Carnwath Show 2026
L-R: Dunsyston Karen, Dunsyston Kyle Champion & Nipna Harvey.
The last weekend in July proved to be a successful one for Lara Forsyth of the Dunsyston flock who competed in the Any Other Native Breed classes at Carnwath Show with her team of Cluns. Lara took a 1st in the aged ram class with Nipna Harvey, 1st in the ewe class with Derwent Hannah, 2nd in the shearling ewe class with Dunsyston Jasmine and 1st in both the ram lamb and ewe lamb class with Dunsyston Kyle and Dunsyston Karen respectively. Lara's ram lamb went on to take the Championship.
Lara's Ram and Shearling ewe went on to win the pairs class and she won 1st and 2nd prize in the fleece classes. Congratulations Lara!
Lara's Ram and Shearling ewe went on to win the pairs class and she won 1st and 2nd prize in the fleece classes. Congratulations Lara!
Royal Welsh Show 2026
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With little more than a weekend to recover from this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, members from across the country made the annual pilgrimage to Builth Wells for the prestigious Royal Welsh Show which begun this week on Monday 20th July.
With hot sunshine beating down onto the parched show rings, the Clun Forest classes took place on Tuesday under the expert eye of Brian Roberts, formerly of the Travelley flock, and saw some solid entries of quality sheep. With 8 exhibitors in total (equal with 2025) competition was fierce across the board but once again it was the Court-Lacca flock owned by Mike Eckley of Boughrood, Brecon which took the top prize and with the same animal as in 2025! Judge Brian Roberts found his overall champion, male champion, and recipient of the Easter Beltie Trophy and CFSBS Male Trophy in Mike Eckley’s aged Ram, Sarnesfield Gold-Dust which was bred by Mark Lloyd. Not only is this the 2nd time Gold Dust has won the top spot at the Royal Welsh but earlier in the summer at Three Counties Show he also took the championship there for the 2nd year in a row. Reserve overall champion, female champion, and winner of the Brobury Cup came from Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock in the shape of their stylish shearling ewe Honddu Julia. Bred by I.T. Davies & Sons, Julia was fresh from winning reserve champion last week at Great Yorkshire show. Both reserve champion prizes went to homebred sheep, also from the Murray family, with reserve male going to the 1st prize ram lamb, Inside Hype Kenneth, and reserve female going to the 1st prize aged ewe, Inside Hype Helga. Helga was only last week breed champion in the Clun Forest classes at Great Yorkshire Show. In the shearling ram class it was a smart home bred ram, Nipna James, from Anna Pennell of Richmond, North Yorkshire, which took the 1st prize rosette. Competition in the respective lamb classes was strong as always, with Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock adding the red rosette for the ram lamb class to their collection while it was Anna Pennell of the Nipna flock who took 1st prize in an especially strong ewe lamb class with her ewe lamb Nipna Kayla. Finally, the group of three class saw another win for Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock with Anna Pennell of the Nipna flock coming in second place. Alongside the championship trophies, the W. P. Williams Cup for the Best Novice Exhibit at the Royal Welsh Show was awarded to Gunhild Myrset-Davies of the Crugiau flock. Congratulations to all the exhibitors for turning out such a strong show of sheep. Full Results: Class 1110- Ram, 2 Shear and Over 🥇5826 - Mike Eckley 🥈5828 - P & L Murray 🥉5830 - DE & D Williams Class 1111 - Shearling Ram 🥇5834 - Anna Pennell 🥈5835 - Richard Whitticase Class 1112- Ram Lamb 🥇5838 - P & L Murray 🥈5840 - Richard Whitticase 🥉5839 - Anna Pennell 4th 5841 - G & E Williams 5th 5842 - DE & D Williams Class 1113 - Aged Ewe, reared a lamb in 2026 🥇5845 - P & L Murray 🥈5843 - Mike Eckley 🥉5847 - Richard Whitticase 4th 5846 - Anna Pennell 5th 5848 - DE & D Williams Class 1114 - Shearling Ewe 🥇5852 - P & L Murray 🥈5855 - Anna Pennell 🥉5849 - Mike Eckley 4th 5857 - G & E Williams 5th 5854 - Gunhild Myrset Davies 6th 5853 - P & L Murray 7th 5859 - J Williams Class 1115 - Ewe Lamb 🥇5866 - Anna Pennell 🥈5861 - Mike Eckley 🥉5868 - G & E Williams 4th 5863 - P & L Murray 5th 5867 - Richard Whitticase 6th 5864 - Gunhild Myrset Davies 7th 5865 - Gunhild Myrset Davies Class 1116 - Group of Three & Laidlaw Cup 🥇5870 - P & L Murray 🥈5872 - Anna Pennell 🏆 Championship 🏆 Male Champion Male Champion - 5826 - Aged Ram - M Eckley Reserve Male - 5838 - Ram Lamb - P & L Murray Female Champion Female Champion - 5852- Shearling Ewe - P & L Murray Reserve Female - 5845 - Aged Ewe - P & L Murray 🏆Breed Champion - 5826 - Aged Ram - M Eckley 🏅Reserve Champion - 5852 - Shearling Ewe - P & L Murray |
L-R: Mike Eckley, Judge Brian Roberts, Paul Murray and Lydia Murray with the Champion & Reserve Champion.
