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June’s Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, Edinburgh, saw the Chaileybrook Hampshire Down show team cross the border for the first time to compete against English, Welsh and Scottish flocks in strong classes.
And, pleasingly the Chaileybrook team, consisting of five sheep, fared well in all classes.
Making the most impressive debut in Scotland was our stock tup Kelsey Knockout, who not only won his class, but also stood male and reserve overall champion under judge Sally Horrell, Pode Hole.
Describing Knockout, an Owlesbury Rapier son, as a highly correct, well-fleshed, extremely mobile tup Mrs Horrell had no hesitation awarding him the male championship.
Kelsey Knockout
The flock’s shearling ewes also fared well in their class, picking up third and fifth prize tickets in a class that was won by the eventual female and overall breed champion, a shearling ewe from Jim and Patsi Cresswell’s Wattisfield flock.
Ram lambs by Knockout also featured in the team and stood fifth and sixth in a strong class dominated by lambs four-five weeks older than the Chaileybrook entries.
All in all it was a pleasing and successful first venture to the Highland for the flock with our stock gaining many positive comments from the ringside crowd and commercial sheep producers.
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The South of England Show proved a happy hunting ground once again for the Chaileybrook team, with the flocks picking up the interbreed sheep championship and two breed championships.
Leading the way and winning the interbreed title and Southdown breed championship was the outstanding Southdown shearling ewe Chaileybrook 09/00007. This daughter of French stock sire TC4028, is out of Chaileybrook 03/00013, herself a former reserve breed champion at South of England.
This shearling ewe’s maternal line has proven to be one of our most successful in recent years, with a full sister to 03/0013 interbreed champion at South of England in 2006 and a maternal half brother reserve breed champion in 2008. A daughter of the 2006 interbreed champion by TC4028 was also reserve breed champion last year.
The shearling ewe was praised by interbreed judge James Thomson, Kelso, for her evenness of fleshing, exceptional locomotion and superb presence in the show ring. “I knew she was my champion the minute she entered the ring,” he added.
Chaileybrook 09/00007
Meanwhile, taking the Any Other Breed championship was Hampshire Down stock sire Kelsey Knockout. This son of Owlesbury Rapier was reserve section champion at the show last year and is the main service sire for the flock. Judge Carol Grain picked him for his exceptional fleshing, saying he was simply “a hell of a lump of meat”.
Kelsey Knockout
Also collecting tickets for the flock were Southdown shearling ram Bromption 09/0027, a Chaileybrook 07/0019 son. This stock sire stood second in the shearling ram class behind the eventual reserve breed champion.
And in the Any Other Breed classes the remainder of the Hampshire Down team picked up a number of second and third prize cards. Following that on the Saturday of the show out Hampshire Down shearling ewe bred by Phil Kettle stood second in the shearling ewe sweepstake class for all breeds at the show.
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The show season started off in good form for the Chaileybrook flocks at Heathfield Show, with a Hampshire Down shearling ewe taking the reserve Any Other Shortwool title.
This one was bought from Tim Hunter at last year’s premier breeders sale, Stratford, where she stood female champion. She has previously stood reserve breed champion at last year’s Edenbridge and Oxted Show.
Our homebred shearling ram then stood second in his class, as did a homebred ram lamb.
In the Southdowns, we picked up a second and third in the shearling ewe class with homebred ewes, one by French sire TC4028 and another by Southern Cross 07/0013.
And a homebred shearling ram by TC4028 stood third in his class behind the eventual interbreed championship winner.
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The Chaileybrook Southdown and Hampshire Down flocks are set to play host to an EBLEX Better Breeding event as part of the Better Returns Program later this year in order to help local commercial producers and pedigree breeders gain a fuller understanding of estimated breeding values.
Hosted in conjunction with the Southdown Sheep Society, the event is open to all and will primarily be aimed to helping commercial farmers pick rams suited to their production systems.
With both the Southdowns and the Hampshire Downs full performance recorded the flock is able to offer breeders the opportunity to buy stock with complete estimated breeding values, enabling them to buy with confidence and take some of the guesswork out of ram buying.
The event, on Thursday 8 July, will be an evening meeting beginning at 6pm and will also offer prospective buyers the opportunity to see all Chaileybrook stock entered for the Southdown Premier Sale at Maidstone on Saturday 31 July.
Those attending the event will also be able to hear a talk on the importance of ram fertility inspections and how sub-fertile rams can dramatically affect lambing percentages.
Anyone wanting to attend the open evening should contact EBLEX on 0870 609 1840 or email brpevents@eblex.org.uk
Chaileybrook stock, including a selection of this year’s shearling rams, will also be on show at SouthSheep 2010 on Wednesday 16 June when they will form the centrepiece of the Southdown Sheep Society’s breed stand at the event at Chilbolton Farms, Hampshire.
