Sheep sells for £168,000 at Scottish auction

A prized sheep has sold for an eye-watering sum.

The male Texel lamb, named Rhaeadr (Waterfall) First Choice, fetched £168,000 (more than 100,000 guineas) after being put up for auction at the Scottish National show in Lanark.

A consortium of three breeders purchased the animal following intense bidding, with another two rams also being sold for five-figure amounts, according to the Scottish Farmer.

Texel sheep originate from the island of Texel, one of the north-western islands off the Netherlands and now dominate breeding the UK sheep industry.

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Rhaeadr (Waterfall) First Choice was sold by Welsh breeder Myfyr Evans.

But the amount he received was nothing compared to what Pedigree Texel ram lamb Double Diamond sold for in 2020.

He was also auctioned at the Scottish National Texel Sale for a record £367,500.

The lamb was sold by Charlie Boden and family from their Sportsmans flock in Stockport, Cheshire.

The price quickly escalated from an opening bid of £10,500, and the animal was bought by a three-way partnership between three farmers.

Jeff Aiken, flock manager at Procters Farm, one of the buyers, said: “It’s an exceptional animal and the best Texel sheep I’ve ever seen. Hopefully he’ll do a good job on all three flocks.”

He stressed the price was a “one-off” and said he did not want it to give the wrong impression of the farming industry.

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Aiken added: “There’s a small percentage of pedigree buyers that can club together and pay big money, but at the end of the day the commercial farmers are just as important if not more important – they are putting food on our tables.

“I’m in the fortunate position that I can spend that sort of money.”

He said: “He is the best lamb I have ever seen – so correct on his legs, bright, with a great top.

“He’s got it all.”

Double Diamond is said to be the most expensive sheep sold in the world.

The Texel Sheep Society said the previous record was £231,000 paid for a Texel, Deveronvale Perfection, in 2009.