First Great Yorkshire Sheep championship results

The sheep rings have been a hive of activity this morning, with a little bit of controversy thrown into the mix too just to add to the spice of things.

The controversy, came, unusually, from the AOB classes where for reasons only known to themselves the stewards saw fit this morning to almalgamate the AOB Continental and AOB native classes and to have the two judges judging alongside each other. It was entertaining to say the least and there were several exhibitors left both unimpressed and a little confused by the goings on.

However, they eventually found their champion in the form of Geoff Watson and Carol Grain’s Oxford Down shearling ewe which has previously been breed champion at Bath and West and breed and interbreed champion at Rutland. Reserve was the ewe lamb from the same home.

In the Beltex ring it was a successful day for David Thornley’s Dooley flock when he took the championship with his shearling tup, reserve was Ann Story’s shearling ewe.

Taking the Blackface championship was Peter Turnbull with his shearling ewe, with H W and G R Birkbeck reserve with their ewe lamb.

Charollais champion was S C Hodgson’s aged ram, with Geoff Watson and Carol Grain standing reserve with their shearling ewe which was breed and interbreed champion at Norfolk.

In the commercial lamb carcass class the winners were Andrew and Becky Bishop with their Dutch Texel cross lamb which graded E3L at 21.5kg, reserve was Richard Findlay with a Beltex cross which weighed 18.5kg and also graded E3L.

Dalesbred championship honours went to J K Wilson with his shearling ewe, while reserve to him was a ram from J H and J Ryder and Sons.

Taking top spot in the Derbyshire Gritstone classes was J R Lord’s ram and reserve was S and P Scriven’s shearling ewe.

In the Herdwick lines the championship went to I K Grisedale with a shearling ewe, while reserve was Messrs Grave and Watson with a ram.

In the Leicester Longwools the championship fell to Brian Glaves with his shearling ram and reserve went to Chris Mudd with his shearling ewe.

And clinching the Lincoln Longwool championship was L M Fairburn with a shearling ram and reserve was L M Fairburn also, this time with a shearling ewe.

Winning in the North Country Cheviots was J Runciman with a shearling ewe and reserve were Jimmy and Willie Thomson with an aged ewe.

Ryeland champion was a shearling ewe from A W and G Pink, while reserve was J R Morgan with an aged ram.

Taking the silverware in the Suffolk classes was Lilburn Estates, with a shearling ram from their Roseden flock and in reserve was a shearling ewe from the same home.

Then in the Swaledale classes the champion was a ewe from T W Hutchinson and reserve was G A and S A Slack with a ram.

The Texels were won by Tom MacTaggart with the same aged ewe which won the Highland and reserve went to Clark Farms with their shearling ram.