A historic day, with good prices for quality rams, a record clearance and a smooth transition to a new venue, led to an excellent NSA Wales & Borders Early Sale at Brecon.

The Early Sale is traditionally a trailblazer for the season and blaze a trail it did. 

Brecon Livestock Market hosted the sale on Monday, August 5.

The venue is owned and run by McCartneys and the partner in charge is Jenny Layton Mills.

On sale day, two Texel rams each achieved the top price of the day at 2,000 guineas, but the solid stream of high prices and individual consigner averages underlined the success of the sale. Averages were up almost £200 and an 83 per cent clearance was the highest ever. 

The first 2,000 guinea sale went to one of 15 Texel shearlings from Chave and Son’s Peacehay Flock. It sold to J & RM Lucas & Son and was sired by Strathbogie Epic, bought by the Chave family at Carlisle for 4,000 guineas.

The other 2,000 guinea ram was another Texel shearling, the show champion. It was consigned by Gethin Hatcher, a new breeder from Gorsgoch in Ceredigion. He and his wife, Sara, founded the Penllain flock just two and a half years ago as ‘a hobby’ to enjoy with their small children.

They have just 25 ewes and it was their first sale of yearlings. Gethin was thrilled: “I knew I had decent tups, but you never know what to expect. I’m delighted with the day’s trading – it was worth getting up early!”

The tup sold to Huw Davies of Beulah who runs 200 pedigree Texels. He was happy to have bought “the best tup here today”.

Huw continued: “He has plenty of sparkle, with power and length, as well as width all through and a fantastic back end.”

The cross bred trade was topped by Adrian Davies, whose Charollais X shearling sold for 1650 guineas. His 10 shearling Charollais X rams averaged 1450 guineas and he praised the “very good trade and excellent venue”. The highest priced Beltex X was a shearling from Paul Curran of Talgarth.

The headline figures were underpinned by rock solid averages, the importance of which was highlighted by Charles Marwood who topped last year’s sale.  He felt that overall he’d had a better trade this year on the 28 Charollais rams he and his daughter, Deborah, had brought from Yorkshire. People had been prepared to pay for the very good rams on offer.

NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales Chairman, Geoff Probert, said the day had been a huge success: “It’s worked well and has been a smooth transition to the new venue.

“We were a bit nervous in the run up, but the trade has been tremendous. It’s been a very good show of high standard tups and the quality was reflected in a very good trade.”

Executive Director, Jane Smith, was delighted: “Our thanks to McCartneys for hosting the sale today – and making history!

“It was the highest percentage clearance ever for the Early Sale. The entry was slightly smaller but the quality was certainly there and farmers were prepared to pay for the sheep they wanted.”

The order of sale, by drawn lots filmed to ensure accuracy, was: Texels first, sold by Clee Tompkinson and Francis, followed by Hereford Market Auctioneers with the Charollais and then McCartneys with the cross breds. Non MV sheep, entered by two vendors, will be sold after the MV sheep.

The NSA Wales & Borders Main Sale will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground on Monday, September 23.