Strong turnout of livestock at Hope Show

Early on Friday morning, there were fears the cattle section at Hope Show would have to be abandoned after Storm Lilian destroyed the cattle marquee. But by Saturday, the decision had been taken to go ahead without a tent, as the forecast for the Monday was set to be fair.

The risk paid off as cattle numbers at the show surpassed 70 and the weather stayed dry. The Clark family, Ringinglow, Sheffield, secured the beef supreme with their home-bred four-year-old Limousin cow, Mayfields Rose by Fieldson Nugget. It won breed and overall reserve champion at Ashover Show, and breed champion and reserve continental at Emley Show.
The reserve championship went to Steve and Ashley Mills, Sheffield, with their British Blue cow, Redmires Sapphire. The home-bred cow by Tenace De La Praule repeated its performance from 2023, when it was also breed champion and overall reserve champion.

In the sheep section, a home-bred Suffolk ram lamb from Steve Buckley's Sitlow flock, Buxton, secured the overall supreme sheep championship.
By Sportsmans Black Label and out of a dam by Sitlow Clean Bandit, the ram was having its first showring outing and will now go to Kelso Ram Sales.  

The Suffolk judge, Keith Thomas, Crewe, said: "He is very correct and the right type for a modern Suffolk, with size and scale."

The supreme hill sheep championship went to Josh and Megan Redfearn, Stockport, with a home-bred Derbyshire Gritstone ewe lamb out of a home-bred ewe, which was overall reserve supreme sheep champion.
It also won the Derbyshire Gritstone champion of champions award after qualifying when it was champion Gritstone and reserve champion overall at Mottram Show the previous week. It was also reserve supreme champion at Halifax Show.

Mr Refearn said: "We have been showing for 12 years now, but this is the first time we have won the champion inter-breed. This ewe lamb is one of the best we have bred, she is a good stamp of her breed and clean through her wool."

Reserve supreme hill sheep champion went to a Swaledale two-shear tup from Rebecca Spooner, Chinley, which she bought from Ruswarp as a shearling, where it topped the sale.

The Whitefaced Woodland champion of champions title went to John William Thorp, Ripponden, with his home-bred age tup, High Moss Belter. He also took reserve with his home-bred aged ewe, which stood reserve champion Whitefaced Woodland, with the championship going to George Lees, Shawforth, with an aged tup bred by Phil and Joe Pennington.

Results 

Beef

Inter-breed (all breed judges) Supreme, A. Clark, Mayfields Rose (Limousin); reserve, A. Mills, Redmires Saphire (British Blue).

Commercial (J. Dowie, Settle) Sup., A. Dickinson, Cover Girl (Limousin cross); res., T. and J. Gratton, Cruella (British Blue cross).

Any other native beef (C. Hollingsworth, Sheffield) Sup., M. Hallam, Yarn Hill Hannah (Lincoln Red); res., M. Hallam, Starlite Hannah 2 (Lincoln Red).

British Blue (M.H. Taylor, Lincoln) Sup., S. and A. Mills, Redmires Saphire; res., K. Simpson, Solway View Tesha.

Highland (R. Mumford, Much Wenlock) Sup., R. Wain, Melody of the Rose; res., M. Burgess, Ebony of Nortwelle.

Limousin (A. Grisedale, Milnthorpe) Sup., A. Clark, Mayfields Rose; res., L. White, Ladybowers Unique.

Longhorn (D. Hartshorn, Telford) Sup., J. Mycock, Bollin Wylma; res., T. Mills, Wheatlands Wendy.

British Blonde (N. Barrett, York) Sup., S. Mycock, White Peak Uruk-Hai; res., S. Marsden, Lowercroft Tulip.

Sheep

Inter-breed (S. Wainwright, Edale) Sup., S. Buckley (Suffolk); res. and sup., hill, J. and M. Redfearn (Derbyshire Gritstone); res. hill sup., R. Spooner (Swaledale).

Derbyshire Gritstone (J. Kempson, Rossendale) Sup., J. and M. Redfearn; res., J. Eggleton.

Derbyshire Gritstone champion of champions (R. Greenwood, Sowerby Bridge) Sup., J. and M. Redfearn; res., E. and P. Howard.

Lonk (R. Kempson, Rossendale) Sup., C. Mitchell; res., E. and P. Howard.

North Country Cheviot (S. Anderson, Galashiels) Sup. and res., J. Webster.

Swaledale (B. Cowperthwaite, Malham) Sup., R. Spooner; res., S. Hallam.

Whitefaced Woodland (J. Gill, Barnsley) Sup., G. Lees; res., J.W. Thorp.

Whitefaced Woodland champion of champions (K. Lucas, Penistone) Sup. and res., J.W. Thorp.

Mule and Masham (J. Wade, Jedburgh) Sup., W. Allen; res., Mycock and Bright.

Jacob (J. Dixon, Leicester) Sup., R. Chapman; res., Ridout and Higginson.

Rare breeds (R. Helliwell, Bamford) Sup. and res., A. Boothby (Llanwengo).

Any other native breed (G. Wainwright, Edale) Sup., Messrs Plant (Scottish Blackface); res., M. Carter (Kerry Hill).

Suffolk (K. Thomas, Crewe) Sup., S. Buckley; res., H. Lyons.
Texel (R. Wright, Doncaster) Sup., F. Rushton; res., Z. Watson.

Bluefaced Leicester (J. Thorp, Ripponden) Sup., H. Critchlow; res., I. Gregory.

Any other continental breed (T. Hill, Doncaster) Sup. and res., Brown and Mason (Charollais).

Commercial lamb (T. Hill) Sup., L. Bradshaw.