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Chaileybrook pedigrees finished the year in fine form, taking red tickets in every class they entered at the inaugural AgriLIVE Smithfield primestock show, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
Showing four sets of lambs, two by a homebred Southdown sire and two by our Hampshire Down stock ram, Kelsey Knockout, the Chaileybrook team collected three first prizes.
First to take the honours was a pair of Southdown x Suffolk lambs in the class for pairs of lambs by a Southdown sire. This strong class of eight entries was one of the larger classes of the show and judge Andrew Walton praised the lambs for their conformation, length and superb presentation.
Next up were a pair of Hampshire Down x Southdown lambs in the class for pairs of lambs by any other native sire. This class included lambs by Dorset Down, Poll Dorset and Lleyn sires, but once again Mr Walton found his eye drawn to the Chaileybrook lambs from the moment they entered the ring. This pair, like the Southdown x Suffolks, were born as a pair to the same dam.
Then in the butchers lamb section for pens of three lambs by any other native sire, Chaileybrook scooped a first prize for a carcass lamb by Knockout and out of a Suffolk ewe which classified U3L. This class saw two lambs shown alive and one selected randomly for slaughter and shown as a carcass.
The live pairs in this class stood second and fourth for Southdown x Texel and Hampshire Down x Suffolk lambs, respectively, while the second carcass, a Southdown x Texel, was placed fourth.
Chaileybrook lambs, with their red rosettes attached were also in demand from the butchers at the ringside, with the Southdown x Suffolks selling to a top price of £120 each, the Southdown x Texels making £118 a head, the Hampshire Down x Southdowns reaching £110 apiece and the Hampshire Down x Suffolks £95 each.
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Chaileybrook Southdowns are pleased to announce the arrival of a new stock ram to extend the flock’s genetic depth.
The tup lamb, Brompton 09/0026, was purchased at the breed’s sale at Worcester for the day’s top price of 550gns and is a son of Chaileybrook 07/0019 which sold privately last year for £750. Chaileybrook 07/0019 is a son of our French sire TC4028 out of our legendary ewe Chaileybrook U8 which bred us many top lambs, including interbreed winning twins Chaileybrook 06/0001 and Chaileybrook 06/0002.
Brompton 09/0026, which was first prize ram lamb and reserve overall champion in the pre-sale show, was bred by the Glaves family, Brompton by Sawdon, Scarborough, and was purchased for his exceptional depth of loin, scanned at 37mm at 20 weeks old, and tremendous growth, with him weighing 75kg on sale day. The outcross of Chaileybrook bloodlines onto Brompton female lines offers a rare combination of genetics which combine breed character and tremendous commercial traits.
We fully expect his lambs to show the same qualities as Brompton 09/0026 and they’ll certainly be worth looking out for in next year’s sale teams.
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It was a fitting end to a strong show and sales season for Chaileybrook last weekend when the flocks clinched a number of top awards at the Edenbridge and Oxted Show, Surrey.
Turning heads once again was a Hampshire Down shearling ewe. This one, purchased from Charles and Sally Horrell’s Pode Hole flock as a ewe lamb, is by Owlesbury Xerxes and out of a Pode Hole dam. She took the championship in the Any Other Native section before going on to stand reserve interbreed champion under judge George Tobitt.
And taking reserve honours in the same section was a ewe lamb purchased earlier this year from Tim Hunter’s Lincolnshire based flock.
The flock’s stock sire Kelsey Knockout, an Owlesbury Rapier son stood first in his class too, helping the flock make its presence felt even further.
The trio then went on to take the interbreed group of three award too, after Knockout and the shearling ewe had stood second in the interbreed pairs class. Adding to the honours was a March-born homebred ewe lamb by Knockout which stood third to her flockmate in an exceptionally strong class of ewe lambs.
Chaileybrook Southdowns fared well too under judge Peter Rycraft, picking up a brace of third prize tickets with March born lambs.
And, pleasingly, it was a shearling ewe by a Chaileybrook tup which took the Southdown championship and interbreed award for Messrs Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer’s Ridings flock. This one was by Chaileybrook 06/007, a son of French stock sire TC4028. This was the third time this year progeny of Chaileybrook stock have taken interbreed championships, including lifting the coveted interbreed team of three championships at the Royal Show.
We now wait with anticipation for the winter primestock shows where we hope to have strong teams of lambs forward.
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Stock from Chaileybrook were in high demand at the Southdown Sheep Society’s premier sale at Maidstone on 1 August, with the flock recording the top prices in three sections at the sale and scooping the male and overall championship in the pre-sale show.
