February 2009 - Southdown breeders visit The Paris ShowSix Southdown breeders visited the "Salon International de l'Agriculture" in Paris. The show actually lasts 10 days, but we visited Feb 25th-27th.
The show covered everything from livestock, domestic and commercial (ie sheep, goats, cows, horses, donkeys, mules, chickens, pigs, cats, dogs,) to products from every region in France, horticulture, vegetable growing and jobs in the industry.
We were there primarily to support the British stand as there was a Southdown ram from the East Dean flock of D S and P Humphrey on display. This ram had previously been purchased by a French Southdown breeder.
We met members of the French Southdown breed society "Association des Eleveurs Francais de Southdown" and had an opportunity to view French Southdown sheep and watch the judging of the young ram class.
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August 2009 - Maidstone Southdown sale tops at 590gns for a shearling ram Now established as a regular fixture on the Southdown Sheep Society’s calendar, the Maidstone Early Show and Sale was well supported with 90 sheep forward on the day.
Jonathan Long’s
Chaileybrook flock from Brook in Kent led the way in both the show and sale with a brisk demand for virtually all the Chaileybrook breeding stock on offer. Male and overall champion was his shearling ram Chaileybrook 08/0010, a son of Mr Long’s imported sire TC4028 of France. The ram sold for 420gns to Mr A Coulter who made the long journey to Maidstone from the Scottish Borders.
The reserve overall champion and female Champion was Wakeham Dawson and Harmer’s shearling ewe Ridings 08/1049 which later sold for 240gns to Mo Williams, High Peak, Derbyshire. The standard of the show classes were as high as they have been for many years with quality and depth in both the shearling ewe and shearling ram classes.
A handful of older ewes sold to variable demand topping at 170gns for Jonathan Long’s 2006 born ewe Chaileybrook 06/0021. The buyer was Mr A Coulter.
Keen demand throughout the shearling ewes saw 18 changing hands to average 158gns. Leading the way was another Chaileybrook entry, Chaileybrook 08/0008, a second prize winner who sold to the Bulmers in Yorkshire. Other notable consignments included Wakeham Dawson and Harmer’s five shearlings which all sold to level at 217 guineas a piece.
A great selection of ewe lambs with strong well grown lamb from P A and R A H Whitcombe’s Southern Cross flock winning the pre-show class, selling for 150gns to judge Jim Cresswell. Highest price, however, was reserved for another Southern Cross entry that sold for 180gns, again to Mr Coulter. The 11 ewe lambs forward averaged 111gns.
The 13 shearling rams sold to average 413gns and setting the standard was Jonathan Long’s Chaileybrook 08/0016 which had previously been Reserve Male Champion at the Royal Show 2009 and later sold for 590 guineas to Kevin Hawes, Hartfield, East Sussex. P A and R A H Whitcombe’s three shearlings sold to a top of 580gns to average 570gns. Commercial quality tups were in demand selling in the range of 280—350 guineas.
A handful of ram lambs forward were led by Chaileybrook 09/0002, a well bred cocktail of New Zealand and French breeding which was snapped up by Society Secretary Gail Sprake at 300gns.
Jonathan Long of the Chaileybrook flock receives the championship trophy from judge Jim Cresswell
Competition hots up in the shearling ram class
Sale Averages
- 7 Older Ewes (50 guineas—170 guineas). Average 89 guineas
- 18 Shearling Ewes (80 guineas—340 guineas). Average 158 guineas
- 11 Ewe Lambs (70 guineas—180 guineas). Average 111 guineas
- 13 Shearling Rams (150 guineas—590 guineas). Average 413 guineas
- 4 Ram Lambs (100 guineas—300 guineas). Average 180 guineas
- 2 Aged Rams Sold to 120 guineas
September 2009 - Worcester Sale sees a top of 550gns for reserve champion The Show and Sale held at Worcester market on September 5th proved to be a successful quality sale, well supported by breeders and buyers from across the UK.
