Royal Welsh Show – Traditional Type

Moving swiftly on and down the road from the Penrith progeny show, it was the new format schedule at the Royal Welsh Show, where there were separate classes for the Traditional and the Crossing types for the first time, which proved to be a winning formula, with some strong classes in either section. Once again, the judging was under a cloudless sky, as the sun continued to cast its spell.

First up were the Traditional classes, starting at 8.30 on the Tuesday morning, with Aled Jones, Craig Yr Orsedd, the man in the middle and managing to keep looking cool under the burning sun. His top pick was a stunning homebred tup shearling from Sophie Harding, with Shrewbridge Phoenix, by the N3 Ashes and out of a Marcus ewe. She used him last year on some of her older ewes as she thought so much of him, and has left a real stamp, but as she can’t use him as she has so much of the same bloodlines about, he will be heading to either Kelso or Builth later this autumn, where he will certainly be worth keeping an eye on.

Taking the female Championship and Reserve Overall was a 6-shear ewe bred at Kirkstead taken by Dewi Parry and Eifion Thomas, making her showring debut. She is full of old school breeding, by the Whinnyhall M82, which was by the great Cocklaw T1. It seems that this will be her one and only show as they have decided to retire her at the top of the game…..not a bad record to be fair mind!

The reserve male champion came from the tup shearling class as well, as the second placed shearling, K1 Burndale from Dewi Williams, Blacket House was moved forward by the judge.

In the female section it was the 2^nd placed aged ewe from veteran breeder Tudor Harris, Bonvilston which came through and took the Reserve female honours.