THE Skipton branch of the North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA) staged a progeny show of Bluefaced Leicester rams and Mule progeny, kindly hosted by Craven Cattle Marts in Skipton.

The event attracted over 40 entries split into five show classes. Overall championship fell to NEMSA national chairman Kevin Wilson, and his son, James, from Blubberhouses, with their home-bred 2018-born Bluefaced Leicester ram, Hewness L1, with its three Mule gimmer lambs.

The same tup, himself a son of the renowned Harland F1 Bighead, was also responsible for the Wilsons’ single gimmer lamb that won the NEMSA championship and progressed to become champion commercial female at last month’s Great Yorkshire Show.

The progeny show reserve champion was the winner of the 2 shear or over Bluefaced Leicester ram show class owned and bred by Wharfedale’s Francis Caton and his son, James, from Weston, Otley. Their J10 Weston is a son of the highly regarded Smearsett “Ted” tup.

Judges for the day were Geoff Taylor, who farms the Swathburn flock of Bluefaced Leicesters at Great Asby, Appleby, and David Watson, of the Middleton Hall flock from Kirkby Lonsdale.

A stock judging competition for Mule ewes and shearlings, Bluefaced Leicester and Swaledale gimmer shearlings was also held, with James ‘Amos’ Dewhurst, from Winterburn, officiating and awarding first prize in the men’s section to Alan Watson, of Kirkby Lonsdale, with Skipton’s Milly Eaton winning the women’s class.

Nick Bowker, of Cowling, and Geoff Lawn, from Skipton, along with Samantha Fawcett, of Barden, and Helen Bright, from Derbyshire, finished second and third in their respective classes.

Full results of the progeny show were: Home-bred BFL ram (born 2018) with its 3 Mule gimmer lambs - 1 JK Wilson, Blubberhouses, 2 Joe Throup, Draughton, 3 Jeff Walker, Dunsop Bridge, 4 Ian Cousin, Kirkby Stephen, 5 John Mason, Embsay.

Bought-in BFL ram (born 2018) with its 3 Mule gimmer lambs – 1 AJ Mason, 2 JC Throup, 3 Charles and Richard Kitching, Threshfield, 4 JK Wilson, 5 Francis Caton, Weston.

2 Shear or over BFL ram (home-bred or bought in) with its 3 Mule gimmer lambs – 1 FA Caton, 2 George Whitwell, Austwick, 3 R Tarbatt, Darwen, 4 JC Walker, 5 Ellis Bros, Addingham Moorside.

3 Mule gimmer lambs by the same sire (not shown in any other progeny class) – 1 CD&RF Kitching, 2 G Whitwell, 3 WP&B Walker, Appletreewick, 4 J Middleton, Arncliffe, 5 JM Daggett, Burnsall.

Single Mule gimmer lamb- 1&3 JK Wilson, 2 A&KM Barnes, Great Harwood, 4 G Whitwell, 5 JC Walker.