A SWALEDALE sheep show made history when it was held entirely online – attract-ing an impressive 81 entries.
Raymond Calvert, of Tan Hill Sheep Show, and Paul Collinson, of Eastgate Sheep Show, had to cancel their events because of the coron-avirus lockdown and decided instead to turn to social media for a solution.
They invited farmers to submit photographs of their prized animals which were then posted online and judged by John Stephenson, former secretary of the Swaledale Sheep Breeders As-sociation. Mr Stephenson said he was amazed by the number of en-tries and spent about four hours going through them.
“It all depended on the quality of the photograph. Some people had taken time to prepare their sheep and some had not,” he said. Keld farmers Mark and Linda Rukin’s ewe won its class before taking the cham-pion female and supreme champion titles.
David Mallon, from Eggleston, took the male champion and reserve supreme cham-pion titles with his aged ram. Covid-19 restrictions have had a dramatic impact on the Swaledale Sheep Breeders As-sociation’s centenary year. Not only have Langdon Beck and High Force sheep shows been cancelled, but a special centenary show planned for Junction 36, at Kendal, was also abandoned.
A centenary dinner planned for November 9 also hangs in the balance. Mr Stephenson, who is due to retire as secre-tary at the end of the month, said: “It is still very uncertain.” ResultsEwe: 1, DJ Mallon; 2, W and K Hutchinson; 3, KM and KJ Cur-wen. Gimmer Shearling: 1, M and L Rukin; 2, B Thornborrow; 3, J and JE Bradley. Gimmer Hogg; 1, JS Cloughton; 2, S and J Dixon; 3, R Hallam; 4, P Ewbank; 5, JR Dalton; 6, K and J Curwen. Old Tup; 1, Bell and Brown; 2, K and J Curwen; 3, G Calvert & Sons. Tup Shearing: 1, M and L Rukin & JR Rukin; 2, M and L Rukin, JR Rukin and B Thorn-borrow; 3, K and K Curwen. A District: 1, Amy Donkin. B District: 1, J and JE Bradley; 2, G Calvert & Sons; 3, Chris-tine Clarkson; 4, B Thornbor-row; 5, Graham Scarr; 6, W and K Hutchinson. C District: 1, Messrs Cockbain; 2, Messrs Cockbain ; 3, MC and AE Staley; 4, John Hutchinson; 5, Brennand Farms; 6, WH and M Hutchinson. D District: 1, R Pattinson; 2, I Collinson; 3, R Pattinson. E District : 1, James Allison. Best tup in show: J and JE Bradley. Female champion: M and L Rukin (Gimmer Shearling). Reserve female champion: D Mallon (Ewe). Male champion: Bell and Brown (Aged Tup). Reserve male champion: M and L Rukin and JR Rukin. Supreme champion: M and L Rukin. Reserve champion: Bell and Brown
