Entries back to pre-pandemic levels at the National Show and Sale of Shropshire sheep

Shropshire female entries increased by 30 per cent from 2022, while ram numbers forward on the day were much the same as the previous year.

The Shropshire sale was part of the annual Traditional and Native Breeds event, now in its fourteenth year at Shrewsbury market.

Prior to the sale, the national show was judged by Gail Sprake, a former Chair of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, secretary of the Southdown Society and well known around the showing world.

Classes started with rams. The only aged ram forward was a 2 shear, Silligrove Jed, from Jan Freeman’s flock, based near Kidderminster.

Jed was sired by Brereton Torry and fully justified his first prize.

The shearling ram class was won by Millenheath Michael from Charles & Jan Morris’s flock, Stoney Stretton, Shropshire.

He was bred by the Hares family by sire Millenheath Murray. Jan Freeman’s Silligrove Stanley, again sired by Brereton Torry, was second, just ahead of Piddington 042DH22 from Sue Farquhar’s flock near Ledbury in Herefordshire, sired by Roydon Rogan.

First and second in the ram lamb class were Marsh Fields Peanut and Marsh Fields Walnut, both sired by Redstreak Falmouth from the Woodfields’ flock, Luston, Herefordshire.

The older ewe class was won by Aubrey & Marion Webb of Gilmorton, Leicestershire with Ushers 1022KX21 with Ushers 991KX20 in third place.

They were sired by Ushers Gravity and Stonegrave Archie respectively.

In second place was Goblindale 178AAG21 for Peter Harris of Ellerdine, Shropshire. The ewe was bred by C & R Coleman, Ellesmere, Shropshire with Rosaline Cladius the sire.

The Hares family’s Millenheath Flock, from Whitchurch, Shropshire then took over the show with first, second and third in both the shearling ewe and the ewe lamb classes.

The shearling class had 24 entries forward. Millenheath 625TW22 won followed by 653TW22 and 605TW22.

The winner was sired by Millenheath Murray with the other two by Alderton Minty. The ewe lamb class was won by Millenheath 690TW23 with 662TW23 second and 663TW23 third. All three were sired by Hayne Oak Cracker.

The Hares’ winning shearling ewe was overall Shropshire champion as well as sheep interbreed champion of the whole Native and Traditional Breeds event. The winning ewe lamb from the same flock was reserve champion Shropshire.

The Shropshire sale attracted a good crowd. The Hares family’s Show Champion went on to sell for 420gns to Tom Sellers from Kerry, Powys.

Topping the Shearling Ewe Section at 500gns was a smart Roydon Rogan daughter from the Piddington Flock of Sue Farquhar. This ewe was sold on behalf of the CoppaFeel Charity to raise breast cancer awareness. She was purchased by Owen Powell from Grinshill, Shropshire.

The trade was level throughout the sale of Shearling Ewes with those well grown, well presented sorts seeing around and over the £300 mark throughout and selling to numerous different buyers.

Shropshire Ewe Lambs were in good demand. The first prize winner in the section from the Millenheath Flock, sired by Hayne Oak Cracker, went on to sell for 460gns again to Owen Powell of Grinshill.

Shearling Rams were again topped by Millenheath Michael, the first prize winner from the Apiary flock of CA & JE Morris. This smart tup sold to the Hayne Oak flock of Cullompton, Devon for 880gns, the highest price of the day.

The Shropshire Sale averages were as follows: 3 Senior Ewe £299.75; 28 Shearling Ewes £292; 9 Ewe Lambs £212; 1 Senior Ram £546; 4 Shearling Rams £500; 8 Ram Lambs £311.