Devon County Show 2026

There was a great turnout of sheep with well supported classes for the breed at this year’s Devon County show, and it was a case of déjà vu as Helen Havill’s flock took the spoils with her home bred shearling tup, Martin Grange V1. This tremendous son of Ashes R9 stole the attention of judge Dewi Parry, who’d travelled down from Anglesey to cast his eye over proceedings, with his sheer scale, power and width, along with lovely clean colours. He was no stranger to success having stood champion here as a lamb. Following his victory last year he was tried on a handful of ewes, and he didn’t disappoint, as you’ll read about later… Helen hasn’t quite decided if he’s for sale or not, but is leaning towards keeping him, and it’s easy to see why she wants to.

It was a great day for the Martin Grange flock as they also took Female & Reserve Champion, Reserve Male and Reserve Female, all with yearling progeny of Ashes R9, who has proven to be a very shrewd investment after being picked up cheaply at Carlisle as a lamb. He’s left a very sharp stamp with great width and clean skins, and the championship classes were a great advert for what he’d done for the flock.

Helen’s great day continued with success in the tup lamb, aged ewe and ewe lamb classes too. The tup lamb was massive with real presence for his age, he’s by the £1800 Wallhome T3 and out of the same Blue Bird bred ewe as the Female Champion was. The ewe was a three crop sired by Auchry N6 who did well for the flock after being bought at the Welshpool ‘Builth’ sale as a lamb during covid. The ewe lamb was a lovely sweet thing with snow white hair, great stretch and a sharp outlook, she was by, as alluded to earlier, the day’s champion, and her quality is one of the reasons her sire probably won’t be leaving Devon.

The first blue ribbon (they do things their own way in the South West) went to Paul and Hazel Pearse in the aged tup class. Their homebred Barramoor T7 is full of the finest crossing lines the region has to offer, being by Wildmoor P6 and out of a dam by a Yelland sire. The breed really is going from strength to strength in this part of the world.

Overall and Male Champion – Helen Havill with Martin Grange V1

Reserve and Female Champion – Helen Havill with Martin Grange V38

Reserve Male Champion – Helen Havill with Martin Grange V3

Reserve and Female Champion – Helen Havill with Martin Grange V31