Leading the way for the flock was the reserve male champion from this year’s Royal Show, Chaileybrook 08/0016. This shearling ram, by homebred ram Chaileybrook 07/0019 a son of imported French sire TC4028 and out of homebred ewe Chaileybrook 06/0003, also by TC4028, topped the day’s trading at 590gns, selling to Hartfield, East Sussex-based Kevin Hawes for his Nightingale Farm flock.
Chaileybrook 08/0016
Next best of the day and second top price for Chaileybrook was another shearling ram Chaileybrook 08/0018. This one, also by Chaileybrook 07/0019, is out of homebred ewe Chaileybrook 06/0013, another TC4028 daughter and sold to commercial producer Harry Emslie, Peterhead, Aberdeen for 560gns.
Then at 420gns was Chaileybrook 08/0010, the champion from the pre-sale show. By TC4028, 08/0010 was picked out by judge Jim Cresswell, Norfolk, for his size, scale and fleshing. This one is out of Chaileybrook 05/0007, a paternal sister to former show interbreed champions Chaileybrook 05/0001 and 05/0002. This one sold for 420gns to another Scotsman and one of the sale’s bulk buyers Mr Coulter, Biggar, Lanarkshire.
Chaileybrook 08/0010
Following closely behind was another of the flock’s shearling rams, Chaileybrook 08/0006. A ram with an exceptional body, this TC4028 son, a twin to a ram sold to Messrs Bulmer, Yorkshire, last year for 300gns, is out of Chaileybrook A2, one of the flock’s outstanding older ewes. Buying this one was commercial producer Pearce Hughes, Herefordshire.
At 300gns was the final of the day’s shearling rams from the flock, Chaileybrook 08/0011. A full brother to the breed record holder, Chaileybrook 06/0002, this one is by TC4028 and out of Chaileybrook A11.
Leading the sale of ram lambs was Chaileybrook 09/0002. This exceptionally well grown son of the flock’s new stock sire Southern Cross 07/0013 is out of Chaileybrook 07/0013, a full sister to this year’s South of England Show female champion. Having picked up a first prize ticket in the pre-sale show he sold to Gail Sprake for her All Saints flock, Suffolk at 300gns.
Selling for 200gns was another of the flock’s ram lambs Chaileybrook 09/0022. By TC4028, this quad born lamb is a full brother to the pre-sale champion and showed every promise of being equally as good a ram in future. He sold to an Oxfordshire pedigree breeder.
Topping the day’s trading in the older ewe section was Chaileybrook 06/0021. This powerful, heavily fleshed daughter of TC4028, is out of Chaileybrook U8 and sold at 170gns to Mr Coulter, Biggar.
And making, 140gns in the same section was Chaileybrook 07/0014. Again by TC4028, this one lamb ewe is out of Chaileybrook 03/0002. She also sold to Mr Coulter.
In the shearling ewes the trade was lead by the best from Chaileybrook, TC4028 daughter 08/0008, which stood second in a strong class of shearling ewes in the pre-sale show. Out of Chaileybrook 06/0021 which sold earlier in the sale for 170gns, this one doubled her mother’s price tag when selling for 340gns to Messrs Bulmer, Malton, Yorkshire.
At 220gns was full sister to the breed record holder, Chaileybrook 08/0012. By TC4028 and out of Chaileybrook A11, she had previously been reserve female champion at this year’s Royal Show and sold to Mr Coulter.
Chaileybrook 08/0012
In the ewe lambs the flock also took second in the pre-sale show with Chaileybrook 09/0012. By TC4028 and out of Chaileybrook A2, this one, a full sister to 350gns ram Chaileybrook 08/0006, sold for 150gns, also to Mr Coulter.
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Chaileybrook Southdowns made their mark at the last ever Royal Show this week, taking the reserve male and reserve female titles along with the reserve award for the best animal of the opposite sex to the champion.
Taking the reserve female award was Chaileybrook 08/0012 a full sister to breed record holder Chaileybrook 06/0002. By TC4028 of France and out of Chaileybrook A11, this one is a stylish, heavily fleshed ewe which caught judge Jim Cresswell’s attention for her excellent legs, feet and top line. Along with this she carries a depth of gigot and tremendous style too. She now heads for the breed’s premier sale at Maidstone on 1 August.
It was a grandson of TC4028, this time Chaileybrook 08/0016 which took the reserve male award. He is by Chaileybrook 07/0019, a tup sold to Brian Glaves last year, and out of Chaileybrook 06/0013 and is also destined for the premier sale at Maidstone. This stylish tup carries a great backend and topline and was a close second in the shearling ram class to the overall breed champion at the Royal.
With just two previously unshown sheep entered due to the Southdown section at the Royal being non Maedi-Visna Accredited, this was a remarkable result for the flock.
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Chaileybrook 08/0016
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Chaileybrook 08/0012
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Chaileybrook stock were on sparkling form at the South of England Show in June, with both Southdowns and Hampshire Downs making their presence felt among the classes.
