In the sheep section, it was a day to remember for 14-year-old Jack Whiteford, who is certainly following in the family's footsteps with his enthusiasm for bringing out prime lambs.
He secured the overall award with a pair of 49kg Beltex cross ewe lambs, sired by Tercrosset Fast and Furious and out of home-bred ewes from the family’s 3500-ewe flock at Tercrosset, Brampton.
Jack’s winners from the YF class then took the reserve overall ticket – again Beltex cross ewe lambs, out of Beltex cross Texel ewes, this time weighing in at 57kg each. That duo is also by Fast and Furious, a home-bred Beltex tup that the family planned to sell but ended up keeping for their own use after he injured himself and needed time to recover.
In all, Jack and his team of helpers – including his sisters Jessica and Abbie and friend Josh Thompson – brought out seven of the first prize pairs forward in the continental/down championship. Selecting an overall winning pair was no easy feat for judge, John Sinnet, who said: “The quality in the final line-up was amazing and it’s wonderful to see so many young people keen to be involved. The champion and reserve lambs were brought out to perfection.”
There was more double delight in the hill championship, with the champion and reserve titles both going to father and son Alastair and Alan MacLarty, of the Firm of Shawhead, at Douglas.
Their winners were two Blackface wedder lambs, weighing 44.5kg and sired by a home-bred son of a Clashnoir tup.
The reserve pair from Shawhead were South Country Cheviot ewe lambs, also weighing 44.5kg and sired by a High Dykes tup. They were bred by William Thompson, Mid Tulloch, Darvel.
Champion pair of hill-bred lambs came from Kiaran Milburn and Aine Devlin, High Roans, Sedbergh. A ewe lamb and a wedder lamb, they were sired by a Texel cross Beltex tup and out of Blackface ewes. The reserve pair were Texel-sired ewe lambs out of Herdwick ewes, from brothers Jack and Alex Bland, Clea Hall, Wigton.
The Mule gimmer lambs had their own section which was well supported and judged by Will Sedgeley. Again, the two top honours went to the same exhibitor – James Robinson, Carnforth, who was winning the section for the fourth year in succession. The champion pair was bred by Neil Marsden, Highberries, with one sired by Highberries Golden Boy NO10 and the other by Barnshangan M4. James’ champion in the single lamb class, meanwhile, was a daughter of Gragareth P14, bred by Chloe James, Todhills.
Leading Awards
Pair of Herdwick lambs – 1, Jack Bland, Clea Hall, Wigton; 2, IK and AM Grisedale, Greenmount, Milnthorpe; 3, Thomas Rigg, Spanham, Richmond.
Pair of Cheviot lambs – 1, Malcolm Stewart, Brotherstone, Melrose; 2, D Crew, Gall Farm, Boreland.
Pair of Cheviot hill lambs – 1, Firm of Shawhead, Douglas; 2, TN Cavers, Sorbie, Langholm; 3, TN Cavers.
Pair of Blackface lambs – 1, Firm of Shawhead; 2, K Milburn and A Devlin, High Roans, Sedbergh; 3, R and B Dickie, Spango, Dumfries.
Pair of Rough Fell lambs – 1, Ellis family, Woodside, Kendal; 2, Elliot Rigg, Spanham, Richmond; 3, K Millburn and A Devlin.
YF pair of lambs – 1, Jack Whiteford, Tercrosset, Brampton; 2, Harry Askwith, Low Mown Meadows, Durham; 3, Libby and Rosie Garth; Peaks View, Bentham.
Pair of Mule lambs – 1, M and B Allen,Borrowby Grange, Saltburn; 2, Firm of Shawhead; 3, D Crew.
Pair of cross-bred lambs from a Herdwick ewe – 1, Jack Bland; 2, IK and AM Grisedale; 3, Elliot Rigg.
Pair of cross-bred lambs from any other hill-bred ewe – 1, K Millburn and A Devlin; 2, Firm of Shawhead; 3, Robert Garth and Sarah Priestley, Peaks View, Bentham.
Pair of untrimmed down-bred lambs – 1, Jack Whiteford; 2, Goodwood Estate, Home Farm, Chichester.
Pair of Suffolk lambs – 1, Jack Whiteford; 2, P and EB Robson; 3, Messrs Sturgess, Cullinlaw, Castle Douglas.
Pair of Beltex lambs up to 40kg – 1, Jack Whiteford; 2, Libby and Rosie Garth; 3, R Hall and Son, Inglewood Edge, Dalston.
Pair of Beltex lambs over 40kg – 1, Jack Whiteford; 2, R Hall and Son; 3, Robert Garth and Sarah Priestley.
Pair of Texel lambs up to 40kg – 1, R Hall and Son; 2, Jack Whiteford; 3, Robert West, Park Farm, Collyweston.
Pair of Texel lambs over 40kg – 1, Jack Whiteford; 2, R Hall and Son; 3, Robert Garth and Sarah Priestley.
Pair of any other breed lambs – 1, Jack Whiteford; 2, Erica Avis, Springfield, Hensall.
Pair of untrimmed continental lambs – 1, Robert Garth and Sarah Priestley; 2, R Hall and Son; 3, M and B Allen.
Butcher’s choice single lamb – 1, R Hall and Son; 2, April Skelton, Inglewood Edge, Dalston; 3, Jack Whiteford.
Single lamb any breed – 1, April Skelton; 2, Robert Garth and Sarah Priestley; 3, Erica Avis.
Young handlers – Junior – 1, Rosie Garth; 2, Jack Whiteford, 3, Josh Thompson. Senior – 1, Amy Wilson; 2, Libby Garth; 3, Fran Shaw.
Single Mule gimmer lamb – 1, James Robinson, Carnforth; 2, Philip Elliot, Bank House, Penrith; 3, James Robinson.
Pair of Mule gimmer lambs – 1, James Robinson; 2, Julie Brough; 3, Philip Elliot.
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