The breed record for a Badger Face Welsh Mountain was smashed a whopping five times at Brecon on Sunday (September 11) with the final record standing at 2300gns for a yearling Torddu ram from Gaenor King and grandson, Sean Jeffreys, Llanelli.

Having stood second in the pre-sale show, this one is by the 2022 Royal Welsh Show reserve breed champion and after spirited bidding was finally knocked down to Neil Dillon and family, Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, for their Gannolds flock.

Just shy of that at 2200gns was another yearling ram, this time from Aron Hemmings, Llanfynydd, Carmarthenshire. By TDRB28 – also the sire of the 2018 and 2019 Royal Welsh champions, this one was reserve champion Torddu at the Spring Festival and reserve male champion at this year’s Royal Welsh, as well as overall champion in the pre-sale show on Sunday. Taking him home were D J and C Richardson, Chepstow.

Next up at 1900gns was the Joseph family, Brecon, Powys, with another yearling Torddu, this time by TDRC150, who was reserve male champion at the 2018 and 2019 Royal Welsh Show.

Securing this one was L Davies, Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. Recouping some of their investment, the Davies family sold their best yearling Torddu for 1800gns which caught the eye of the Joseph family, Brecon.

Having set the breed record at 1700gns at last year’s sale, mother and daughter team Lucy Levinge and Ellie Layton, Vowchurch, Hereford, sold their best Torddu yearling tup for 1750gns. By TDRG129 who is jointly owned with the Cilieni flock, this one was knocked down to J D and D Crimes, Lampeter.

Torddu ram lambs met a strong trade with Gaenor King and Sean Jeffreys dominating this section as well. Selling for 1450gns was a first prize winner from this year’s Royal Welsh Show. Again, by the 2022 Royal Welsh Show champion, this one went home with Aron Hemmings, Llandeilo, for his AJH flock.

Two Torddu lambs then met a call of 1300gns, the first being one from the Jones family’s Highview flock, based at Pencader, Carmarthenshire. Taking this one was knocked down to C Marshall, Carmarthen. The next at that money came from previous vendor and buyer L Davies, selling to J Benson, Ambleston, Cumbria.

Torddu females met a top call of 600gns for a ewe lamb from Aron Hemmings which sold to N Tamplin, Caerphilly. Meanwhile, shearling ewes hit a high of 420gns on two occasions, both from the Joseph family, with the first selling to B W Watson, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, while their other at the same money was knocked down to F R Crew, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire.

TORWENS

Having topped the Torddu section, Gaenor King and Sean Jeffreys then went on to secure the top price on the day in the Torwen offering.

Their sale leader was a ram lamb sired by the 2020 Brecon sale topper. Prior to the sale, this one has been a class winner at Llanddarog and Lampeter shows, second at the Royal Welsh and in the pre-sale show. He caught the eye of G Jones, Carmarthen. The same buyer also purchased the top priced yearling ram, again from Gaenor King and Sean Jeffreys, for 750gns.

Leading female trade at 530gns was a yearling ewe from Llandeilo-based Huw and Kate Williams. This one was a prize winner at this year’s Royal Welsh Show and was knocked down to E and O Morgan, Hengoed, Mid Glamorgan.

The Williams family then purchased the top priced Torwen ewe lamb which stood first and reserve overall champion in the pre-sale show, from Dafydd Lewis, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire at 350gns.

Averages:

Torddu: 38 ewes £246.75; 54 ewe lambs £199.20; 28 rams £837.75; 17 ram lambs £590.77

Torwen:14 ewes £273;21 ewe lambs £171; 11 rams £411.40; 10 ram lambs £436.80 (McCartneys).