Richhill Frazer tops Dorset May Fair Sale at 3,400gns

The May Fair Show and Sale of 1,894 Dorset sheep saw individual pedigree females sell to 1,200gns, pens of pedigree females to 480gns, non registered to £230, ewes and lambs to 270gns and pedigree rams to 3,400gns.

The annual sale was held at Exeter Livestock Centre and was conducted by auctioneer Russell Steer.

A large entry of females kicked things off and sold to a packed ring of buyers and online bidders.

The Female Champion came from the Huish flock of David and Richard Rossiter, Burton farm, Kingsbridge.

A ewe lamb sired by the Australian Goorama sire, she found a new home with Hydes Farming, Thaxted, Essex, for 1,200gns.

Hydes farming, fronted by Jeremy Durrant, then recouped their spending by selling the Reserve Champion female, a Downkillybegs Eskimo sired lamb for 900gns, as well as its pen mate for 750gns.

David Lewis of Pembrokeshire sold shearling ewes to 650gns and 400gns, as well as a ewe lamb at 450gns.

An excellent entry of rams for the annual sale saw a steadier trade overall.

The short window of good weather no doubt kept a few buyers away, however, a good overall average was still achieved for 123 rams sold at £821.

Top of the day was 3,400gns for the overall champion ‘Richhill Frazer’.

​This stylish ram lamb from Ben Lamb, Co Armagh, is sired by Maineview El Paso and sold to Messrs S Gray of Burley In Wharfedale.

Close behind at 3,300gns was ‘Sherborne Falcon’ by Byeways Charlie from Richard and Rob Hole of Sherborne, he sold to Northern Ireland’s Thomas Wright, James Johnston, and Andrew Kennedy.

Other ram lambs sold to 2,000gns for ‘Downkilleybegs Freestyle’, sired by Drumlin Lotus 13 from William and Karen Carson, Northern Ireland.

This super long ram lamb sold to Messrs Gardiner of Leyburn.

At 1,800gns was ‘Richhill Finn’, another smart ram from Ben Lamb’s Richhill flock.

At 1,700gns was ‘Hydes Frisbee’, sired by Downkilleybegs Eskimo from Jeremy Durrant of Essex.

At 1,600gns was the best of Northern Ireland breeder Thomas Wright’s pen with ‘Ballytaggart Flash Dance' by Downkilleybegs Daredevil.

The highest priced shearling was sold at 2,200gns for the second prize horned ram from Sam Driver of Derbyshire with ‘Sandy Lane Evolution’ sired by Poorton Discovery. He sold to Mr M Jones of Bridgend.

At 2,100gns was the best of the polled shearlings from Matthew and Adam Care with ‘Bhuros Ewers’ sired by Ballytaggart Crusader.

This ram had stood first in the pairs in the show and he sold to David Lewis for his Pembroke Flock.

Other Shearlings sold to 1,900gns and 1,700gns for ‘Wilsey Epic’ and ‘Wilsey Expert’ from Les and Heather French of Launceston.

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