Royal Welsh 2018: Sheep champions

Records were broken in the Royal Welsh Show sheep section on Wednesday (25 July) when a Clun picked up the champion of champions award for the very first time at the show.

The shearling ewe, exhibited by Anna Pennell, Darlington, Durham, was bred by Derek Knowles, St Albans, Hertfordshire, and bought privately last autumn.

See also: Royal Welsh 2018: Interbreed beef champions

Sired by Trewlyrod she is out of a home-bred ewe from Mr Knowles’ Wrotham flock. She been unbeaten in local shows this season and was reserve interbreed at the Great Yorkshire earlier this month.

In reserve was Ifan Hughes, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, with his home-bred North Country Cheviot shearling ewe by the Bardnaclavan tup Top Man.

It was his first reserve overall win in 15 years of exhibiting at the Royal Welsh.

She came second in her class as a ewe lamb at the show last year and picked up the native hill interbreed trophy – Mr Hughes’ fourth – before going on to be placed overall reserve.