Beltex Champions

Category	Breed	Breeder Name
Champion Female	1st Place Shearling Gimmer	D Brown
Reserve Champion Female	2nd Place Shearling Gimmer	Miller Farms
Champion Male	1st Place Shearling Ram	M Burleigh
Reserve Male Champion	2nd Place Shearling Ram	J Green
Overall Champion	1st Place Shearling Ram	M Burleigh
Reserve Champion	2nd Place Shearling Ram	J Green

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Matt’s flock hits headlines at CCM pedigree Beltex highlight

Northern Ireland’s Matthew Burleigh, Matt’s flock, Shanra, Co Fermanagh, who has picked up multiple tickets since he first began competing at the Beltex Sheep Society’s annual show and sale of registered rams and females at CCM Skipton back in 2016, finally landed the big one when crowned supreme champion, then 4000gns top price, at the 2024 breed highlight. (Fri & Sat, Sept 6&7)

He claimed the coveted title with the first prize shearling ram and male champion, Matt’s Jackson, a March, 2023-born single among the first crop of shearlings by Muirton High and Mighty, a 16000gns acquisition in 2022 who has since sired gimmer lambs to 5000gns.

The Hackney dam, herself by Airyolland Asulam, also produced another 4000gns tup, the third prize shearling at last year’s Skipton showcase. Her price-equalling 2024 supreme was first tapped out by show judge and renowned Beltex breeder Paul Slater, then claimed by him for his Whiteley Hey flock, Macclesfield.

The Matt’s flock’s ten-strong consignment of shearling rams proved in ready demand at the ringside, all successfully sold and all but two hitting four figures. Among them were a brace of Murrays Expert sons away at 2500gns and 2000gns respectively, the former snapped up by Paul Simpson, Wigglesworth, the latter a joint purchase by Adrian Leach, Owlers flock, Hebden Bridge, and Dick and Watson Harrison, Clifford House flock, Skipton.

Next up were two High and Mighty sons, one making 2200gns, again to the judge, the other 2000gns to John McTear, Cockermouth. All ten Matt’s shearling rams levelled at a solid £1984.50.

Next best at 3800gns and again flying the flag for Northern Ireland was the third prize shearling ram from Co Tyrone’s Gary Scott, Bessy Belle flock, Mountjoy, Omagh. His Bessy Bell Jigalo, by Tullyagan Figo, out of a Mortons Charles-sired dam, joined Frank and Sue Towers, Hornby, Lancaster.

The adjudicator remained in the well-supported shearling ram show class for his reserve supreme, the second prize shearling ram and reserve male from defending Scottish Borders champion John Green, Greenall flock, Lilliesleaf.

His Greenhall Just William, a twin son of the privately purchased Riverview Havoc, made 1800gns when falling to fellow exhibitor Harry Wood, Dean Brow flock, Dutton, Preston, with top call in the pen at 2600gns going to Greenall Juggernaut, this also taking Paul Slater’s eye. Greenall’s strong team of shearling rams, all Havoc sons, all hit four figures, averaging £1483.

From Cumbria, Jack, Tom and Kevin Buckle, Buckles flock, Barras, Kirkby Stephen, made 2600gns with Buckles Jaguar, selling locally to AR Rigby, Slaidburn, also achieving 2000gns with a home-bred Buckles Hercules son heading to Co Durham with GW Lee & Sons, Frosterley.

The Wannop’s Farms flock, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe, Morecambe, sold several shearling rams at four-figure process and to a top of 2000gns for Wannop’s Justify, going to HL Donaldson, Great Busby, Middlesborough.

Female champion, the first prize shearling ewe, once more hailed from Northern Ireland and David Brown, Brownville flock, Bessbrook, Co Down. Shown by grandson, Mark Latimer, Brownville Joop topped its section at 1200gns when claimed by the Boden & Davies partnership, Stockport. The Brownville flock also stood third and fourth in the ram lamb show class, both making 1,000gns.

From Aberdeenshire, Alan Miller, Miller Farms, Lurg flock, Midmar, Inverurie, consigned the first and second prize ram lambs, both January-born singles. The class winner, Lurg Kenny Rogers, topped the ram lambs at 1500gns to W McMillan, Newton Stewart, the runner-up making 1,000gns.

The Lurg flock, whose entries were shown by shepherd Finn Christie, was also responsible for the reserve female champion, the second prize shearling ewe, Lurg Jaws of Death, which made 700gns, bettered at 850gns by a second Lurg shearling ewe, while from the same home four shearling rams sold at four figures to a top of 1600gns.

David and Karen Shuttleworth, Heber Park flock, Gargrave, sold a trio of four-figure shearling rams to a top of 1800gns for the Dooley Garnet son, Heber Park Jeffrey, while, back with the girls, Garry Robinson and niece, Laura Robinson, Garla flock, Embsay, consigned the first prize ewe lamb, the home-bred Garla Khalida, sold for 350gns section top.

The annual highlight attracted a total entry of 240 head, with a solid 87% clearance rate. Shearling rams averaged £968 (2023 £951), shearling gimmers £503 (2023 £513) and ram lambs £694 (2023 £1090).

Report courtesy of Robin Moule

Photos –  Adrian Legge Photography