Borderway Agri Expo didn’t disappoint once again, it provided the perfect venue to showcase our fabulous breed. A packed audience surrounded the sheep ring to watch South Cumbrian Breeder Judge and Nemsa Mule Farmer, Will Sedgley, take charge of proceedings as he slotted the Gimmer lambs into order.
The year moves forward in the farming calendar and many NEMSA mule breeders have just loused or planning to louse a new batch of Blue faced Leicester tups onto their flocks of Swaledale of NE Blackies. Optimism is high around the ring at Agri Expo, Mule Gimmer Lamb averages have been up, we’ve had a couple of dry days in row and its too early to report any breakages from the aforementioned tups!
Champion Single Gimmer Lamb owned and Presented by James Robinson Carnforth
Photograph by Charlotte Peart
The Single Gimmer lamb class was first into the ring. (Under the class rules, the single gimmer cannot be shown later in the pairs class.) and it was James Robinson from Carnforth who retained his title with a Lamb originally purchased from the Borderway Mart from The James Family at Todhills. This lamb had shown success early in the season taking Champion Mule at both Eastgate and The Roman Wall Show. The lamb was sired by Gragereth P14. 2nd in the line up was Philip Elliot with a lamb purchased from the Hexham Tow Law Sale and specifically from The Reed Family, Lands Farm. This lamb was a sired by a Land’s homebred sire ( Son of the 23k Riddings). 3rd prize was back in the hands of James Robinson and this time the lamb was bought from Hawes Auction Mart out of the Top Pen of Millstone Moor and Neil and Mary Marston. This was sired by Highberries Highlander. Mike Allen, stood 4th and 7th in the singles, Julie Brough taking 5th prize and Chris Hewitt taking 8th prize with the previous Gargrave Champion bred by Gavin White and family.
The Pairs class was equally as tightly fought over with James Robinson, retaining his Pairs championship with a pairing bought from the Millstone Moor Stable. The lead lamb in this pairing was the Yorkshire Show Mule Champion back in July and was also was part of the winner trio and pair at Alston Show. She was sired by Highberries Golden Boy N010. Her accomplice was also part of the Reserve champion pen from Hawes and was sired by Barnshangan M4.
2nd place went to a Jubilant Julie Brough with a pairing bought out of Wigton this back end and from the Home of our West Cumbrian Branch Chairman, Ken Pears. Both lambs were sired by Smearsett P2.
Philip Elliot was 3rd in the class with another haul from Reed's top Pen and this time both lambs were sired by their infamous Highberries H2 stock Ram. James Robinson was placed both 4th and 6th. The fourth prize lambs were a combination of a lamb from Hawes Reserve Champion lambs from M/s Lawson, Parr Bank and the Gragareth flock. This lamb was sired by Asby Hall M3. It was subsequently paired with an Asby Hall lamb that was purchased by James at Kirkby Stephen back in September. This lamb was sired by Asby Hall L7 which is Son of K1 Smearsett. Chris Hewitt stood 5th with a combination of Gavin White's from his Champion pen at Bentham and Kilnstown bought out of Kirkby Stephen.
RESULTS
CLASS 56: SINGLE MULE GIMMER LAMB
PLACING SPONSORED BY CAPONTREE VETS, NEMSA & GARY PHILIPS
1st ROBINSON JAMES
2nd ELLIOTT PHILIP
3rd ROBINSON JAMES
4th ALLEN M & B5
5th BROUGH JULIE
6th ROBINSON JAMES
7th ALLEN M & B
8th HEWITT CHRIS
CLASS 57: PAIR OF MULE GIMMER LAMBS
PLACING SPONSORED BY CAPONTREE VETS, NEMSA & GARY PHILIPS
1st ROBINSON JAMES
2nd BROUGH JULIE
3rd ELLIOTT PHILIP
4th ROBINSON JAMES
5th HEWITT CHRIS
6th ROBINSON JAMES
7th ALLEN M & B
8th ELLIOTT PHILIP
CLASS 41: PAIR MULE WETHER LAMBS
1st ALLEN M & B
2nd FIRM OF SHAWHEAD FARM
3rd CREW D
4th ELLIS FAMILY
