A fantastic day for sheep farmers in the Exeter livestock last week with the 54th Great Annual July Fair being what will undoubtedly be the largest sale of its kind in the Westcountry this year and included what will probably be the largest show of Suffolk x Shearlings of any sale in the UK.
A great trade in the Older Ewe category (580 head) proving that farmers have faith in the Suffolk mule to breed and keep on breeding. The sale started with the mixed breed older ewes that really set the trade alite when Rob & Caroline Mole travelled down from Bucks to sell their annual consignment of 259 flock aged ewes to highs of £332, £330 & £320 for the 4T aged Suffolk x Mules whilst their 6T aged sorts reached £308. Hill Farm Partnership of Bideford sold strong Suffolk x Mule FM ewes to £302 as well as 4T’s to £322 and 6T’s to £310. Other Suffolk cross aged ewes to £295 for the Morish Family of Cheriton Bishop and £270 for Roger and Tanya Heggadon of Broadwoodkelly.
Following the starter for ten, the main event then commenced with 4008 head of Suffolk Mules commenced. Numbers were up by nearly 900 on the year and despite this trade stayed strong for the commercial females which are very much in demand.
Messrs Milborne Wick Farms of Sherborne were awarded Champion pen of Shearlings for the third consecutive year, ably judged by Simon Swerling of Bucks and his son Mikey Swerling from South Molton, Simon backed his judgement by buying the eye catching champion pen for the breeds top price of £370. Thanks to the judges for their time and expertise and also to our sponsors, Farmers Guardian and Suffolk Sheep Society for their continued support.
Second prize ticket went to Angela Tarry-Smith and Nephew Tom of Brackley, Northants which sold at £352 to Mikey Swerling with others off this good home selling at £338, £335 and all 289 of theirs averaged £322.
Third prize stayed local with father and son duo Robert and Tom Chanin of Thorverton selling their ticketed pen for £340 and others at £318.
Away from the prizes and Roger Rottenbury of Black Dog exhibited a tremendous run of 578 Suffolk x shearlings, all bred on one Exmoor farm and impeccably turned out by Roger, these peaked at £342, three further pens sold at £340, he hardly sold a pen under £310 and averaged £325.46 of his entire run. Other notable runs seeing their best reach £330 included Richard Coward of Mere, Wiltshire, Rory Wagstaff of Rugby, Warwickshire and Eddy & Percy Bullman of Thornborough, Buckinghamshire, also demonstrating the area this sale covers and the shepherds it caters for. Also worthy of a mention were an eye-catching pen of Suffolk x Scotch Half Breds from Derek White of Dalwood that rose to £355. Congratulations to all vendors on a wonderful show of sheep once again this year that all in averaged £304.52 for 3949 sold, an increase of £66 on the year.
Leading prices for Suffolk x Shearlings
90 (+8) from Milborne Wick Farms Ltd, Sherborne to £370 (+60) & av. £332 (+56)
30 from DP & MG White, Axminster to £355 & av. £320
289 from AM Tarry-Smith, Brackley to £352 & av. £322
578 (+23) from RJ Rottenbury, Crediton to £342 (+52) & av. £325 (+64)
50 (-50) from RB Chanin, Exeter to £340 (+95) & av. £329 (+98)
35 from RG Wagstaff, Rugby to £330 & av. £324
160 (+120) from RJ Coward, Mere to £330 (+75) & av. £309 (+59)
131 (+5) from ES Bullman, Bucks to £330 (+82) & av. £307 (+82)
22 (-18) from L Loosemore, Yeoford to £325 (+55) & av. £325 (+56)
53 from JP Simons, South Chard to £325 & av. £312
46 from Welland Valley Game, Market Harborough to £322 & av. £315
121 from AE &V Albutt & Sons, Worcester to £320 & av. £309
419 (+178) from BV & SM Johnson, Bridport to £320 (+60) & av. £297 (+51)
148 (+116) from HH Johnson & Son, Bridport to £312 (+62) & av. £303 (+63)
Pure Suffolk Ewes and Shearlings (74Head)
Across in the sheep pens and there was many pure Suffolk ewes and shearlings on offer, these sold to £440 & £330 for Gordon & Gill White of Crediton who also had younger sorts at £350. George Hillson of Yelverton also reached £350 & £340 with younger sorts and Bernard Strout of Launceston sold shearlings at £350 & £330
Pedigree and Commercial Rams
The Sale commenced with the Westcountry Suffolk Sheep Associations Annual Show & Sale which saw an excellent trade and an overall top price of 1350gns for a shearling Ram from Mr P Brooks of Yeovil who sold others to 1020gns.
Andrew & Wendy Reed of Blackborough sold the best of their shearlings to 1050gns, 850gns x 3 & 800gns.
Messrs HC Derryman & Son of Yarcombe sold their Shearlings to £950gns with others to £920gns x 2 & 900gns.
Brandon Roth of Redruth sold his two at 1000gns & 800gns and the same vendor sold a cracking run of Ram lambs to 800gns, 680gns x 2, 650gns & 620gns.
Mr P Brooks sold his Ram lambs to 850gns & 750gns
It would seem very apparent that the Exeter sheep fair is following the trend with the industry resetting itself back to basics with simple crosses in the female offering consistent fast growing prime lamb with the inclusion of some Suffolk Genetics in the flock. Long may that continue for the overall benefit of the sheep industry!
Show Results
Shearling Ram
1st Lot 4 from Phillip Brooks
2nd Lot 69 from HC Derryman & Sons
3rd from HC Derryman & Sons
4th from AJ & WJ Reed.
Ram Lamb
1st Lot 26 from Phillip Brooks
2nd Lot 27 from Phillip Brooks
3rd Lot 13 from Brandon Roth
4th Lot 22 from David Bourne
OVERALL Champion Lot 4 selling to 1350 guineas
RESERVE Champion selling to 850 guineas
