averages: 32 bulls, £3615.94; four heifers, £2270.70

An average of £3615.94 for 32 bulls sold, an increase of five from last year’s tally, was achieved at Welshpool's sale which also saw the clearance rate rise by 14%.

It was a great day for David Thornley, Hartshorne, Derbyshire, who not only secured the sales top price, but in addition his bulls produced the top herd average for the day at £5180 for his three sold, his herd’s top average to date.

David’s sale topper at 6100gns was the 16-month-old and yellow ticket winner, Dooley Ocean, which is sired by Davally Igolo, which was twice crowned champion at National shows. His dam is the 10,000gns Balmyle Dingle, a daughter Balnuith Inspire, and he goes on to work at Pentrefoelas, Gwynedd for new owners A and M Owen.

Mr Thornley’s other top priced lot was Dooley Orville, also sired by Davally Igolo but this time out of Blelack Headgirl, another Balmyle Dingle daughter. The July 2018-born bull was knocked down for 5200gns to VB and H Davies, Llanafanfawr, Powys.

Earlier in the sale a 17-month-old sold for the second highest price of the day at 5600gns for Roberts and Jones, Llangadfan, Powys, heading home with BA and O Jones, Criccieth, Gwynedd. Montgomery Orly is a son of the 8000gns Carlisle supreme champion Gretnahouse Jugular and out of the Blelack Digger-sired Montgomery Havard.

Their next top selling lot which commanded a 5200gns bid was the May 2018-born Montgomery Odessa, which stood second in his class at the morning’s show and was purchased by ET Bound and Co, Llangurig, Powys. Odessa is by the same sire and his dam, Montgomery Ffydd also goes back to Blelack Digger.

Another in the money for the Montgomery herd was Montgomery Owain. This time sired by the 9000gns Balmyle Harlequin. This 18-month-old is out of another Blelack Digger daughter, Montgomery Little and the man behind the money on this lot was E Edwards, Cerryigdrudion, Denbighshire.

Following on at 4800gns was Caylers Oreo from the Barker family of Caylers Charolais, Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire, which went home to Wales with TT Thomas and Son, Three Crosses, Swansea. This 19 month-old son of the Irish-born Rosanna Jupiter and the Thrunton Dominator-sired Caylers Gytha.

Next in the trade stakes at 4800gns was the March 2018-born, Belan Orlando from J S Abel, Cwmbelan, Powys. Belan Jennie is sired by the 7000gns Tweeddale Marcus, out of the 18,000gns Thrunton Fairfax and was purchased by D Jones and Son, Corwen, Denbighshire.

Minutes earlier a class winner from Alwyn and Medwyn Williams went under the hammer at 4200gns selling to TH Williams and Son, Welshpool, Powys. Castellmawr Outstanding, a 20 month-old by the Irish-bred Goldstar Gentleman and out of Castellmawr Jade, who goes back to the French-bred Riri.

Matching the 4200gns price tag was Trefaldwyn Oliver from Arwel Owen, Garthbeibio, Powys, and this blue ticket winner was snapped up by JT and A Davies, Oswestry, Shropshire. The youngest lot of the sale at just 13-months-old, the Balthayock Darcy-sired Oliver and his dam is the home-bred, Trefaldwyn Joy which goes back to the popular AI sire Goldies Eddy.

Four bulls then came under the hammer for 4000gns with the first being offered for sale by Kevin Thomas, Capel Iwan, Carmarthenshire. Moelfre Orion who is bred out of Moelfre Ianna, a daughter of the 16,000gns Royal Welsh reserve male champion Anside Foreman, is sired by the 12,500gns Balmyle Impression and G Davies, Tywyn, Gwynedd, was the purchaser of this 18 month-old lad.

The second to sell at a 4000gns was the May 2018-born bull, Caylers Osprey, which stood third in his class at the pre-sale show. He is sired by the 10,000gns Stirling reserve senior male champion, Blelack Fabulous and his dam is Caylers Ella, a daughter of Maerdy Uniroyal. Purchased by J Brown, Minehead, Somerset, this bull was another entry consigned by the aforementioned Caylers Charolais.

The class winning Esgob Oswyn was the third bull knocked down at the same money, when he caught the eye of Mr Evans, Bryncir, Gwynedd. Gareth Jones, Cwmtirmynach, Gwynedd, was the breeder of this 17 month-old, sired by the 12,000gns Caylers Hustler and out of the Blelack Digger daughter Esgob Jade.

Another to bring 4000gns when chapped down to Billy Turner, Skelton on Ure, North Yorkshire, was Esmor Evans champion Maerdy Orpheus from Mold, Flintshire. One of the younger lots, this 15-month-old which is sired by the aforementioned Blelack Fabulous is out of Maerdy Martha, a 26,000gns Maerdy Hearthrob daughter.

Top price among the females was 3000gns paid for the two year-old, Mortimers Nononsense from Messrs Mortimers Farm, Eastleigh, Hampshire.

She has an impressive pedigree behind her, being sired by the South East Calf show bull calf champion Mortimers Hurricane and her dam Mortimers Genie, a National show champion, is in turn sired by the 16,000gns Perth senior champion Ravensworth Alder. She went home with J Rudkin, Thrussington, Leicestershire.