23/10/07
A home-bred shearling ewe from David Houghton’s Tophill
flock in Bury took supreme championship honours at the 26th Northern
Area Texel Sheep Breeders Association show and sale of pedigree
rams and females at Skipton Auction Mart. (Fri, Oct 19)
David Houghton with his Skipton Texel supreme champion.
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The fixture, rearranged due to foot and mouth, then suffered a
double blow on the eve of the show when the spread of bluetongue
and imposition of new control zones led to a much-depleted entry.
However, 224 Texels entered the show ring to pass under the expert
eye of judge and association committee member Philip Hughes, of
Angram, York.
The title winner, from Mr Houghton’s Isherwood Farm at Affetside,
was making her debut in the exhibition arena. First chosen as female
champion, she is a well-bred January, 2006, daughter of Tophill
Leonardo, who sold for 7,500 guineas to Anglezarke Texels, of Chorley,
Lancs, though Mr Houghton still retains a half share.
Her dam is by a Great Yorkshire Show champion, Haltcliffe Jaguar,
who Mr Houghton bought jointly for 16,000 guineas. The victor sold
locally for 270 guineas, top price in class, to Messrs Cartman
and Hall, of Airton.
John Mellin, of Hull House Farm, Hellifield, supreme champion in
both 2000 and 2004, was again to the fore this year, lifting the
male and reserve supreme championships with a home-bred March,
2006, shearling ram by Haddo Kings Ransom, bought at Lanark for £9,500,
out of a dam sired by the £10,000 Donaghadee Extra Gold.
The runner-up sold for 440 guineas to Matt Townsend, of Laneshawbridge,
Colne.
Top price of the day was the 520 guineas paid from a shearling
ram from Graham Taylor, of Parkholme, Thirsk, by M Dawson & Sons,
of Crayke, York. Mr Taylor presented a quality eight-strong pen
of Texels, which averaged over £400 each.
The second prize shearling ram from Mark Keighley, of Leathley,
Otey, also made 440 guineas, while the third in class from Spiros
Spyrou, of Hebden Bridge, secured the day’s second top price
when selling for 510 guineas to HH & MG Robinson, of Slaidburn.
The first prize ram lamb and reserve champion male from Mark Ireland,
of Whalley, sold for 280 guineas to SR Bennett, of Colne, with
the top price in class at 290 guineas falling to the third placed
lamb from local exhibitor Jeremy Taylor, of Broughton, bought by
S Duffy, of Scarborough.
The reserve female champion was a shearling ewe from Mrs Angela
Nairey, of Liusey, Blackburn.
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