IT was a day for the continentals when two pairs of Beltex-sired lambs went on to scoop the supreme champion and reserve tickets at the Borderway Agri-Expo, on Friday.

It was an Agri-Expo debut dream come true for Robert West when his pair of home-bred Beltex lambs first headed up the lightweight Beltex class before scooping the continental championship and then the overall. The two ewe lambs were in fact pure Beltex, being by a ram bought at Carlisle a few years previously while the dams were home-bred and two of 70 Beltex females that run in a 220-ewe commercial flock at Park Farm, Collyweston, Stamford. Robert, who was helped in the show ring by Keith Porteous, reckoned the lambs tipped the scales at 44kg and will hopefully head to the English Winter Fair and Winter Stock Festival, if they stay on track.

"The winning pair have got good conformation, good fat cover and were neat throughout. They're a nice matching pair and would grade at E3L, which is just what I look for," said the lamb judge, Chris Wright, who hails from the family-run butchery business, A Wright and Sons, in Lincoln, which was established in 1970.

Following the winning pair through from the continental section was the lead pair in the lightweight Beltex class, a 35.5kg pair from Robert Garth, from Peaks View, Fourlands, Bentham, who was helped by Richard Lancaster. Another pair of ewe lambs, these two are by a Dean Brown Beltex sire and out of three-quarter Beltex mothers.

"The reserve pair was a little smaller but still meaty throughout with good conformation, but my preference is for a heavier lamb," added Mr Wright.

Claiming the hill lamb championship was a pair of Blackface wedders from Hugh Hamilton, who was no doubt hoping to equal his reserve supreme here last year with a similar pair. This year's toppers from Hugh, of Glenmanna, Thornhill, who was aided by shepherd Callum Cuthbertson, weighed in at 41kg apiece.

In reserve here was a South Country Cheviot duo from Neil Cavers, Sorbie Farm, Ewes, Langholm, but brought out by wife Elaine, and nephew Alasdair. This wedder pair, which crossed the scales at 43.5kg, were by a Castle Crawford ram.

There was further success for the Cavers in the section for lambs bred from a hill ewe, when he landed the reserve title with a pair by a Beltex sire and out of Southie ewes. Neil handled this pair himself in the championship with help from daughter Catherine, and these two ewe lambs hit 42kg in the weigh crate.

Scooping his first championship in five years of exhibiting at the Expo, was Ian Grisedale and son, John, of Greenmount Farm, Milton, Milnthorpe, who secured the top title for lambs bred from a hill ewe, with his duo out of Herdwick ewes. Sired by a Texel tup bought at Carlisle, they weighed in at 45kg and will return to Greenmount for breeding.

LEADING awards:

(Judge: Chris Wright, The Abattoir, Riverside Industrial Estate, Lincoln.)

Prime lambs – Pair of Rough Fell lambs – 1, IK and AM Grisedale; 2 and 3, P and S Hoggarth. Pair of Blackface lambs – 1 and hill champion, H Hamilton; 2, H Hamilton; 3, TN Cavers and Co. Pair of Cheviot lambs – 1, DF Cavers; 2, CR Graham and Sons; 3, G and L Davies. Pair of Cheviot Hill lambs – 1 and reserve hill, TN Cavers and Co; 2, TC Cavers and Co; 3, A Reid. Pair of Swaledale lambs – 1, Messrs Huddleston; 2, JG Thirlwall. (Merged classes) Pair of down-bred lambs, lightweight (up to 40kg) Suffolk lambs, heavyweight (40.1kg and above) Suffolk lambs – 1, AM and HV Brown; 2, G and FJ Soulsby; 3, AL Thompson. Pair of lightweight Beltex lambs – 1, reserve continental and reserve supreme, R Garth; 2, AM and HV Brown; 3, R Hall and Son. Pair of heavyweight Beltex lambs – 1, continental champion and supreme champion, R West; 2, H Williams; 3, R Garth. Pair of Lighweight Texel lambs – 1, RJ Slade; 2, R Hall and Son; 3, AL Thompson. Pair of heavyweight Texel lambs – 1, JT Whiteford; 2, R West; 3, R Hall and Son. Pair of continental lambs – 1, H Williams; 2, R Hall and Son; 3, A Baillie. Pair of untrimmed continental lambs – 1, R West; 2, R Garth; 3, AL Thompson. Young Farmers’ pair of lambs – 1, R West; 2, G Mathias; 3, H Brown. Single – 1, R Hall and Son; 2, A Brown; 3, R Garth. Pair of Mule ewe lambs – To be confirmed.

Young handlers – Aged 11 and under – 1, Grace Elliott, 6; 2, Messrs Huddleston, 10; 3, Isobel Thompson, 4. Aged 12 to 21 – 1, Ellen Elliott, 19; 2, April Skelton, 12; 3, Callum Hunter, 16.