The 2026 Melton Mowbray Show and Sale was well attended by members who came along to support the sale and enjoy the pre-sale show.
Judge Caroline Brown made the journey from Devon to judge the pre-sale show this year and placed as her champion a shearling ram bred and shown by Gordon and Matthew Sparke, Northumbria Ridge 25/00406 (M59816). This ram is a son of Northumbria Pommard 24/00364 (M59528) and out of a home-bred ewe Northumbria 23/00313 (98816).
As champion Southdown, this ram went on to compete in the Interbreed class later in the day, standing in a long line-up of 30 different breeds of sheep, including primitives such as North Ronaldsay and Borerays, Longwool breeds and Shortwool breeds such as Shropshires and Oxford Downs. The Interbreed judge, Darren Cassie, took considerable time inspecting each of the champions in front of him and excitement mounted when the Southdown was pulled forward in his final shortlist. After final deliberations, the Southdown ram was named as the Interbreed Champion of the 2026 Sheep Interbreed Championship and Southdown supporters and breeders were appropriately vocal in their support of the judge’s choice. This is the first time that a Southdown has won the Interbreed Championship in the 23 years since the Traditional Native Breed Show and Sale has been held at Melton Mowbray market.
This ram then went on to be judged by a panel of judges for the accolade of Champion of Champions, competing against fellow interbreed champions from the cattle and pig sections. In the final line-up, Northumbria Ridge was beaten to the Alan Muddiman ’Champion of Champions’ trophy by a large British Lop sow!
The champion ram, Northumbria Ridge, went on to fetch the highest price of the day within the Southdown section, fetching 550 guineas and heading home to County Durham to join the Fern & Fleece flock of Miss Olivia Robinson. The sale this year attracted a select number of vendors, and buyers were discerning and cautious on sale day.
Standing as Reserve Champion to the champion ram was a ewe lamb from the White Horse flock of Messrs Watton, White Horse Gwyneth 26/00805 (112405). Whilst White Horse Gwyneth failed to reach the breeders’ reserve, the ewe lambs forward created considerable interest. A Blackfriar ewe lamb from the flock of Will Morton, Blackfriar 26/01345 (112401), was purchased by Emily Yates for 350 guineas.
A small number of ram lambs competed for first place in the pre-sale show, with a ram lamb from the Blackfriar flock of Will Morton taking the red rosette. This ram lamb, Blackfriar 26/01330 (M60196) has joined the Fulfen flock of Emily Yates and was knocked down for 500 guineas.
First in the shearling ewe class was East Dean 25/06543 (111928) from the flock of D, S & P Humphrey. This ewe topped the prices for females this year, selling for 360 guineas and heading home to join the Bickley flock belonging to R & J Windsor and J & C Milward.
The last of this year’s Young Breeders’ Championships took place as the final class of the pre-sale show. Three young breeders competed for the championship title: Harry Morton, Matthew Sparke and Emily Yates. Matthew Sparke continued his winning streak in this year’s Young Breeders’ Championships to achieve a ‘hat trick’, taking the Melton Mowbray Champion Young Breeders’s Award to add to those won earlier in the year at both the National Show at Staffordshire Show, and at the National sale at Worcester market in early August. Reserve Champion Young Breeders’ award went to Harry Morton.
Averages:
5 Shearling ewes 266gns
4 ewe lambs 202.5gns
2 shearling rams 425gns
1 ram lamb 500gns
