FROM Land’s End to John o’ Groats via Builth Wells, a Pembrokeshire flock has enjoyed unprecedented show success in 2015.

The story culminated at last week's Royal Welsh Show when a Hampshire Down breeders Eirlys and Barry Jones, assisted by their son Stuart, from Maes-Glas Farm, Wolfscastle, won the interbreed ram lamb championship.

The Maes-Glas flock was established in 1995 and are no strangers to the show ring, having being showing successfully for approaching 15 years. However, their dedication and commitment to the Hampshire Down has been particularly rewarded this year with a string of eye catching championships at some of the most prestigious shows across Great Britain.

The RWAS success is first time a Hampshire Down sheep has scooped the interbreed ram lamb class since its inception and the experienced judge, Mr David Rossiter of Kingsbridge, Devon, placed their home breed ram lamb at the top of all ram lamb in the show, with hundreds of ram lambs across close to 50 breeds ultimately competing for this one award.

“We were absolutely over the moon with this honour,” commented Eirlys. “The judge had high praise for the ram’s tight fleece and skin which as a breeder you are always striving to achieve, to win such an award with a home bred lamb, which was sired by a home bred ram really tops it off”.

However, it is not just at Llanelwedd where the Joneses have done remarkably well in 2015. They started the season by scooping the breed championship at Shropshire County show with a shearling ewe. Then, at the Royal Cornwall Show, now possibly the most popular and largest agricultural show in England, they won the breed championship with a ewe lamb.

“We were delighted with our Royal Cornwall Show,” said Stuart. “The Hampshire Down was the most represented breed at this show with some 23 entries in most of the classes.” They also went on to win the interbreed pair at this prestigious show, showing alongside experienced Devon breeders Henry and Hillary Derryman.

After Cornwall, the Royal Three Counties show, Malvern, brought them success with a ram lamb that won the breed championship. At the breed society show and sale at Stratford, they gained first prizes with their ewe lamb and also in the group of three championship.

Prior to Royal Welsh, the Joneses made the seven hour one way journey to the Royal Highland Show, the national show of Scotland, where they collected a total of four first prizes. They were awarded the male championship, with their senior stock ram, and the breed championship with their two year old ewe.

“What has been most pleasing for us is that our successes have been with different sheep. Our older ewe, shearling ewe, stock ram, shearling ram, ram lamb and ewe lamb have all won championships at these prestigious shows. This is more satisfying than if just one sheep was winning everywhere, giving us more confidence that our management system, particularly when considering breeding and bloodlines, is working” added Eirlys.

The Hampshire down is one of the oldest terminal sire breeds with the breed society celebrating 125 years in 2014.

Other confirmed west Wales winners included:

HORSES

Hunter, in hand – Evans & Jarrett (Hidden Agenda).

Welsh Pony (Cob type), Section C – Peter and Ann Jones (Menai Lady Catkin).

Welsh Mountain Pony, Section A – Donati & Hooper (Ceulan Calon Lan).

Show Hunter Pony, in hand, Kathy Hall (Penstrumbly Our Latif)., under saddle – Leo Bowen (Helsington Material Girl).

Children’s Riding Pony – Tracey Thomas (Cheesecroft Tip Top).

Mountain and Moorland Working Hunter Pony – Leo Bowen (Gallant Prince).

CATTLE

Charolais – Kevin and Sioned Thomas (Gretnahouse Fannabell).

Jersey – Edward, Eiddwen and Iwan Morgan (Erie Regan Platt).

Brown Swiss – Marc and Sian Williams (Elite WR Lovely).

SHEEP

Torddu – Gwyn King.

Torwen – Sean Jeffreys.

Balwen – Gary and Meinir Howells.

Beulah – A D and E E Richards.

Ryeland – N P and E J Morgan.

Welsh Mule – Wyn Jones.

Llanwenog – Huw Evans.

Berrichon du Cher – Gareth Thomas.

Blue Texel – D L and B W H Jones.