Potters take the Christmas Fatstock Cup for prime lambs at Shrewsbury

The cup for the champion pen of prime lambs at Shrewsbury Auction Centre’s Christmas Fatstock Prize Show and Sale went to Ralph and Chris Potter of Oakfield Farm, Frodesley.

The Potters’ winning lambs won the 40 to 44.5 kilos class before taking the overall cup sponsored by Metro Bank. They weighed 42kgs and sold for 369p per kilo and £155 per head.

Reserve champion was Philip Dudleston, Upper Vessons Farm, with a pen of lambs up to 39.5 kilos which sold for 291p per kilo. He also collected the prize for the best butchers single lamb weighing 48kgs and selling for 313p per kilo and £150.

The judge was Dai Richards, representing meat wholesalers Messrs W & G Yates, Yieldfields and the cup was presented by Rob Lanagan, Metro Bank’s commercial relationship manager.

“The entry of 900 prime lambs included special entries for the Christmas Fatstock Show and Sale,” said auctioneer James Evans, a director Halls. “Trade was good and more lambs could be sold to advantage. The SQQ was a pleasing 240.45p per kilo with demand good across the weight brackets.

“Show judge Dai Richards did a great job judging and bought all of the top prizes for Messrs W & G Yates.”

He thanked Metro Bank for sponsoring the prizes and all the vendors and purchasers for their support throughout the year.

The fatstock show results were: Best pen of five or more lambs up to 39.5kgs: 
1, Mr P.C. Dudleston; 2, Messrs W.G. & S Jones, Cwm Duggan. Best pen of five or more Lambs 40 – 44.5kgs: 1, Messrs Ralph and Chris Potter; 2, Messrs A.R. & L. G. Tudor, Olde Farm. Best pen of five or more lambs 45 – 49.5kgs: 1 and 2, Mrs S. M. Thomas, Longacres Farm. Best butchers single lamb: 1, Mr P.C. Dudleston; 2, Messrs A.R. & L. G. Tudor.

Heavies: 1 and 2, Mr S. M. Thomas, Longacres Farm with lambs weighing 50 kilos selling to £140 per head and 48kgs selling to £123 per head. 

Lights averaged 206.6p per kilo and £64.89 per head and sold up to 255p per kilo and £76.50 from Messrs A. P. Prince, Brook Farm. Standards  averaged 238.79p per kilo and £86.87 per head and sold up to 275p per kilo and £103 per head from Mr G M. Brown, Morrilow Heath Farm. Mediums averaged 244.79p per kilo and £10 per head and sold up to 369p per kilo and £155 per head from Mr Ralph Potter. Heavies averaged 240.69p per kilo and sold up to 313p per kilo and £150 per head from Mr P.C. Dudleston. Overweights averaged 241p per kilo and £132.05 per head and sold up to 245p per kilo and £137 per head from Mr G M Brown.

A great show and sale in the cull ewe section included a quality entry of 750 ewes. Winning the best single ewe class and hitting top price of the day was a Texel ewe from S. P. & C. P. Williams which sold for £245. 

The best pen of five or more continental ewes was also won by the same vendor who saw them sell for £230. Winner of the five or more native sired ewes was Tim Jones with a pen of 10 Suffolk cross ewes which sold for £150. 

“On the whole, there was a fantastic atmosphere in the cull ewe lines where the best Texel ewes made more than £200 and meated ewes in excess of £120,” said Mr Evans. “The overall average for the day was a staggering £98 dearer than any surrounding market.”

Picture caption:

Rob Lanagan, Metro Bank’s commercial relationship manager, presents the cup for the champion pen of prime lambs to Chris Potter watched by Jon Quinn, Halls’ managing director, judge Dai Richards and auctioneer James Evans.