The emphasis was on quality rather than quantity of animals forward, and those breeders present, several of whom had travelled considerable distances, were rewarded for their efforts as buyers bid strongly for top quality stock.
Leading the trade on the day at 550gns was a ram lamb from the Brompton flock of Brian and Liam Glaves which had made the worthwhile journey from North Yorkshire. Brompton 09/026 was placed reserve champion in the pre-sale show by judge Irving Pallister, who was impressed by the size and strength of the ram lamb. The judge commented this "was a particularly powerful, strong lamb with wonderful hindquarters. He had exceptionally good width of loin with excellent depth of meat throughout the width of the loin".
This ram lamb is by a Chaileybrook sire, Chaileybrook 07/0019, and out of a homebred Brompton ewe. He sold to Jonathan Long, Ashford, Kent, for his Chaileybrook flock.
The championship went to a shearling ewe from D S and P Humphrey. Judge Irving Pallister selected this ewe, East Dean 08/1786, from a strong and impressive line up of shearling ewes. He commented that “the ewe was an extremely well made sheep with an exceptionally good loin in terms of length." She sold at 275gns to Martyn Smale,Tavistock, Devon, for his Tavy flock.
There was a strong line-up of shearling ewes. Breeder Bob Backshall from Newbury, Berkshire, set the tone in price and quality on the day. His female, Ceasars 08/303, was placed second in the pre-sale show and made the second highest price for females on the day at 230gns, selling to B and L Glaves, North Yorkshire. The Ceasars flock females averaged 193 guineas, the majority being purchased by breeder R Burrow, who is currently establishing his Southdown flock.
There was a handful of ewe lambs forward on the day, well represented by the East Dean flock of D S and P Humphrey. Three ewe lambs from the East Dean flock averaged 105 guineas. First prize-winner from the East Dean flock sold at 110gns to B and L Glaves, with the second placed ewe lamb, also an East Dean lamb, fetching the same price and heading off to Devon to join the Sharpham flock of Miranda Wallace.
Interest in shearling rams was less spontaneous. Breeder Howard Wood from Pontypool, Gwent, saw his home-bred ram Prescoed Thomas 08/061 head off to join the nucleus flock of Mr Burrow in the West Midlands, while B and L Glaves saw their shearling ram Brompton 08/040 purchased by Mr R D Westwood, Halesowen, West Midlands, sell at 240gns, for his Uffmore flock.
Sale Averages
- 14 shearling ewes (110 - 275 guineas) Average 175 guineas
- 3 ewe lambs (95-110 guineas) Average 105 guineas
- 1 aged ewe 40 guineas
- 2 shearling rams (150-240 guineas) Average 195 guineas
- 5 ram lambs (100-550 guineas) Average 210 guineas
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September 2009 - Strong demand for Southdown females at Melton Some 80 Southdown sheep were forward for the Traditional Native Breeds National Show and Sale on September 11th & 12th, 2009 at Melton Mowbray which saw a great demand for the breed, particularly quality females.
Judge Daniel Bunting selected his winners from a large line-up of sheep put before him. The ewe lamb he placed in first position was from the Heathgate flock of Denis Jenkins. This lamb went on to be the highest priced ewe lamb in the sale the following day, selling for 165gns and heading home to join The Vale flock of Mr and Mrs Hourd in Leicestershire.
First placed ram lamb was also from the Heathgate flock. This ram lamb went on to be awarded the Sir William Bird trophy for best opposite sex to champion.
A large line-up of shearling rams presented the judge with a challenging task, with the red rosette eventually being awarded to a Heathgate ram from Denis Jenkins. Top ram price of the day was 250gns, with two rams finding new homes at this price, one bred by Denis Jenkins and the other from D S and P Humphrey.
