Full Gallery of photos at : Great Yorkshire Show 2023 - Linda Allan
Recollections of last year’s sun kissed grass and scorching temperatures were drowned out this year with a mixture of sunshine and showers. The breeze had meant than onlookers were more comfortable in a jacket and although the showers came and went, we were lucky that it stayed dry for the mule classes. The judging was in the safe hands of Richard Hargreaves from Barley, Near Burnley.
1st Prize pair from Neil and Mary Marston
The Pair of Mule Gimmer lambs opened the proceedings at The Great Yorkshire show with a strong show. A packing ring side witness a tussle at the top of the line between Neil and Mary Marston and Father and Son team, Paul and Henry Fairburn. It was Neil’s pairing that won through with a lamb sired by ‘Golden Boy’ (Highberries N10 , son 0f G34 Midlock) and its partner was sired by a ‘Golden Boy’ son Highberries P5. Stood in 2nd were the the pair from M/s Fairburn, Marriforth. The first lamb was sired by a Marion Porter lamb purchased this time (Skelgate) and it was partnered with a homegrown Marriforth ‘Spotty’. Chris and Charlotte Pye were representing the Pye family on the day with their two pairs standing 3rd and sixth. Both pairing had the winning combination of lambs sired by Midlock P1 along with homebred sons of Midlock P1.
Fourth Prize was left in the hands of last years winner JK Wilson and Son, and following on from last year his lambs were all descendants of the infamous ‘big head’. Chris and Christine Ryder were fifth with lambs sired by a Hewness Tup and a homebred Scaife Hall M2 which was sired by a Dawyk K3 which in turn was a son of Carry House H1.
1st Prize pair (right) from NC Marston & 2nd Prize Pair from M/s Fairburn
Judging the Singe Ewe Lamb Class
We had to wait until near the end of the showing agenda to see the Single Ewe lamb classes resolved but it was once again Neil Marston who just pipped the Fairburn family to the winning post. The ‘Golden Balls’ Son stood ahead of both Fairburn lambs in 2nd and 3rd and ‘The Golden Boy’ Son of Highberries standing in 4th. The Pye family were 5th, chris Ryder 6th and Kevin and James Wilson 6th respectively.
1st Prize Pair of Mule Shearlings from Jam Robinson, Carnforth
There was possibly, the strongest show of Mule Shearlings seen at The Great Yorkshire Show for some time. The much-anticipated Geld Shearling pairs came first after the ewe lambs and it was Jam Robinson from Carnforth whose 1st prize pairing bred by David Lawson and Neil Marston made it to the top of the line. Graeme Jackson from Bentham came a close second with a geld shearlings bred in the Lake Disctrict by Andrew Nicholson.
Judging the Pairs of Geld Shearlings
It was Jam Robinson who got third prize with sheep bred by M/s Allan, Greenhow and M/s Lord, Hewgill. Graeme Jackson stood 4th. It was Yorkshire Show finest Mike Allen who took the 5th prize ticket with sheep bred by The Booth Family at Feozor and Chris Hewitt took a worthy 6th Rosette with a pairing bred by Gavin White from Horton in Ribblesdale.
1st Prize Pair of Mule Shearlings that have sucked lambs from Jam Robinson
The Sucked Shearling class was fought over by three pairings, and it was the Reserve Champion from the Highland Show from Jam Robinson which was part of the winning partnership. This working mother was purchased from Jeff and Jean Burrow, as an individual from the Stars in Your Eyes Competition, Kendal. It was paired with a Marston Bred Shearling. Mike Allen stood 2nd with another pair from the Booth pen. David Buck and his family were 3rd with a Reed, Lands farm and Martin Walton winning combination.
1st Prize Mule Ewes 1st Prize Ewe and two lambs
Mike Allen took 1st prize in the Pair of Mule Ewes Class, these older ewes were bred by The Booth family and our past President, Geoff Taylor respectively. The Ewe with two lambs at foot saw of the return of last year’s reserve champion sheep to take first place, the big difference now was that she had proved her worth and boasted two spectacular texel lambs. David Buck’s great example of a mule and two lambs was bred by the Fawcett family from Skipton. A worthy 2nd at The Highland, the Buck family couldn’t better this position down on English turf.
Judging the Single Shearling Class
The last class of the day saw The Best Single Shearling been decided. Graeme Jackson’s shearling won this class and then went on to claim the overall Championship. This Shearling tells a fairy tale story for a family near Sedbergh. It had only been two weeks before at The Highland where John Huthchinson and his family took the Swaledale Championship with a ewe. The Hutchinson family family, Hebblethwaite Hall near Sedbergh, Cumbria were now to be the breeders behind the shearling that Graeme Jackson had purchased as a lamb last year. The sheep didn’t come with an expensive price tag either and £130 a head was enough to secure the pen at The 2nd Sale at Bentham 2022. The reserve champion went to Neil Marston’s Gimmer lamb sired by Highberries ‘Golden Boy’.
Neil Marston (left) with the Reserve Champion Ewe Lamb, Judge Richard Hargreaves (Center), Overall Mule Champion from Graeme Jackson with a Geld Gimmer Shearling. (right)
Full Results
💠Pair of Mule ewe lambs
1st : NC Marston
2nd : M/s Fairburn & Son
3rd: AC & K Pye & Son
4th JK Wilson & Son
5th: CM Ryder
6th : AC & K Pye & Son
💠Pair of geld Gimmer shearlings
1st: Jam Robinson
2nd: GE Jackson
3rd: Jam Robinson
4th: GE Jackson
5th: MB Allen
6th: CS Hewitt
💠Pair of Gimmer Shearlings having sucked lambs :
1st: J Robinson
2nd: MB Allen
3rd: D. Buck
💠Pair of Ewes
1st: MB Allen
💠Mule Ewe with two lambs at foot
1st: GE Jackson
2nd: D Buck
💠Single Mule Gimmer Lamb
1st: NC Marston
2nd : M/s Fairburn
3rd: M/s Fairburn
4th: NC Marston
5th: AC & K Pye and Son
6th: CM Ryder
7th: JK Wilson
💠Single Mule Shearling ( must of previously been shown in other pair’s classes)
1st: GE Jackson
2nd: J Robinson
3rd: J Robinson
4th: GE Jackson
5th: MB Allen
6th: CS Hewitt
7th: D Buck
💠Overall Champion:
GE Jackson with the single geld shearling
💠Reserve Champion:
NC Marston with the Mule Gimmer Lamb
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