Photo: Agri-Marketing
Champion - Aged Ram - Sarnedfield Gold Dust from Mike Eckley. Photo: Agri Marketing
Reserve Champion - Shearling Ewe - Honddu Julia from Paul & Lydia Murray. Photo: Agri Marketing
1st Prize Shearling Ram - Nipna James from Anna Pennell. Photo: Agri Marketing
1st Prize Ewe Lamb - Nipna Kayla from Anna Pennell which went forward into the RWAS Ewe Lamb Championship.
Photo: 1st Class Images
First Prize Group of Three from Paul & Lydia Murray
Photo: Agri Marketing
Winners of the Exhibitor Bred Pairs Trophy - Paul & Lydia Murray
Photo: Agri Marketing
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Penrith Show
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Squeezed in between competing at Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh, the Murray family of the Inside Hype flock found time to compete at one of their local shows, Penrith Show, in the Any Other Native Breed Classes where they secured a 1st with their aged ewe and shearling ewe and a 2nd prize with their ewe lamb. The shearling ewe went on to win Champion Any Other Native Breed. Congratulations Paul, Lydia and Edith!
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Paul Murray with his Shearling Ewe which was Champion Any Other Native Breed at Penrith Show.
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Great Yorkshire Show
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For the second year in a row, intense heat and dust under foot were the conditions for the Clun Forest classes at this the 2026 Great Yorkshire Show, and this was not the only similarity to last years show. In impressive fashion, and under this year’s expert judge, Mike Eckley; the Murrays of the Inside Hype flock from Cumbria once again took both the top prizes in the section.
It was a homebred aged ewe, 'Inside Hype Helga' which took the female championship and overall championship whilst it was a brought in shearling ewe, ‘Honddu Julia’, which took reserve female championship and overall reserve. ‘Honddu Julia’ was bred by I.T. Davies & Sons on Brecon. Male champion went to an aged ram from Abigail Collier of the recently founded Amaroo flock and reserve male went to a shearling ram from the Murrays of Inside Hype Flock. The pairs class was won by strong pair from Andrew Fisher of the Nidderdale Flock while in the group of three class the Murray's again took the top prize. Congratulations to all our exhibitors who turned out stock for the show and represented the breed. Full Results: Class 590 - Ram, Shearling and Over 🥇910 - Miss A Collier 🥈914 - P & L Murray 🥉913 - Mr D Knowles 4th 912 - Mr A J Fisher 5th 915 - Miss A Pennell 6th 916 - Miss A Pennell 7th 911 - Miss A Collier Class 591 - Ram Lamb 🥇918 - Mr A J Fisher 🥈921 - Miss A Pennell 🥉919 - Mr D Knowles 4th 917 - Miss A Collier 5th 920 - P & L Murray Class 592 - Aged Ewe, reared a lamb in 2026 🥇927 - P & L Murray 🥈925 - Mr A J Fisher 🥉926 - Mr D Knowles 4th 928 - Miss A Pennell 5th 929 - Miss D Phillips 6th 923 - Miss A Collier 7th 924 - Miss A Collier Class 593 - Shearling Ewe 🥇933 - P & L Murray 🥈939 - Mr B Vernon 🥉931 - Mr A J Fisher 4th 940 - Mr B Vernon 5th 935 - Miss A Pennell Class 594 - Ewe Lamb 🥇946 - Miss A Pennell 🥈948 - Miss D Phillips 🥉941 - Miss A Collier 4th 943 - Mr D Knowles 5th 945 - P & L Murray Class 595 - Pairs 🥇950 - Mr A J Fisher 🥈952 - P & L Murray 🥉949 - Miss A Collier 4th 953 - Miss A Pennell 5th 951 - Mr D Knowles Class 596 - Group of Three 🥇957 - P & L Murray 🥈954 - Miss A Collier 🥉958 - Miss A Pennell 4th 955 - Mr A Fisher 5th 956 - Mr D Knowles 🏆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 🏆 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 Male Champion - 910 - Aged or Shearling Ram- Miss A Collier Reserve Male - 914 - Aged or Shearling Ram - P & L Murray 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 Female Champion - 927 - Aged Ewe - P & L Murray Reserve Female - 933 - Shearling Ewe - P & L Murray 🏆𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 927 - Aged Ewe - P & L Murray 🏅𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 933 - Shearling Ewe - P & L Murray |
Lydia Murray (L), Paul Murray (R), and Edith Murry (FL) with judge Mike Eckley (C) and Tommy (FC) with the days Champion and Reserve Champions and the newly presented Nipna Trophy kindly donated by Anna Pennell. Photo: Agri-Marketing
Champion - Aged Ewe - Inside Hype Helga from Paul & Lydia Murray.
