National Progeny Show
28th July 2007
The second annual National Progeny Show for Beltex sheep built solidly on
last year’s inaugural event and – with entries up 25%, a higher
overall quality of sheep on show and new exhibitors from a much wider area
lining up - further highlighted the growing impact of the breed across the
country.
Again staged at Craven Cattle Marts’ Skipton Auction Mart, the Northern
Beltex Club-organised fixture, open to all Beltex Society members, attracted
a 186-strong entry of pedigree and commercial sheep.
The day was dominated by two breed stalwarts, North Yorkshire-based Northern
Beltex Club founder member David Findlay, who sent out the male and overall
show champion, and first-time Cumbrian exhibitor Anne Story, responsible
for the female and overall reserve show champion.
David, who trades with his wife Diane as DR & DC Findlay at Birdridding
Farm, Coverham, Leyburn, also exhibited a gimmer lamb chosen as reserve female
champion, while Anne, of Hobbiesburn, Longtown, Carlisle, also chipped in
with the reserve male champion, one a group of three shearling rams by the
same sire.
The Findlays’ title-winner, a two-shear ram, was bought as a shearling
for 4,800 guineas at Carlisle last year from husband-and-wife breeders Thomas
and Hester Palmer, of Burnside Farm, Glenarn, County Antrim. The couple had
travelled over from Northern Ireland especially for the show to view their
former charge’s offspring and expressed themselves delighted with his
best in show success.
The victor, whose parents were both imported from Belgium, recognised home
of the breed, is already making his mark. His progeny won the reserve championship
in the carcass competition at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, while
his lambs will be also appearing at the high profile mid-August Carlisle
sale. The Skipton champion received the Ivan Ashton Memorial Trophy.
Anne Story hit the headlines by making a sparkling show debut. As well as
her top end successes, Anne’s 14-strong entry landed no less than eight
of the 17 individual class wins.
Her reserve champion home-bred shearling gimmer also shone as a lamb when
taking the reserve championship at the 2006 Westmoreland Show, while the
week before the Skipton fixture she also sent out another Beltex shearling
to take championship honours at Cumberland Show. Anne currently has 60 Beltex
breeding females.
Last year’s judge John Hall, of Inglewood Edge, Dalston, Cumbria,
again returned to officiate at the 2007 show, ably assisted by his daughter
Joanne Skelton, both well-known Beltex enthusiasts. Mr Hall commented: “Quality
sheep were clearly evident in every class, better than last year overall.
The champion and reserve were both excellent. The victor is a true Beltex,
showing all the attributes you could ask for, with an excellent meat stamp.”
Commercial breeders again turned out in good numbers to support to the butchers’ lambs
classes. The
championship fell to another show debutant, local exhibitor John Mellin,
of Mill House Farm, Long Preston. His first prize pair of 35-40kg Beltex-cross
lambs was awarded the title by judge Tom Ennison, of Perth, receiving the
Cavan Maguire Trophy.
The reserve championship went to the first prize duo in the under-35kg class,
shown by last year’s butchers’ lambs champions Martin and Val
Brown, of Beechwood House Farm, Newton-le-Willows, Bedale.
The success of the show was praised by Beltex Society council member and
Northern Beltex Club committee man and founder member Tom Ashton, of Orrell,
Wigan, who became the first person to introduce Beltex sheep into the UK
in 1989.
He described it as a tremendous show of sheep and thanked all concerned
with the event, in particular the judges and Skipton Auction Mart. “It
as an excellent venue – the facilities are second to none,” he
said.
Mr Ashton noted: “It is a very exciting time for the breed. They have
caught on very, very fast. I have been a butcher all my life, as well as
a farmer. Beltex produce a good, meaty carcass and if crossed with other
breeds improve whatever you put them on.”
Northern Beltex Club chairman Eli Tattersall, of Bacup, commented: “The
annual event again proved of major significance for both club and breed and
we were delighted with its success, particularly in terms of increased entry
levels and the overall quality of the sheep on show. It further strengthens
the growing popularity and reputation of Beltex sheep in this country.”
Many of the entries at the National Progeny Show are also expected to appear
in the Beltex Sheep Society’s seventh annual production show and sale
at Skipton Auction Mart, on Saturday, September 8. The fixture is again open
to all society members, with cash prizes of £100 for the champion and £50
for the reserve. Entries close on August 24.
JUDGES
BELTEX: John Hall & Joanne Skelton, Inglewood Edge, Dalston, Carlisle
PRIME LAMBS: Tom Ennion
Class 1 – Aged Ram
1st D R & D C Findlay
2nd Mrs A E Story
3rd M Jennings
Class 2 – Shearling Ram
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd Mrs A E Story
3rd M Jennings
Class 3 – Ram Lamb
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd R Garth
3rd M R & J E Davis
Class 4 – Aged Ewe
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd D R & D C Findlay
3rd J Critchley
Class 5 – Gimmer Shearling
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd D R & D C Findlay
3rd J Critchley
Class 6 – Ewe Lamb
1st D R & D C Findlay
2nd Mrs A E Story
3rd M Jennings
Class 7 – Three shearling rams by the same sire
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd D & M A Haigh
Class 8 – Three ram lambs by the same sire
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd J & J Garnett
3rd M R & J E Davis
Class 9 – Three aged ewes by the same sire
1st D R & D C Findlay
Class 10 – Three shearling gimmers by the same sire
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd D R & D C Findlay
3rd M R & J E Davis
Class 11 – Three ewe lambs by the same sire
1st Mrs A E Story
2nd M R & J E Davis
3rd J & J Garnett
MALE CHAMPION – D R & D C Findlay with winner
of class 1 (Aged Ram)
RESERVE MALE CHAMPION – Mrs A E Story with winner
of class 7 (Group of Shearling rams)
FEMALE CHAMPION – Mrs A E Story with winner of class
5 (Shearling Gimmer)
RESERVE FEMALE CHAMPION – D R & D C Findlay with
winner of class 6 (Ewe lamb)
SUPREME CHAMPION – D R & D C Findlay with Aged
Ram
RESERVE SUPREME CHAMPION – Mrs A E Story with Shearling
Gimmer
Class 12 – Two Beltex cross lambs under 35kg
1st A M & H V Brown
2nd G Cropper
3rd R Garth
Class 13 – Two Beltex cross lambs 35 to 40 kg
1st J Mellin
2nd A M & H V Brown
3rd G Cropper
Class 14 – Two Beltex cross lambs 40 to 44 kg
1st J Critchley
2nd A M & H V Brown
3rd J Mellin
Class 15 - Two Beltex cross lambs over 45kg
1st A C & S A Hutchinson
2nd A M & H V Brown
Class 16 – Three Beltex cross lambs under 40 kg
1st R Garth
2nd D R & D C Findlay
3rd A M & H V Brown
Class 17 – Three Beltex cross lambs over 40 kg
1st A C & S A Hutchinson
CHAMPION PEN OF PRIME LAMBS – J Mellin
RESERVE CHAMPION PEN OF PRIME LAMBS – A M & H
V Brown
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| David Findlay with his Beltex National Progeny Show
Champion |
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| Anne Story and 14-year old daughter Rachel with the
Reserve Champion |
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| Champion Butchers lambs from John Mellin, (pictured
John Mellin, Kit Dean and Judge Tom Ennion) |
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| Reserve Champion Butchers lambs from Martin & Val
Brown (pictured Martin Brown, 12-year old Hannah Brown and Judge Tom
Ennion) |
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