Quality on show at Westmorland

A hotly contested beef inter-breed marked a special occasion for the two winners as the Limousin leader that bagged the supreme ticket will now be retired, while the young Aberdeen-Angus bull in reserve had just secured the English National summer show championship. 

The former was Whinfellpark Glittered, a seven-year-old Wilodge Cerberus daughter that won the breed honours at the Royal Highland back in 2016 for the Jenkinsons' herd near Penrith. Bred from the Lesplusjoli-sired Grange Orleans and shown with her heifer calf at foot, she was champion of champions at Penrith as well as breed champion at Cockermouth earlier this year. 

Taking the reserve ticket was Kilmaluag Eriskay, brought out by Richard and Carol Rettie on behalf of Donald Rankin, from the Isle of Skye. Sired by the private purchase Retties JFK, which has bred a number of show winners and sale leaders, this January, 2017-born bull that also stood junior male champion at the Highland as well as reserve inter-breed at Central and West Fife. His dam is Mosston Muir Etta, a Hallington Walter daughter, and he will be on offer at Stirling Bull Sales next month.

Securing the inter-breed pairs title was the British Blue duo, Ross and Elaine Pattison's Topside Millie Moo and Lee Hopwood's Tiplady Martina, both autumn, 2017-born heifers. Limousins led the group of four championship thanks to Thor Atkinson's Arradfoot Marilyn and Arradfoot Miami, Steph Dick's Stephick Mistique, and Messrs Jenkinson's Whinfellpark Nerissa. 

Holsteins dominated the dairy section with the supreme red, white and blue sash going to Bilsrow Grafeeti Olympia, an Ex95-classified cow from David, Sheila and James Tomlinson, Preston. On just her second outing since standing supreme at a show earlier in the season, she calved her fourth in May and is giving 50 litres following on from recording 14,500 litres in her third. 

Reserve here was another fourth calver but this time from the Jersey section, Bayview Tequila Eliza 3 from the Pye family, Carnforth, Lancashire. Paraded a month fresh and giving 30 litres at 6.2% BF and 3.75% P, she was on her first outing. 

Heading up the heifer entry was another Holstein, Feizor Doorman Dandy from the Booths, Austwick, Lancashire. This January-calved heifer, on her first outing, is recording 32 litres and recently classified VG86. 
A whopping 31 sheep sections were whittled down to three inter-breed championships, with the biggest of these being the upland section.

Leading this championship was a North Country Cheviot shearling ram which was landing his breeder, Tom Bell, who runs 40 ewes alongside 600 Swaledales with son Keith near Keswick, his first inter-breed title at Westmorland. Sired by Allanshaws Rocket, a ram purchased at Lockerbie for £1600 four years ago, this tup will be on offer at Lockerbie on Wednesday. 

Reserve to him was Anthony Hartley's four-shear Herdwick ewe which is by a Ray Banks tup and out of a former champion here for the Broughton in Furness-based flock. 

Two Texels headed up the lowland terminal championship with the top ticket going to a Texel gimmer from Peter Woof, Kendal. On her first outing, she is by the 30,000gns Knock Yankee that has bred sons to 15,000gns while her dam is by Sportsmans Tremendous and a previous Westmorland champion. 

Last year's inter-breed champion claimed the reserve ticket in the shape of a Blue Texel ewe from father and son team, John and Adam Gargett, Carlisle. She is by Hackney Xcel in the Rookie Blues flock of 14 ewes. 

A North of England Mule ewe with a haul of championships already in the bag landed the lowland non-terminal title for Philip Elliot, Penrith, with her most notable being the inter-breed at Hesket Newmarket. Bought from Messrs Reed, Lands Farm, in a pen of 10 as a ewe lamb, she is by the H1 Highberries and out of a Swale ewe bred by the Addisons, West Stoney Keld. 

A shearling ram from David Knowles' 400-ewe Cragg flock near Kendal was reserve. On his first outing, he is by a John Geldard-bred ram and will be on offer at Carlisle next week.