Leading the way was one of our Hampshire Down shearling ewes which took the reserve interbreed championship. The ewe, purchased from Charles and Sally Horrell’s Pode Hole flock as one of the flock’s foundation animals, is by Owlesbury Xerxes and out of a Pode Hole ewe. Judge, Alan Lyons, Somerset, praised her for her outstanding fleshing, correctness and style. She had stood breed champion in the Any Other Down Breed section before going on to take the reserve overall title under judge and Charollais breeder Tim Pritchard.
Snapping closely at her heels was the flock’s stock tup, Kelsey Knockout. He stood first in his class and then went on to stand reserve breed champion to the shearling ewe. Knockout is by Owlesbury Rapier and out of a Kelsey ewe. Both the shearling ewe and Knockout now head for the Royal Show next month.
In the Southdowns, our shearling ewe took the reserve breed championship, as well as the award for the best exhibit of the opposite sex to the champion and the Sheila Colman salver for the best shearling ewe. This one is by the flock’s French stock sire TC4028 and out of Chaileybrook 05/0002, herself interbreed champion at South of England in 2006. She also stood second in the interbreed shearling ewe sweepstake, gaining admiration from many ringside observers as well as the judge and Suffolk breeder Malcolm Stevens.
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Kelsey Knockout
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Southdown shearling ewe
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Hampshire Down shearling ewe
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Adding to our flock of Chaileybrook Hampshire Downs, we’re pleased to announce the arrival of two ewe lambs bought from the Society’s Premier Sale at Stratford upon Avon.
Bought for their style, thickness and fleshing ability, we purchased a lamb from Tim Hunter, Lincolnshire, which stood reserve overall champion under judge Lewis Knight, Wiltshire, along with a ewe lamb from Grantham-based Phil Kettle. The two ewe lambs are a great addition to the flock and may even make an appearance at Edenbridge and Oxted Show at the end of August.
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The Chaileybrook Hampshire Down team was out on force at The Suffolk Show this year and did well up against some pretty tough competition, as well as being admired by other breeders at the show.
Our shearling tup Kelsey Knockout took a 2nd place ticket under judge Derek Ritchie, while our two shearling ewes stood 3rd and 5th in an incredibly strong class.
On the Southdown front we were also pleased to catch up with the Thomas family from the Massif Central, France. Jean Claude and Isabelle Thomas, breeders of our French Southdown tup TC4028, were visiting the show with fellow breeder Alexander Pagnaud and were impressed with the sons and daughters of TC4028 they saw.
They were also particularly interested to hear of this year’s lamb crop by new stock sire Southern Cross 07/0003 which we are extremely pleased with.
Our next show will be South of England later in the month where we will be out in force with both the Hampshire Downs and Southdowns.
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This year is set to be a memorable one for Chaileybrook Southdowns with 2009 marking 55 years of involvement with the breed for Jonathan Long’s family and a production sale planned to celebrate the occasion.
Jonathan’s grandfather Frank Grantham started the original Chailey flock in the autumn of 1954 and many of the current flock can be traced back to those first ewes. Jonathan started his own Brook flock in the autumn of 1988 and 2009 also marks the 20th anniversary of the first Southdown lambs born carrying the Brook prefix.
To celebrate this remarkable feat Jonathan will be offering a selection of some of the finest females in the flock for sale in a special production sale later this year.
Plans are still at the early stage, but set to be included are a number of daughters of imported French sire TC4028, sire of the current breed record holder Chaileybrook 06/0002.
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Lambs sired by the Chaileybrook Southdown flock’s stock sire, imported French ram TC4028, helped the flock end 2008 on a high as they stood reserve overall champions at November’s South Eastern Winter Primestock Fayre at Ardingly showground.
The lambs, out of Suffolk ewes and born in May, stood first in their class for crossbred lambs by a native sire and then went on to stand reserve native champions and reserve overall too.
Later in the day the lambs went on to sell for the second top price of £65 each behind the overall champions, a pair of pure Southdowns from Messrs Wakeham Dawson and Harmer. These purebred lambs added to Chaileybrook’s success as they were by a son of TC4028 purchased by Messrs Wakeham Dawson and Harmer in 2006.
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Chaileybrook Hampshire Downs certainly caught the eye of the judges and fellow exhibitors on their first show outing at Edenbridge and Oxted Show in August.
The flock, established in May this year, took a number of first prize tickets, including first prize shearling ewe with a Pode Hole-bred entry and first prize ram lamb with stock sire Kelsey Knockout.
The tup was named reserve champion in the Any Other Native Breed section and later teamed up with another Pode Hole-bred shearling ewe to take the show’s interbreed pairs title. The winning pair then teamed up with a Pode Hole ewe lamb to take the reserve interbreed group of three award.
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