Draper family’s ‘Claybury Crown Jewels’ to be sold at Shrewsbury Auction Centre

A dispersal sale on December 29 will mark the end of a remarkable success story for a Shropshire family who have been breeding top quality pedigree Texel sheep for 34 years.

The Draper family of Endson House, Montford Bridge, near Shrewsbury has made the difficult decision to sell their award-winning Claybury flock to focus on other farming enterprises.

Robert, Peter and James Draper will be saying goodbye to their “Claybury Crown Jewels” at Shrewsbury Auction Centre at 2pm on December 29 where the auctioneers will be Jonny Dymond from Halls and Brian Ross from Lawrie & Symington, Lanark.

In addition to bidding in person at the sale, prospective buyers can bid on the MartEye online auction platform – www.marteye.ie . The sheep will be available to view at Shrewsbury Auction Centre from 4pm on Sunday, December 28.

Due to the flock’s successful track record and genetics, the auctioneers are anticipating UK-wide and global interest in the sale. Mr Ross was invited by the Drapers to be a guest auctioneer because he has a long association with the family and sold their ram Claybury Istabraq for record 88,000 guineas in 2002.

Up for auction will be 90 embryo pregnancies, 12 donor ewes, 15 flock ewes, 35 yearling ewes and 30 ewe lambs. Ten lots of semen will also be sold for designated charities. Service sires are Allanfauld Italian Job, Wedderburn Highlander and Hope Valley Istabrauq.

The flock is MV accredited, Scrapie monitored and Blue Tongue vaccinated.

“We feel so proud of what we have achieved and the quality we have bred over the years,” said James Draper, a British Texel Society board member and Shropshire and Borders Texel Society vice chairman. “This is an unbelievable flock of sheep which made the decision to disperse much harder.

“Dad (Robert) turns 75 in February and he wants to celebrate his birthday for the first time in ages without lambing pedigree sheep!

“Of course, we will miss the Texels because they are a great breed to be involved with, but they require a lot of work if you want to be top of the tree.

“Shrewsbury Auction Centre is our local livestock market and, from a sheep welfare point of view, it’s ideally located in the centre of the country.”

In the new year, the family plans to focus on its chicken and arable enterprises, whilst keeping a small flock of around 120 crossbred sheep.

Claybury Texels was founded in 1993 with just two in-lamb ewes and a vision to breed superior commercial rams – a goal that soon evolved into producing high-quality stock for the pedigree market.

“Over the years, we have achieved remarkable success,” added James. “The flock has consistently excelled in show and sale rings. We are proud to offer females that can enhance any breeding programme or form the foundation of a new Texel flock.

“This dispersal sale presents a unique opportunity to acquire breeding females from our leading flush ewes, gimmers and selected ewe lambs, as well as recipient ewes carrying embryos, with no embryos retained.

“Buyers will gain access to proven pedigrees, influential bloodlines and families that have gone on to breed top priced offspring for their purchasers. They are in-lamb to outstanding service sires.

“Our journey in the breed, which has been unforgettable, started with my sister, Hannah and her valuable input. This resulted in our first championship with Claybury Emperor at Shrewsbury Auction Centre purchased by Jimmy Warnock of the Watchknowe flock for 2,500gns.

“It then followed with the Scottish National Champion, Claybury Invader selling for 27,000gns. Hannah left the business to pursue her career in food retail with Marks & Spencer.

“What began as a passion soon became a path filled with many happy memories and incredible people, many of whom we are proud to call lifelong friends.”

The flock’s list of successes includes breaking both the ram lamb and ewe lamb breed price records and winning Texel Supreme Championship at all the premier national shows and sales.

In 2024, the Draper family won the National 50th Anniversary Flock Competition with the best group of ewe lambs and the flock won the Shropshire and Borders Club Flock Competition in 2023 and 2024, having not entered this year.

FARMGENE Breeding Services, which is based at Ensdon House, is accessible for any breeding programmes that maybe required. The Drapers are willing to accommodate sheep purchased by overseas buyers and then send their embryos across the world.

Sheep purchased by UK buyers can also be returned to Ensdon House on request for onward transport in the new year to an agreed collection point.

Picture: One of the Claybury Texels that will be sold in the dispersal sale on December 29.