A JUDGE backed his decision and forked out a record £9100 for the champion at a show and sale of cattle with show potential at Ruthin, north Wales, on Saturday. 

Taking the top title was an eight-month-old British Blue cross heifer from regular vendors, the Lewis family, who run just 35 naturally calving cows in their commercial herd at Pentwyn, Llanwrda, Carmarthen. This cracker, dubbed Dare to Dream, is the second calf by the now eight-year-old Dragon Blues Firefly (a 9200gns purchase in Carlisle) to secure a championship at Ruthin for Mansel and Maureen, son Dafydd and his fiancée, Caryl Howell, who are also well known in the Beltex sheep world. The Lewis' also boast the previous Ruthin record of £5000, and saw Dare to Dream sell for that record-setting £9100 to the judge, Eddie Morgan, Llandovery, who shows in the Morgan and Jones partnership. 

David Brute was also in the prizes when he landed the overall reserve champion and bullock champion tickets to take home to Gwndwnwal Farm, Brecon. The former was a nine-month-old Limousin cross heifer which heads to a new home in Aberdeenshire with Blair Duffton, Huntly, for £3100, while the latter was a nine-month-old Limousin cross bullock which sold to another of the judges, Aled Roberts, Anglesey, for £2800.