The Elliott family’s 2022 Royal Highland Show North of England Mule gimmer shearling champion has picked up another accolade when following up to stand overall Mule champion at Penrith Agricultural Show.
The Elliotts, of Bank House, Mungrisdale - husband and wife, Philip and Denise, who farm in partnership with Philip’s parents, David and Mary, and daughters Charlotte and Grace – again took top billing with their gimmer shearling by John Reed’s West Biggins N10, a son of Neil Marston’s Highberries H2.
James Taylor, of Bradleyfield Farm, Kendal, won both the single and pairs ewe lamb show classes and also gained overall reserve champion, this sired by L11 Chelker, bred at Draughton, near Skipton, by Joe and Nancy Throup. The tup was bought out of Bentham for £1,800 in the autumn of 2021 from well-known fellow breeder Robin Booth, of Feizor, above Settle, having first been acquired by him from the Throups.
James also stood third in both show classes, the single also by Chelker L11, as was one of the pairs, the other by P013 Lunesdale, who will be on offer at North West Auctions’ annual Blue faced Leicester sale.
James previously attended Penrith Show with his grandfather, Gordon Rawsthorne, of Nether Kellet, who held the annual showcase in great esteem, having won the single North of England Mule ewe lamb show class no less than seven times in his showing career. However, this was the first time James had shown in his own right. He has been breeding his own Mules for 12 years, the sires being part of the long-established Lunesdale pedigree Bluefaced Leicester flock.
Northumberland’s John Smith-Jackson, of Hightown, Haltwhistle, stood runner-up in both the gimmer lamb single and pairs show classes, plus fourth in the former. The pairs winners were sired by the home-bred Shafthill N11, a son of Harry Gass’s Nunscleugh M15, with both prize-winning singles sired by home-bred tups.
Shafthill N11 was also the Bluefaced Leicester tup responsible for Mr Smith-Jackson’s overall progeny class champions, Swaledale type and three new Mule lambs.
Also from Northumberland, winning all three rosettes in the NE Blackface-type class was Martyn Archer, of Wark, the first prize winner being by his own Carry House P1, a son of the 28K Ronaldo, which Martyn jointly owns with the Lougherys (Temain) and Ian Montgomery (Mistyburn), the runner-up by the 12K West Biggins N2, which is shared with Andy Hunter (The Steel).
Martyn Archer also swept the board in the Blackface type Mule lamb classes, his first prize single in the ‘Blackface type’ class being sired by West Biggins N2 , the runner-up by Spurigg P2, which he shares with the Reeds (West Biggins) and Hunters (The Steel) . These paired up to win the Blackface type pairs class, while both the third and fourth in the singles class were sired by Carry House ‘Ronaldo.’
The long-established Cumbrian highlight – it was first staged in 1834 – is organised annually on the third Saturday in July by The Penrith Agricultural Society at Brougham Hall Farm (by kind permission of the Mr CTA Helme).
Meanwhile, with shows now coming thick and fast, congratulations to North Craven’s Chris and Tessa Hewitt, of Tatham, for taking the overall North of England Mule Championship with a gimmer shearling at The Royal Lancashire Show at Salesbury Hall, Ribchester (June 22-24), following up on their reserve championship success with a single Mule gimmer shearling at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show earlier the same month. Gavin White and family from Horton-in-Ribblesdale took top honours in the gimmer lamb show class, their lamb coming reserve champion overall.
Penrith results Mule Gimmer Shearling Class – 1&2 Philip Elliot, 3&4 Stephen Ridley; Single Mule Gimmer Lamb (Swaledale Type) – 1 and reserve supreme champion & 3 James Taylor, 2&4 John Smith-Jackson, 5&6 JC&E Pedley & Sons; Pair of Mule Gimmer Lambs (Swaledale type) – 1&3 James Taylor, 2 John Smith-Jackson, 4 WC Porter, 5&6 Kilnstown; Mule Single Gimmer Lamb (NE Blackface type) – 1-6 RD Archer & Son; Pair of Mule Gimmer Lambs (NE Blackface Type) – 1,2&3 RD Archer & Son, 5&6 Kilnstown; Swaledale Ewe with Gimmer Lambs – 1&2 Kilnstown, 3 H Huddleston and Son; Mule Progeny: Swaledale type (BFL tup and 3 Mule lambs) – 1 and Progeny Champion - John Smith-Jackson; NE Blackface type (BFL and 3 Mule lambs) – 1& 2 RD Archer & Son.
ENDS
Main picture: Philip Elliott and daughter Grace with their Penrith Show champion North of England Mule gimmer shearling.
Below: Chris Hewitt with the Royal Lancashire Show North of England Mule champion and Abbie White with the reserve.
