ANDREW Fisher took the championship for the second year running at the 126th annual Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders Association show and sale at Skipton Mart.

The fifth-season Wensleydale sheep breeder of Low Laithe, Harrogate, took the title with his first-prize shearling ram and male champion – like his 2016 victor – by Maesafon Tornado, acquired three years ago from Welsh breeders Jim and Sandra Thompson.

Out of a Thistle dam bred by Knaresborough’s Yvonne Mudd, the champion had excelled in the regional show arena all summer but returned home after failing to meet expectations in the sale ring.

Overall reserve champion was the first-prize ewe lamb and female champion from Nick Oliver’s Carperby Pastures flock near Leyburn.

One of 2017-born twins by Princethrope Carlsberg, out of a home-bred ewe by Endrigs Celebration, the runner-up, shown by Mr Oliver’s 17-year-old daughter Sophie, made joint top price in show of 420gns when falling to D Leonard of Bramley, Leeds.

The reserve male champion was the first-prize aged ram from Mark Elliott, of Ferrensby, Knaresborough. His 2015-born son of Princethorpe High Hopes, out of a home-bred Leyburn Euro daughter, sold for 240gns to D Hamp, Wiltshire.

Mr Elliott also paid 310gns for the top price white shearling ram from Laura Beaton, who runs the Hammerton flock in Green Hammerton, near York.

Her 2016-born Carperby Pastures twin is by Millhouse Endeavour, out of a Widehope ewe sired by West End Gerard.

The reserve female champion was the first prize shearling ewe from John McHardy’s Endrigs flock in Fife. His 2016-born triplet by Princethorpe Harry’s Bar, out of a home-bred Princethorpe Knockout-sired dam made 170gns when joining J Pennell in Darlington.

Mr McHardy also headed the ram lamb prices at 150gns with a home-bred twin son of his own Endrigs Comet, again out of a Princethorpe Knockout-sired dam. This one joined Ernie Sherwin’s Nosterfield flock near Bedale.

The top price shearling ewe at 410gns was the second prize winner from John and Shelagh Prescott’s West End flock in Longhorsley, Morpeth.

Their 2016-born triplet daughter of Maes Afon Minstrel, out of a Providence Pete-sired dam, also fell to D Leonard.

The first prize ram lamb came from Mary Smith, who runs the Brimham flock at Carston Farm, Ayrshire. By Providence Peter, out of a home-bred dam by West End Walter, the youngster became a further Ernie Sherwin acquisition at 110gns.

Shearling ewes averaged £223, shearling rams £195 and ram lambs £158.

Judge Dr Lynn Clouder, from Princethorpe, near Stoneleigh, praised the strong shearling show classes.