THE road trip south was made more than worthwhile for the Hall family from Inglewood Edge when they claimed the AR Bulmer Championship Cup for the best pair of prime lambs at the English Winter Fair over the weekend.

The family – John Hall together with daughter, Joanne, her daughter April Skelton, and their able helpers, Chloe Hunter and Zoe Glendinning – claimed no fewer than four first prize tickets, but it was their untrimmed duo from the 70kg to 80kg class that rose to the top having secured the Untrimmed Championship before going on to stand Supreme.

The duo which tipped the scales at a combined 78kg are by a pedigree ram named Murrays Grassmen ET while their sires are nearly pure Beltex crosses.

Tasked with the role of judging was Anthony Glaves, a Butcher and retailer from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, who said he was looking for a matching pair with good tops and loins that were well fleshed with a bit of fat cover. Of his Supreme Champion pair, he commented: “They were a real good pair with tremendous tops, backend and ribs and had very even proportions.”

Taking the Reserve Supreme spot was the Champion Pure-bred pair from last year’s judge and debut exhibitor, Chris Wright, and his fiancée, Sarah Harryman. This 101kg pair were bred by Ben Cowton and are sired by Gyffin Dexter.

Standing Reserve in the untrimmed section was the winning pair from the 90kg to 100kg class from C Timm.

David Wadland made it a hat-trick in the carcase section when he secured his third championship on the bounce, this year with a E3L pure entry. It weighed 50kg live and 28.4kg hung up, and was full of home breeding.The judge commented: “Lovely shape through the leg and well-fleshed eye muscle. Also a nice fat covering.”

Reserve was a Lambington Gandalf-sired E3L entry from Robert West. This one was 43kg live and 24.5kg on the hook.

The Halls also won the 80kg-90kg and over 100kg classes, while April won the Young Farmers class. Other Beltex highlights included Robert West leading the live/dead trio while Paul and Lin Calcraft won the pair of wether lambs and Archie Hill won both the pair of ewe lambs and single lamb classes. Rebecca Armstrong headed up the under 70kg class with Jack Robb winning the novice class and Messrs Madders and Johnson topping the RABI single class. Libby Garth fended off some fierce competition in the Young Handlers competition to secure the Championship.