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09/08/07
There was a premature end to the 33rd Northern Counties of England
Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society’s annual highlight at
Skipton Auction Mart.
Show judge Ian Park ponders his choice of potential Skipton Suffolk
male championship contenders.
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While the high profile show of pedigree sheep went ahead as planned
on Friday, August 3, the sale scheduled for the following day was
cancelled when the mart called in a ministry-appointed vet to seek
guidance as the national ban on the movement of livestock took
immediate effect.
Unaware of the imminent upheaval, Suffolk enthusiasts from across
the north and midlands, also joined by exhibitors from Scotland,
East Anglia and Wales, lined up for the annual show, with 112 pedigree
sheep forward.
The outcome resulted in back-to-back championship successes for
the Sitlow Suffolk flock of Steven and Louise Buckley, of Sitting
Low Farm, Doveholes, Buxton, Derbyshire, with a January-born ram
lamb, which, like their 2006 Skipton ram lamb champion, was sired
by the all-conquering Perrinpit High Peak.
Perrinpit’s progeny have taken the Suffolk show world by
storm in recent years, one of his more recent offspring landing
the male championship at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show.
The Buckleys’ 2007 Skipton title winner, making his debut
in the show ring and earlier chosen as male champion, is among
the highly influential sire’s sixth crop of lambs, being
one of a set of triplets out of a home-bred ewe by Strathisla Sinatra.
The same breeding lines were also responsible for the Buckleys’ reserve
champion male, one of the couple’s first prize-winning pair
or ram lambs.
Overall reserve champion was the first prize January-born ewe lamb
and champion female from mother-and-daughter breeders Glynis and
Jane Soulsby’s Cumbrian-based Williamsgill flock at Temple
Sowerby, Penrith.
They, too, are no strangers to success at the Skipton fixture,
having won the reserve championship with a ram lamb in 2005. This
year’s runner-up, by Davidhill Dead Cert, purchased by the
Soulsbys at Edinburgh last year, is out of a Crosemanor Commandeur-sired
dam, and was another youngster making its first appearance in the
exhibition arena.
The reserve champion female, a January, 2006, single shearling
ewe, by Flodden Fernando out of a Cairness Compatriot-sired dam,
was exhibited by Alan Blair, of Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire.
The show was sponsored Pharmall Agricultural, of Killinghall, Harrogate.
Show judge Ian Park, of Great Whittington, Hexham, said: “The
champion had a tremendous carcass, with a tight skin and solid
flesh, handled well and showed extra sparkle and style when walking
about. It really stood out and represented what every commercial
producer should be looking to breed. The female champion was a
very nice, breedy-looking type and will make a very good gimmer.”
Northern Counties Suffolk Sheep Society chairman Richard Bulmer,
of Great Habton, Malton, said: “While numbers were slightly
down, the quality of sheep on show remained good and I feel the
breed is coming back much stronger this year, with back ends improving
and less bone. They have the weight and the Suffolk remains the
best crossing ram for early lambs.”
Following the cancellation of the sale, Mr Bulmer commented: “We
are disappointed all round as there was a great deal of interest
and everyone was looking forward to a decent sale.”
Prize Awards:
Shearling Ewe – 1 TA Blair, Thornton Cleveleys,
2 G&J Soulsby, Penrith, 3 C&K Milburn, Malton.
Ewe Lamb
- 1 G&J Soulsby, 2 RK Denby, Carlisle, 3 HA Sawrey & Son,
Ulverston.
Shearling Ram – 1 JM Hayward, Cornhill-on-Tweed,
2 G&J Soulsby, 3 RK Denby.
Single Ram Lamb - 1 SJ Buckley, Buxton, 2 RK Denby, 3 A Glaves,
Scarborough.
Untrimmed Ram Lamb - 1 SJ Buckley, 2 HA Sawrey & Son,
3 JM Hayward.
Pair of Ram Lambs – 1 SJ Buckley, 2 RK Denby,
3 JM Hayward.
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