Swffryd Ego made his mark at the Welsh Premier Beltex show and sale at Welshpool to lift the overall championship and top price of 3000gns for Shropshire breeder, Aled Groucott, from Shifnal, Shropshire.

This ET lamb by the 65,000gns Airyolland Castro and out of Aled’s champion-breeding Hackney Treacle, is a full brother to the 7000gns Swffryd Express ET sold at Carlisle last month. Backing his decision, Ego sold to the judge Jack Buckle, of the Broxty and Buckles flocks near Barras, Kirkby Stephen, in partnership with Dafydd Owen, of the Smart Ass flock, Conwy.

The same home also secured the highest shearling ram price of 2100gns with another bred from Hackney Treacle in the shape of Swffryd Double Trouble ET, which stood third at the pre-sale show. A son of the 60,000gns Topflite Al Pacino, Double Trouble is a full brother to Aled’s supreme champion from the English National Show and was knocked down to Tomos Evans, Llanddarog, Carmarthen.

Second top price was 2600gns paid for the female champion and reserve supreme, Hackney Dulce ET from Paul and Christine Tippetts, Shifnal, which is again by Topflite Al Pacino. Bred from Hackney Beat That, a full sister to Hackney Braveheart, this gimmer was knocked down to Matt Prince for the Stonedge flock near Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Aged rams peaked at 1800gns for Sion Jones’ reserve male champion, Muirton Buchan Loon ET, a three-shear ram from Pennant, Llanon, purchased by Sioned Bebb of the Bebbs flock near Llanwddyn, Oswestry. He was bought at Carlisle in 2017, and is by an imported Dean V/H Vrijbos ram, out of Woodies Rearend.

Sion also sold his Fronarth Dancing Queen ET for 1,100gns to TP and MA Roberts, Tynygroes, Powys. Sired by the imported Double O Seven, this shearling ram is out of Cerin Aelwen.

Averages: 64 gimmers, £391 (-£24 for 15 fewer sold); six ewe lambs, £270 (-£188 for one less); three aged rams, £882 (+£281 for two less); 154 shearling rams, £590 (-£2 for 27 fewer); 16 ram lambs, £501 (-£5 for two more).