Strong trade for Stratford Hampshire Downs selling to 1,600gns

Hampshire Downs met a strong trade selling to a top of 1,600gns and with high performance recorded rams commanding the highest prices at the breed association's annual premier sale in Stratford on Saturday 2 July.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jul 2016, 10:33 BST
Updated 5th Jul 2016, 11:36 BST
The top priced female.at the Stratford Hampshire Downs sale sold for 1,000 gns and was owned by Kevin and Anna McCarthy from Comber, Co DownThe top priced female.at the Stratford Hampshire Downs sale sold for 1,000 gns and was owned by Kevin and Anna McCarthy from Comber, Co Down
The top priced female.at the Stratford Hampshire Downs sale sold for 1,000 gns and was owned by Kevin and Anna McCarthy from Comber, Co Down

Sale leader at 1,600gns was a ram lamb within the breed’s top 1% by the homebred Thorbeck Hurricane and out of a Yarcombe Surprise sired ewe from Jim and Jane Birkwood, North Thoresby, Grimsby. The buyer was Roger Melling, Scarisbrick, Lancashire.

Two more Thorbeck Hurricane sired ram lambs from the same breeders and both within the breed’s top 5% shared a 1,000gns bid. First to go was secured by P and L Dunning, Lymington, Hampshire whilst A Clements, Larkfield, Kent made the second 1,000gns bid.

Next at 1,220gns was a ram lamb within the breed’s top 1% by Thorbeck Isambard and out of a Yarcombe Top Gun sired ewe. Bred and exhibited by Richard Cole, Chaddlehanger, Tavistock, he sold to Tim Hunter, Fotherby, Louth.

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Another Isambard sired ram lamb within the breed’s top 5% from Richard Cole made 900gns to breed newcomer, Richard Rundle, Cubert, Newquay who recouped the majority of his spend when he attracted 850gns for his overall reserve male champion, a ram lamb by Westland Fusilier. The buyer was L Stainthorpe, Sneatonthorpe, Whitby.

A third 1,000gns bid was made earlier in the day for the leading ewe lamb within the breed’s top 5%, sired by the homebred Ballycreelly Devil’s Advocate and out of a homebred ewe from Kevin and Anna McCarthy, Comber, County Down to David, Denise and Harry Middleditch, Belchamp St Paul, Sudbury. She was one a pair of the first placed ewe lambs.

Another ewe lamb within the breed’s top 5% from the McCarthys, this time by Yarcombe Flashman made 850gns to Roger Melling. The McCarthy’s leading ram lamb at 700gns was by Westland Fusilier and sold to HJ Knight and Son, Marshfield, Chippenham.

Averages: 3 shearling rams £371; 23 ram lambs £673; 14 shearling ewes £438; 17 ewe lambs £460.

Auctioneers: Bletsoes