DALE farmers enjoyed a successful year at the Great Yorkshire Show taking champ- ionship titles in the horse, sheep and cattle sections.
Among those celebrating was Redworth farmer Anna Pennell whose Clun Forest ewe took the pedigree down breed championship and went on to be the overall reserve champion sheep at the show.
The sheep was one of two bought by Ms Pennel in September last year after being introduced to the breed by a friend. Her herd is made up predominately of Wensleydale and Teeswater sheep.
Ms Pennell said: “She is something different. It is a different preparation completely.”
She won five other classes with her breeds including Wensleydale male champion and Wensleydale reserve champion.
Her mum Julie said: “We had a stunning show. A few of the commercial sheep men said ‘do you realise what you have done?’
“I don’t think it has sunk in yet. It is such an achievement.”
There was also success for the Pennells in the ridden class of the Dales Pony section where Nipna Flora earned a ticket to the Horse of the Year Show which takes place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham later this year.
The horse was ridden by Ms Pennell’s friend Sarah Parker.
Ms Pennell said: “I was going to ride but I was really busy with the sheep.
“It is really unfortunate, winning the Horse of the Year qualification was amazing, but it was completely overshadowed by the sheep.”
Dales Pony breeder David Eccles, of Middleton-in-Teesdale, enjoyed another successful show with his perennial achiever mare Westwick Heather taking top honours.
Mr Eccles said: “We didn’t do so bad, we could have done better. She is about 16 years old but she still looks alright.”
The breeder also won three other classes and took third place in another.
Bolam breeders Keith and Maureen Metcalf also did well producing the reserve champion.
Once again Teesdale dominated the Swaledale sheep section with Tom Hutchinson of Forest-in-Teesdale producing the breed champion with a ewe by a home bred tup Kingshaugh Alchemy, while the mother’s side is by Long Green Objective.
Romaldkirk farmer Henry Jewitt took a second place in the Beltex class.
Eggleston farmers Simon and Emma Haley had their best ever result in the Great North Yorkshire Show with their Highland bull Merlin of Seam being declared breed champion. They also took the reserve champion title with Margaret 3rd of Seam.
Mrs Haley said: “It is pretty amazing. Last year we had the junior champion.”
She said it was unusual for a young bull to win the breed championship – it has always been a cow or a three-year-old, not a yearling bull.