It was the shearling ewe class that eventually yielded the Champion Southdown on the day. From a strong class, judge Daniel Bunting selected a very correct ewe from the East Dean flock of D S and P Humphrey as his first placed animal, with a ewe from the Heathgate flock standing behind her in a very close second place. This second placed ewe was awarded the reserve champion honours later in the show. The East Dean ewe was awarded the Rudwick trophy as breed Champion. She continued her successful run later in the day by gaining the Interbreed title, beating off strong competition from all other breed champions.
The East Dean Interbreed Champion was the highest priced Southdown on the following day, being sold for 320gns to Lorraine Clements as foundation stock for her newly established Avenue Farm flock in Nottingham.
The reserve champion, the Heathgate shearling ewe fetched 210gns, the second highest priced ewe on the day, and headed home to join D S and P Humphrey's East Dean flock in Sussex.
Trade for older ewes remained firm with all three animals forward finding new homes at an average price of 95gns. Of the two older rams forward, a 2007 Brant ram was sold for 220gns by Sophie Arlott, heading home with Mr D Hulme to join the Woodmans flock in Staffordshire.
Taking the championship at Melton Mowbray was D, S and P Humphrey’s East Dean flock
Melton Mowbray Show and Sale. Judge Anne lambert presenting Sir William Bird trophy for best opposite sex to champion to PJ & LA Wilson-Shaw with their winning ram lamb
Melton Mowbray Champion: Denis Jenkin's ewe lamb
Sale Averages
- 27 shearling ewes (90 - 320 guineas) Average 122 guineas
- 10 ewe lambs (70 - 165 guineas) Average 112 guineas
- 3 aged ewes (90 - 100 guineas) Average 95 guineas
- 4 shearling rams (150 - 250 guineas) Average 200 guineas
- 1 aged ram 220 guineas
- 0 ram lambs
September 2009 - Some 60 entries forward for Dolphin Sheep Fair The 2009 Dolphin Sheep Fair attracted an encouraging number of entries from 10 breeders, with almost all of the 60 entries forward on the day.
In the pre-sale show judge Denis Jenkins selected a shearling ewe from the Nightingale flock of Mrs Tina Gorringe Henfield, West Sussex, as his overall champion.
Reserve champion was a shearling ram from the East Dean flock of D S and P Humphrey, of East Dean, West Sussex.
Completing the line-up of first prize-winners in the show was a ram lamb from Messrs Clark and Littmoden, which was placed as reserve champion male, and a ewe lamb from the Downview flock of Mrs Beryl Marsh, Barcombe, East Sussex, which was placed reserve champion female in the overall line-up at the end of the show.
Top price of the day was £400. Two shearling rams from the Southern Cross flock of P A and R A H Whitcombe achieved this top price, one ram being purchased by Paul Starling and the other by Castle Goring Estate. A third ram from the Southern Cross flock was sold for £380 and headed home with Paul Starling.
Disappointingly, the promising start failed to continue, and only a further four rams sold in the course of the sale between £150 and £240.
Trade for females was more encouraging and several buyers took advantage of the auctioneer's offer to purchase the rest in the pen at a similar price. Shearling ewe prices peaked at £120, with four ewes from P T Topham selling to a new breeder at this price.
There was less interest in the ram lambs forward on the day, although bidding was keen for the Strawberrydown ram lamb which stood first in his class and was reserve champion male. This ram lamb was purchased by judge Denis Jenkins for £260. This makes a new breed record for a ram lamb at the Dolphin Sale, topping the previous ram lamb record which was also held by Messrs Clark and Littmoden.
Tina Gorringe took the overall championship with her shearling ewe under judge Denis Jenkins
An aged ram belonging to Mrs. Beryl Marsh, and bred by Messrs. Clark & Littmoden, fetched £250.
Sale Averages
- 14 shearling ewes (£90-£120) Average £98
- 7 shearling rams (£150-£400) Average £275
- 2 aged rams (£150-250) Average £200
- 1 ram lamb £260
