Tuesday 15 January 2008

Great start to 2008 for Welsh Blacks at Dolgellau sale

The New Year got off to a good start for the Welsh Black Cattle Society at today's (January 15 th ) sale at Dolgellau with the surge in interest in pedigree beef cattle boding well for 2008.

Farmers travelled to North Wales from as far as Dumfriesshire in Scotland , Pickering in North Yorkshire and Devon and Cornwall for the sale which saw 79 Welsh Blacks entered for sale.

“After so much doom and gloom in the agricultural industry in 2007, this year has got off to a great start,” said WBCS Chief Executive, Andrew James.

Leading the trade was the pre-sale show champion bull, Graig Goch Berwyn 59 th , which sold for 12,200gns. The 800kg 19 month-old bull was bred and exhibited by Emyr Jones, Graig Goch, Nebo, Llanrwst in Gwynedd. The bull was brought by Mrs Gwenfair Jones & Sons, Hafod-yr-Esgob Isaf, Bala.

Mrs Jones & Sons are no strangers to prize-winning as their home-bred females won both the Champion female and Champion Maiden titles at last November's sale at Dolgellau, and averaged 2,075gns a head at that auction.

The Reserve Champion bull in today's pre-sale show was sold for 9,500gns. Twenty-two month-old Brysgaga Seraff 35 th weighed 970kgs and was bred by Rowland Rees, Brysgaga, Bow Street , Ceredigion. The bull was bought by Islwyn Owen, Cefn Bodig Partnership, Cefn Bodig, Llanycil, Bala.

Selling for 6,800gns was Machreth Cai 15 th , weighing 700kgs. The 20 month-old bull was bred and sold by Rhys Williams, Tyddyn Bach, Llanfachreth, Dolgellau, and bought by Mr G Jones, Hendre, Dolwyddelan, near Betws y Coed in Gwynedd.

While at 5 years and 2 months one of the oldest bulls at the sale, Meadowsweet Bleddyn, was sold for 5,600gns. Bred by Mr & Mrs Peter & Tanya Bowen, the bull was exhibited and sold by Messrs Gareth and Eirian Jones, Garth-y-Pigau, Nant-y-Rhiw, Llanrwst. The proven and well fleshed bull was bought by Alun Vaughan, Moel Iwrch Uchaf, Nebo, Llanrwst in Gwynedd.

Leading the female trade was Tynygraig Nerys 20 th . The organic in-calf heifer was bred and sold by Messrs EW & M Jenkins, Tynygraig, Talybont in Ceredigion. The heifer was sold for 1,320gns and bought by Lloyd Roberts, Waterloo Service Station, Penrefail, Cross Road , Abergele. Mr Roberts who bought his first Welsh Black at the sale bought 17 animals in total.

The highest priced maiden was Iwrch Elin. The Reserve Champion Maiden was bred and exhibited by Alun Vaughan and sold to Gareth Roberts, Cwrt Farm, Aberdaron, Pwllheli in Gwynedd for 1,700gns.

Mr Vaughan sold a total of 8 maiden heifers averaging 1,166gns a head, including Iwrch Del 5 th which was sold for 1,420gns to Mrs J A Methuen-Campbell, Penrice Castle , Reynoldston, Gower, Swansea .

Iwrch Nesta 67 th again forwarded by Mr Vaughan was sold for 1,350gns to Robert Eynon, Golygfa, Beulah, Newcastle Emlyn in Ceredigion.

Matching the price tag of 1,350gns was Hafodesgob Candy 14 th , the Champion Maiden Heifer. Bred and sold by Mrs Gwenfair Jones & Sons, the heifer was bought by Eirwyn Thomas, Nantganol, Rhiwlas, Oswestry, Shropshire .

Completing the female trade were three weaned heifer calves aged 6-8 months. They were sold by Mr TW Williams, Caerynwch Farm, Dolgellau, Gwynedd and averaged 887gns/head.

The highest priced of the three went for 940gns and was bought by the sale's junior female judge, Carwyn Lewis, Gwarcoed Einion, Llanwenog, Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire. Carwyn who celebrated his 13 th birthday last week intends to show his cattle on the 2008 summer show circuit.

The sale was kindly sponsored by Tithebarn, c/o Richard Lawrence, Wales Regional Manager.

A £25 Tithebarn voucher was awarded to both the vendor and buyer of the highest priced bull, female and maiden heifer.

Auctioneers: Farmers Marts (R.G.Jones) Ltd, Dolgellau.

Pre-sale Show Results

Champion Female – Morwynion Jet 26 th

Bred & Sold by: Dylan Wynne, Tyn-y-wern, Bryneglwys, Corwen, Clwyd

Champion Maiden Heifer – Hafodesgob Candy 4 th

Bred& Sold by: Mrs Gwenfair Jones & Sons, Hafod-yr-Esgob Isaf, Bala, Gwynedd

Reserve Champion Maiden Heifer – Iwrch Elin

Bred & Sold by: Alun Vaughan, Moel Iwrch Uchaf, Nebo, Llanrwst, Gwynedd

Champion Bull – Graig-Goch Berwyn 59 th

Bred & Sold by: Emyr Jones, Graig Goch, Nebo, Llanrwst, Gwynedd

Reserve Champion Bull – Brysgaga Seraff 35th

Bred & Sold by: Rowland Rees, Brysgaga Farm, Bow Street , Ceredigion

Averages

Females

12 females (2-3 years)       937gns/head

33 females (1-2 years)       771gns/head

3 females (under 1 year)       887gns/head

Total 48 females averaging       820gns/head

Bulls

21 bulls (18months & over)       3,226gns/head

1 bull (12-18 months)       2,600gns/head

Total 22 bulls averaging       3,198gns/head

70 animals in total averaging     1,567gns/head

Ends.

Notes to Editors

Photos are available on request:

Arvid Parry Jones

Tel: 01970 832423

For further information contact:

Andrew James, Chief Executive Welsh Black Cattle Society

Tel: 01982 551111

Farmers Marts (R.G.Jones) Ltd, Dolgellau

Tel: 01341 422334