NORTH Yorkshire father and son, Cecil and Stephen Hutchinson, won the supreme championship at the Northern Beltex Society’s fifth winter show and sale of pedigree in-lamb ewes at Skipton mart on Saturday.

The Hutchinsons run the Wiskers pedigree flock at Brickyard Farm, Kirkby Wiske, and won with their first prize ewe lamb, Wiskers Balley Dancer, a January-born daughter of Dooley Ruthin, acquired four years ago from David Thornley in Derbyshire.

The victor sold for 500gns to Mark and Ellie Jennings, who run the Hallcrake flock at Selside.

The Hutchinsons – Cecil is still showing at the age of 84 – clinched four classes in total and also sent out the second prize January-born ewe lamb, Wiskers Beauty, another Dooley Ruthin daughter, which sold to Ingleton’s J&M Cockett at 400gns.

The same tup was also responsible for their second prize shearling ewe, the January, 2015, Wiskers Apollo Girl, which sold for 450gns to CH&OF Hammond, of Glasshouses, along with the third prize ewe, Wiskers Tester, a February, 2013, daughter of Freckleton Painter, which sold for 400gns to Pwllheli’s DW Roberts. He also claimed another Hutchinson shearling ewe at 420gns.

Show judge was Neil Noble, who runs the Hillview Beltex flock in Stokesley. The fixture attracted 23 head. Shearling gimmers averaged £574 per head overall, a major rise on the previous year’s £301, while the aged ewe average was also well up at £451, as against £253 in 2015. Gimmer lambs averaged £336, compared to £462 the previous year.

o On the same day the 24th annual winter show and sale of pedigree Texel females was supplemented by sales of individual and small groups of Continental-sired sheep, among them dispersal sales on behalf of Frank Joel, of Westhouse, and Leyburn’s Martin and Val Brown.

All cross-bred sheep met a strong trade, achieving an overall average of £246 per head. The Browns’ consignment sold to highs of 600gns and 500gns, averaging £254 overall. Mr Joel sold his sheep at an overall average of £193, with a top call of 290gns.