£26,250 sheep price is Shockin for Shropshire farmer Abbie

But even she was shocked when the animal, aptly named Knockin Shockin, was sold for a record 25,000 guineas.

The money, £26,250, is the most ever paid for a pedigree Charollais sheep.

More than doubling the previous best of 10,800gns paid for a Logie Durno ram in 2011, in Welshpool, was the pre-sale champion purchased by Shropshire breeder, Robert Gregory, who owns the Edstaston flock from Harmer Hill, Shrewsbury.

Abbie, 28, farms with her father Rob at their family farm at Knockin, near Oswestry, and began to build up her flock of pedigree sheep when she bought four in October 2005. She now has 50.

Each year the Charollais society allocates an initial for naming the animals and last year it was S, hence the name of the record breaking ram lamb.

"I also had Knockin Shop - I like to think up comical names for the lambs," she said.

The former Harper Adams student said: "My father concentrates on the cattle and the arable side of the farm and I have the chickens and the pedigree flock.

"I love the breeding side of farming, getting good stock."

Knockin Shockin was sold at Worcester to another Shropshire breeder, Robert Gregory, who said he had been following the ram for some time and felt Shockin was 'something really special'.

“I knew he was a good lamb but I wasn’t expecting the record price,” Abbie said.

“There were six people who wanted him and it developed into a bidding battle. The number of phone calls I have had since the sale has been amazing and it’s crazy how quickly news spreads on social media.”

Ever since Knockin Shockin set the new breed record at Worcester, she has been busy taking telephone calls and answering social media messages from potential customers across the UK and Europe."

Four more lambs bred by Abbie will be going under the hammer at a new pedigree Charollais sheep sale in Shrewsbury on August 1.

The lambs are included in an entry of 30 Charollais sheep for the auction at Shrewsbury Auction Centre, which is being organised by auctioneers Halls on behalf of the British Charollais Sheep Society.

“I am very pleased to be able to offer four lambs, all sired by Bronwydd Pride of Pembroke, a cracking, big bodied ram who was first prize shearling ram at the Royal Welsh Show in 2016,” Abbie, said.

The new sale, which includes 14 shearling rams and 16 ram lambs, is being incorporated into Halls’ fortnightly sale of breeding sheep at Shrewsbury.

“I think there is a gap in the market for this sale and hopefully it will grow in the future,” said Abbie.

“The sheep trade is good at the moment and early lambs have done well this year, which might encourage more farmers to lamb early."

Before the sale Abbie will be taking some of her flock to show at next week's Royal Welsh Show.

Mr Hyne said he was looking forward to selling the pedigree Charollais sheep at Shrewsbury. “This sale gives potential buyers an opportunity to buy top quality Charollais breeding stock,” he added.

“The trade for finished lambs is very good and farmers who invest in quality breeding stock are reaping the dividends when they come to sell.”