SPLITTING the Bluefaced Leicester breed in to two sections continued to be a popular decision and none more so than for Alan McClymont, and sons, Sam and Oliver, who lifted another traditional title with a two-shear tup that went on to stand reserve in the inter-breed.

This sheep was bought from John Dykes, Mendick, at Kelso Ram Sales for £3200 in partnership with Philiphaugh Estate, last year, and has left a strong first crop of lambs in the McClymonts’ 30-ewe Blue flock that runs alongside 2000 Blackfaces at Tinnis, Yarrow. He is by the Red Cottage tup bought for £700 at Carlisle, whose last lot of lambs are coming through now, while the dam was Mendick-bred by a Craighall sire.

Another from Tinnis lifted the reserve male title. This was a late-March-born tup lamb backed by prize-winning genetics, being by the £2000 Burnbank tup that stood champion here last year and out of the D11 Kirkstead ewe that has bred two Scottish progeny champions. They were both on their first outing.

Taking the female title and reserve overall was a home-bred gimmer from Joe and Mary Turner, brought out by shepherd John McLachlan. This reserve female from last year is by the privately purchased Derwenles Powerhouse tup that has been a good breeder in the mixed traditional and crossing flock of 25 ewes at Kildalloig, Campbeltown, while the dam that picked up the same honours back in 2011 is by a £1000 Middle Dukesfield sire.

The last of the tickets, the reserve female title, went to a two-crop ewe from Mick and Nicky Gray, Low Espley, Morpeth. She’s no stranger to the prizes, having taken the tri-colour at Glendale for two years in a row as well as the top title at the Scottish progeny show at Peebles as a gimmer. Bred at home, she by the £8500 F2 Ashes that has had sons sell to £8200, and out of a home-bred ewe by a Grugoer sire.

LEADING awards:

Judge: A Hewson, Burgh Head, Burgh by Sands, Carlisle, Cumbria.

Supreme —RA McClymont’s tup; reserve – J and M Turner’s gimmer.

Male — RA McClymont’s tup; Reserve – RA McClymont’s tup lamb.

Female — J and M Turner’s gimmer; reserve — M Gray’s ewe.

Bred — J and M Turner’s gimmer.

Group — Mrs K Smith.

Tup — 1, RA McClymont and Son; 2, RA McClymont and Son; 3, AM Brown.

Shearling tup —1, M and C Drummond; 2, J and M Turner; 3, M Gray.

Tup lamb — 1, RA McClymont and Son; 2, M Gray; 3, Mrs K Smith.

Ewe —1, M Gray; Mrs K Smith; 3, RA McClymont and Son. 

Gimmer — 1, J and M Turner; 2, Mrs K Smith; 3, Mrs K Smith.

Ewe lamb — 1, M Gray; 2, Mrs K Smith; 3, J Wilkinson.