Highland Show 2025

theallanhome
Jun 22
4 min read

Bluefaced Leicester Sire, Midlock Magic, sprinkles his fairy dust to sire the champion Mule at The Highland for the third consecutive year to Give Martyn Archer a final show to remember . Martyn has exhibited at the Show every year since the class was introduced in 2011 and has previously won it in 2017 with a lamb sired by his ‘Jackpot’ Ram. The ewe lamb, reputed to be best Martyn has ever bred, stood at the top of a large class of entrants from all over the North of England.

L to R : Martyn Archer ( Exhibitor) , Jeff Burrow (Judge), Peter Lee, Geoff Walker ( Nemsa Chairman) - Photograph by Sam Hutchinson

The Judge : Jeff Burrow - Photo by Sam Hutchinson

The Nemsa Mule Classes were in the hands of Experienced breeder and Nemsa Treasurer, Jeff Burrow from Near Kendal in Cumbria. Recent years has seen Jeff breed his mules from both the Swaledale and the North of England Blackfaced type Sheep so a more than qualified judge to peruse the tricky classes. The heat was the headline act on the Friday at the Highland Show as the Nemsa Mules entered the ring. It was a lunchtime start as we followed on from the Swaledale Classes earlier in the morning.

First prize Geld Shearling from Philip Elliott - Photo by Sam Hutchinson

The first class was the Geld mule shearling which enabled The Elliott family to take the top two prizes with both sheep originally bought from John Huddleston, Ravenscar last back end. Martin Allan and Sarah Emmott came in third with a homebred Shearling which was sired by Greenhow S21. David and Michelle Buck, regular attendees to the show, stood fourth with a shearling bought originally from our Teesdale Branch Chairman , Martin Walton, out of the Barnard Castle Mart.

Champion Ewe with lambs at foot from Jam Robinson - Photograph by Sam Hutchinson

The Mule Ewe with two lamb at foot was the next class and gave the opportunity for the seasoned show ewes to make an appearance. It was last year’s Mule champion from Jam Robinson which came back as a two shear to take 1st prize, this Neil and Mary Marston bred sheep stood at the top of the line with her April born texel lambs. Second prize also went to Jam Robinson with another sheep not unused to the show circuit. John Ackerley was third with a favourite ewe that stood second in the Hogg and Lamb class in the previous year with a Sheep breed at Amblingate in Weardale. Fourth prize also went to John and the Ackerley family.

3rd and 4th Mule Ewes with two lambs at foot from the Ackerley family

1st and 2nd Mule Hoggs with Lambs at foot from the Elliott family

The Mule Hogg with lamb at foot was the next class into the ring and allowed the Elliott family to take the top two spots once more. It was Grace Elliott whose steed took top place and has always been her personal favourite since it was purchased last year from The Bainbridge family at Dousgill.

Her dad, Philip was the main handler of the 2nd place hogg and this completed the Dousgill pair that were forward and purchased from the Barnard Castle sale last September. John Ackerley stood third, David and Michelle Buck followed on down the line with a Martin Walton Hogg and one bred from Samantha Fawcett in one of the strongest line up of the day. Ed Watts and his keen entourage took the final places with Mule Hoggs with Suffolk lambs at foot.

Judging the Ewe lamb Class

The much anticipated Mule Ewe lamb class was won by the experienced hand of Martyn Archer from Carry House. This strong lamb was sired Midlock Magic which has sired the Highland Show first prize ewe lamb for the last three consecutive years, either in Martyn’s hands or in the hands of breeders Andy and Carolins Hunter from The Steel. It was The Steel which came in second with a lamb sired by Ballytober Hijack S1. Kevin Ridley stood both third and fourth to complete the Northumberland type domination. Third prize been sired by Skelgate T3 and fourth sired by Midlock T16. It was the Bluefaced Leicester Judge, Martin Allan, who took 6th prize, which was in the safe hands of partner Sarah Emmott and sired by S9 Howgate which is a son of C2 Shafthill.