Triumphant return for Bishop in AgriLive sheep championship

Winning the supreme championship with a pair of pure-bred Beltex lambs means Mr Bishop has taken top prizes at AgriLive, AgriExpo, Country Live and the England and Welsh Winter Fairs this year. It was also the fourth time the Bishop family has won a Smithfield title.

Commenting on the winning pair on Saturday, judge Andrew Walton of Alnwick, Northumberland, said: “In my champions I have found sheep that are full of flesh throughout with tremendous lions and gigots.”

The March/April born pair weighed in at 90.8kg and sold for an incredible £4,500 each, a figure not thought to have been matched at a primestock show before. The bidders were David and Chris Wright of A. Wright and Sons, Boston, Linconshire.

They also took the reserve champions, at the much lower price of £600 each, paid to breeders John Hall and daughter Joanne of Dalston, Carlisle.

Mr Hall’s pair, April-born Dutch Texel cross Beltex crosses weighting 93kg, followed Mr Bishop’s pair throughout the show, standing second to them in the continental shortwool section before proceeding to the final.

Mr Bishop’s second top award came in the combined live/dead competition, where a trio of pure Beltex lambs scored the most points, two judged live and one on the hook.

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