A CUMBRIAN farmer achieved recognition for the standard of his flock at a Texel breeding showcase in Skipton.

The first prize ram lamb, reserve male champion and reserve supreme champion came from show regular Peter Woof, who runs the Stainton flock at Storth End Farm, near Kendal.

He described his first-time shown Stainton Amplify as 'the best lamb I have ever bred out of the best ewe in the flock.'

He is by the 3,200gns Hexel Wildcard, bought and now shared by a syndicate of six in 2015, out of a home-bred daughter of Sportsmans Tremendous 11.

Mr Woof, who at last year’s highlight achieved top price of 2,600gns with another ram lamb, saw his latest leading performer fall for 1,500gns to Skipton regulars TB Moorhouse & Son, of Dacre.

The same vendor also achieved 1,400gns with a second ram lamb, Stainton Antibody, a February-born son of his own Stainton Wasdale, by Anglezarke Uno, out of a ram again sired by Sportsmans Tremendous 11.

Mr Woof established his flock in the late 1980s and currently runs 40 breeding ewes. He is also a well-known pig breeder, running Saddleback sows with a Pietrain boar and selling their meat mainly to local hotels and restaurants. He also owns Lound Road Garage in Kendal.

Another Cumbrian came out on top at the show. The first prize recorded shearling ram came from the Woodhow flock of David Nesbitt, who farms at Wasdale, near Seascale.

His March, 2016, Woodhow You Beauty, breed champion and reserve interbreed at Gosforth this year, is by the Sportsmans Supreme son, Cambwell Trademark, from Robert Laird’s Biggar flock.

Mr Nesbitt, supreme champion at Skipton back in 2012, purchased the dam in-lamb to the renowned Goldies Supreme from the Jackson family’s Rugley flock in Alnwick.

Goldies Supreme was bought for 10,500gns by Mr Nesbitt and has done extremely well for both the breeder and the breed in general.

"We bought the ewe back from the Jacksons in a two-way deal,” explained Mr Nesbitt, who saw the ewe's son, who is now in the top 1% of the breed, sell locally for top price in class of 2,100gns to Cracoe’s John Carlisle.