MIDDLETON-IN-TEESDALE Sheep Show organisers are celebrating another successful event despite a cold, wet spring.
With entries and attendance back at pre-Covid levels, deputy chairman David Mallon is pleased with the show, which was held at High Force Hotel on Saturday, May 20.
He said: “It was a success – entries were up, there was a good turn-out and good weather.”
He added that this year two Swaledale breeders from Northern Ireland – Martin Conway and Eddie Haughey – were invited to judge. They said they thoroughly enjoyed the day and experience.
Mr Mallon, who farms at Eggleston, added there had also been visitors from southern Ireland, who were not associated with the judges and had come off their own bat.
He said: “They flew in to Newcastle for the day and flew back that night – that was nice to see.”
There has been a recent spike in interest in Swaledale sheep in Ireland from farmers.
Mr Mallon added: “The level of sheep on show were really good quality. It is progress on what has been quite a slow spring. The cold, wet spring made it hard work to get the sheep to be presentable for the show.
“Hopefully we can build on it a bit more for future years.”
Hannah Hunter, from the organising committee, said: “We had a great day with fabulous weather, a great crowd and a good show of sheep.”
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
