Averages: Charollais – 54 shearling rams, £539.97; 14 ram lambs, £552.75; three Charollais cross rams, £542. Texels – 98 shearling rams, £637.29; four ram lambs, £467.25; 16 non-MV rams, £444. Suffolks – 11 rams, £467.06; 21 ram lambs, £497.50; 14 non MV rams, £608.25. Beltex – Eight rams, £476; 31 Beltex cross rams, £496.

Lanarkshire Texel sheep breeder Robert Laird, Cambwell, made his presence felt at the NSA Wales and Border early season ram sale at Builth Wells, buying a third share of the top priced ram at 2800gns.

Selling at this mark was the shearling ram Corriecravie Autumn Gold, the reserve champion at the pre-sale show from Paul and Anna Johnson's Corriecravie flock from Stoke-on-Trent. A son of Cornmore Young Hustler, out of a home-bred ewe by Baltier Panther, he sold in a three-way split between Cambwell; Ed Samuel, Herefordshire and Colin Creer, Isle of Man.

The pre-sale Texel champion, Bryn Dansi Alfi, from GP Williams, Conwy, made 1600gns to D Pickford, Cheshire.

Top priced Charollais at 1900gns was the show champion, a December-born ram lamb from Tim Pritchard, Mid Glamorgan, purchased by Gethin and Eleri Gibbin, Llangan. It is by Wernfawr Spartacus.

Suffolks sold to 1050gns for a ram lamb from John Sinnett, Stockton, purchased by Oliver Sparks, Cardiff and Beltex peaked at 800gns for a three-year-old ram from Gloucestershire breeder, John Corbett. It sold back to it's breeder, Gary Williams, Gwynfe.

Prices were disappointing for many with only 54% of the rams across all breeds able to change hands.