Scottish farmer wins top honour at show (From Craven Herald)

Scottish farmer wins top honour at show

12:19pm Thursday 6th October 2011 in Countryfile

Scotsman David Alexander mounted a successful “raid” south of the border when his first-prize pen of five shearling ewes progressed to take supreme championship honours at the annual Lleyn Sheep Society’s registered show and sale at Skipton Auction Mart.

Mr Alexander and his wife Jennifer, who are based at Galston, in Ayrshire, stepped up on their Skipton reserve championship shearling ewes success last year.

The 2011 victors, recipients of the Green Farm Health Cup, sold for top price in class at £295 per head to J Vickerton & Sons, of Grange Farm, Driffield.

They were among a 30-strong consignment from Mr Alexander, who farms 200 Lleyns. He also sold pens at 205gns and 200gns a head, along with a further pen at 190gns.

Reserve show champion was the first-prize shearling ram from Terry Fort, of Brighton House Farm, Whitley Head, Steeton, which sold at 2,000gns (£2,100), top price in show, to T Riley, of Stoney Royd Farm, Midgley, Hebden Bridge.

Terry’s parents, Graham and Mandy Fort, were also responsible for the second-prize shearling ram, which sold for 920gns. In total, eight shearling rams sold for 800gns and over, with the overall selling average £563.41.

Back with the shearling ewes, Simon Cavanagh, of Draughton, sold a pen at £200 apiece. The overall selling average in this class was £175 per head (up £38.40 on 2010).

The same buyer also paid £140 for a second ewe lamb pen from Farmstock Genetics, of Selkirk. Ewe lambs averaged £113.14 (+£37.43).