Welsh-bred Cover Girl leads Beltex offering

A LONG journey north from Wales was made worthwhile for Dafydd Lewis when entries from his Cothi flock headed up a society show and sale of Beltex females at Carlisle. 
Getting the day off to a good start, Dafydd and his partner Caryl Howells, first secured the reserve championship with a ewe lamb but it was another lamb from the 50-ewe flock at Pentwyn, Cwrtycadno, Carms, that went on to top the sale at 2400gns. 
That was Cothi Cover Girl, an ET that is among the first crop of lambs by the privately purchased Airyolland Slingshot, which sired ram lambs to 4000gns earlier in the year. Her dam, the Glantre Nimrod-sired Cothi Showstopper, has been a good breeder in the flock, and Cover Girl heads to a new home at Game Keeps Cottage, Low Espley, Morpeth, with M and N Gray. 
Just one lot earlier, Cothi Cadbury, the reserve champion, was knocked down to fellow Welsh breeder, AT Davies, Bryn Y Groes Fawr, Five Roads, Llanelli, for 1600gns. She offers different genetics, being by the imported Magnolia de Noblehaye, while the dam is the Macleans Rocket-Launcher-sired Cothi Waahoo. 
Included in the sale was a reduction of gimmers from John Cowan’s Brickrow flock at Auchincruive, Ayr, which peaked at 1900gns for Brickrow Bring It On. Selling to A Neachall and Son, Shrubbery Farm, Daniels Lane, Walsall, she is by Matt’s Wild Son, a ram bought three years ago for a fraction of that price, and out of Brickrow Ricki, by Matt’s Power House. She sold carrying a pair to Jewitt Bonzo. 
Mr Cowan also received 1700gns from FDA and D McVicar, Lephinchapel, Strathlachlan, Cairndow, for Brickrow Beam, whose full sister realised 4000gns earlier this year. She is also by Matt’s Wild Son, this time out of the Artnagullion Spencer daughter, Brickrow Wispa, and sold AI’d to Jewitt Admiral. 
Next best at 1800gns was the champion, Matt’s Crystal, an ET-bred ewe lamb from Matt Burleigh, Kinawley Road, Shanra, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. She is by the 5800gns Kingledores Apollo bought back in 2015 when he stood male champion and has bred females to 3000gns, including Crystal’s full ET sister. Selling to Ian Reid, at Isle Cottage, Methven, her dam is Matt’s Accolade, a Hackney Warrior daughter that has bred a ram lamb to 3400gns, as well as two 3000gns ewe lambs. 
Matt also received 1400gns from Brian Hall, Ainstable Hall, Carlisle, for a substitute entry, a ewe lamb named Matt’s Clinker. This ewe lamb is by the 2017 Balmoral Show champion, Hackney Wonderboy, and out of Matt’s Arcade. 
Hitting the 1650gns mark when sold to CD Timm, West End, Main Street, Appleton Roebuck, was Artnagullion Bloomer from Elizabeth McAllister and brother William, from Parkgate Road, Kells, Ballymena. This Arnagullion Worzel-sired gimmer is out of a home-bred ewe by Artnagullion Tinky Winky. 
Also in the money from the Northern Irish duo was Artnagullion Butterfly, which sold to Stuart Wood for his Woodies flock at Woolhillock, Skene, carrying a pair to Broxty Supreme. She is by Ardstewart Armani and again out of a home-bred ewe, this time by Graham’s Ringo. 
On the other side of the balance sheet, Stuart received 1600gns from James Young, Muirton, Craigievar, for Woodies Cajun, a lamb by the 7000gns Loandhu Bonzo. Her dam is Woodies Wild Wind, a daughter of The Godfather that goes back to Stuart’s noted Crocodile ewe. 
Earlier on in the sale, Langlands Buttercup from Sue and Jeff Wilkinson, and son Steve, from Barningham, Richmond, also realised 1600gns. She is bred the same way as a 3000gns ram lamb, being by Drumchapel Replay and out of Langlands Ripple. She sold to Preston Farms, Tircur Road, Omagh, scanned with a pair to Smarthass Alfie, which also sired the 13,000gns Langlands Bruiser.