas. The reserve and female champion also bred by the Alexanders, went to the same couple.

The champion Blue Faced Leicester was sold by Myrfyn and Jane Roberts of Gaerwen Anglesey for 1500 guineas to Max Dunwood. The champion Berrichon du Cher bred by Robert Graham of Stirling made 1,250 guineas and the highest priced Blue Faced Leicester , the champion produced by Myrfyn Roberts of Anglesey, made 1500 guineas.

A Suffolk ram lamb sold for 1,020 guineas and a Beltex for 1,758 guineas. The champion Beltex sold by Bryn Davies of Llandeilo sold for 920 guineas. A Welsh Mountain ram sold for 1,100 guineas.

The champion Balwen bred by the Groucett family of Crumlin, Gwent sold for 490 guineas. The top price paid was 700 guineas for a ram lamb.

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