Halls sells 3,500 breeding sheep at annual Bishop's Castle sale

Held at Love Lane, the sale included a flock dispersal 60 well-bred Charolais and Texel yearling ewes from J. S. & B. M. Vance & Son, Upper Grimmer, Minsterley, which averaged £389 per head to a high of £500.

Entries for the Andrew Lawton Cup, awarded to the best pen of Welsh Mule yearlings, were judged by Tom Burgoyne and the winner was Phillip Pugh of N. L. Pugh & Co, Longville, Much Wenlock with Luke Page of Sidnal Farm, Chirbury runner up.

The Derek Pugh Challenge Cup for the highest priced pen of 10 or more commercial bred ewes was won by N. L. Pugh & Co for a pen of 20 Texel ewes which sold for £272 per head.

Overall section averages were: 2,322 yearling ewes averaged £237.50 and peaked at £500 for J. S. & B. M. Vance. 180 aged ewes averaged £160 and peaked at £202 from G. & S. J. Jones, Lower Acton, Bishops Castle. 1,000 ewe lambs averaged £160 and peaked at £186 for G. H. Bayliss & Son, Borfa Wen, Kerry. 12 breeding rams averaged £475 and peaked at £650 for N. & K. Unwin, Pany y Crasty, Carno.

Leading yearling prices were: Texel: £500 to £310 for 12 pens of Charolais cross Texel for Messrs J. S. & B. M. Vance; £272 for 20 Texels for Messrs N. L. Pugh & Co. and £262 for 10 Texels from Messrs Murray Roberts, Middle Walton, Worthen

Welsh mule: £281 for 20 yearlings from Messrs P. E. & G. R. Jones, Pen Cae, Trelystan; £280 for 20 yearlings from Messrs N. L. Pugh & Co and £275 for 20 yearlings from Messrs R.W.M. Jones, Larden Grange, Brockton; 10 yearlings from Messrs L. Page and 20 yearlings from W. C. & J. M. Gittins, Ashton Farm, Castle Caereinion.

Ewe lambs: £186 for 20 from Messrs G. H. Bayliss & Son; £185 for 10 from Messrs A. M. Jones, Middle Farm, Rorrington and £180 for 20 from Messrs R. T. Bright & Son, Shadwell, Craven Arms and 20 from Messrs A. M. Jones.

Aged ewes: £202 and £200 for two and three year olds from Messrs G. & S. J. Jones; £200 and £192 for two year olds from Julie Watkin, Mount Nebo, Sarn and £186 for four year olds for F. C. P. Gethin & Son, Gwern y Go, Sarn.

Breeding rams: £650 to £500 for five, one year old Texels for Messrs N. & K. Unwin and £500 for a two year old Texel from Messrs M. B. & M. B. Roberts, Wood Leasowes, Westbury.

“I would like to thank all the vendors and buyers for making the sale a success," said Halls director James F. Evans.

The next Breeding Sheep Sale at Bishop's Castle is on Saturday, October 5, with entries required by Monday, September 23.