Photo: Agri-Marketing
Reserve Overall Champion - Shearling Ewe - Honddu Julia from Paul & Lydia Murray bred by I.T. Davies & Son. Photo: Agri-Marketing
Male Champion - Aged Ram - Nidderdale Falcon from Abigail Collier bred by Andrew Fisher. Photo: Agri-Marketing
1st Prize Pairs from Andrew Fisher of the Nidderdale Flock. Photo: Agri-Marketing
1st Prize Group of Three from Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype Flock. Photo: Agri-Marketing
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Doune & Dunblane, Royal Lancashire, & Skelton Show
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The first weekend in July proved to be a busy and successful one for members around the country showing their Clun Forest Sheep.
Doune & Dunblane Up in Scotland, Lara Forsyth of the Dunsyston Flock, took champion AOB sheep at Doune & Dunblane show with her homebred shearling ewe, Dunsyston Jasmine. Jasmine is out of Derwent Gazelle by Nipna Harvey. Lara also took 1st prize in the Aged Ram and Group of Three Classes! Congratulations Lara! Royal Lancashire Show Further south, Royal Lancashire Show held its inaugural Clun Forest classes which were judged by Tim Ward. Male Champion was won by Abigail Collier of the Amaroo flock with her aged ram Nidderdale Falcon with Female Champion won by Anna Pennell of the Nipna Flock with her homebred shearling ewe, Nipna Josie. Anna’s shearling ewe went on to take the Championship! Congratulations Anna! Skelton Show Finally, heading west to the Lake District, Paul and Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock competed in AOB classes at Skelton Show and took champion with their shearling ewe, Honddu Julia. Congratulations Paul, Lydia and Edith! |
Lara Forsyth with her Champion Shearling Ewe, Dunsyston Jasmine, at Doune & Dunblane Show.
Anna Pennell's Royal Lancashire Show Champion - Nipna Josie
Photo: KayleyK
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Royal Norfolk Show
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Despite scorching hot weather it was a successful trip south from North Yorkshire to Royal Norfolk Show for Anna Pennell of the Nipna Flock. Anna's homebred shearling ewe 'Nipna Josie' took 1st in a class of 25 Any Other Down Breed sheep including Ryelands, Oxford Downs, Poll Dorsets and Coloured Southdowns and went on to take reserve female champion. Congratulations Anna!
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North Yorkshire County Show & Todmorden Show
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North Yorkshire County Show
Congratulations to Anna Pennell of the Nipna Flock for representing the breed at North Yorkshire County Show in such style! Anna's fully homebred team performed well in strong Any Other Native Breed classes securing a 1st for her shearling ram and ewe lamb and a 2nd for her shearling ewe. Her shearling ram, Nipna Justice, went on to take overall Champion! Congratulations Anna! Todmorden Show Another show, another Clun Forest triumph! Congratulations to Paul and Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock for their success at Todmorden show in the Any Other Pure Native Breed classes! Paul and Lydia’s Clun Forest team secured five 1st prizes including the Group of Three class and two 2nd prizes. Their home bred aged ewe Inside Hype Helga went on to secure the Championship with their aged ram Inside Hype Hubert taking the reserve! Helga then went on into the sheep interbreed to take the overall interbreed trophy! The Murray’s also took 2nd place in the Interbreed pair of ewes! Congratulations Paul, Lydia and Edith! |
Anna Pennell with her homebred champion shearling ram, Nipna Justice, at North Yorkshire County Show.
Lydia, Edith & Paul Murray with their Interbreed Champion, Inside Hype Helga, at Todmorden Show.
Photo: Agri-Marketing.
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Royal Three Counties Show 2026
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Under warm June sunshine the first of the summers major Clun Forest classes took place at Royal Three Counties show in Malvern on Saturday 13th June. With members travelling from as far north as Penrith to exhibit, there was a strong turn out of quality sheep from 8 exhibitors (+2 on 2025) and amongst tough competition the top prize was awarded for the second year in a row to Mike Eckley of the Court-Llacca flock.
Judge Roger Williams of the Peny-Y-Wern flock choose his overall champion from the male exhibits in Mike Eckley’s aged ram, ‘Sarnesfield Gold-Dust’ which was up against 2 previous GYS champions and a RWAS champion in the aged ram class. ‘Gold-Dust’ is a 3 shear aged ram bred by Mark Lloyd and was the Three Counties Show champion in 2025. Reserve breed champion came from the female exhibits in Emily John’s aged ewe, ‘Honddu Gypsy’ which was bred by I.T. Davies & Son and added to Emily’s Rowley Farm flock in 2023 as a lamb. Reserve male champion went to Del Knowles’ homebred shearling ram 'Wrotham James' which was sired by Sarnesfield Evoke. Reserve female champion went to Paul & Lydia Murray’s shearling ewe 'Honddu Julia' which was purchased by the Murrays from I.T. Davies & Son at the society sale at Ludlow in September 2025 for 600gns. In the pairs and groups classes Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock dominated, winning both classes. Beyond the Clun Forest classes, the breed went on to excel in a number of other sections at the show, most notably in the supreme group of three championship against all the other breeds at the show with Paul & Lydia Murray’s group taking ‘Other Sheep Breed Group of Three Champion’ and reserve supreme champion. Paul & Lydia’s Clun Forest pair also won ‘Reserve Other Sheep Breed Pairs Champion’ and there was more success in the Wool on the Hoof and Fleece Sections with Mike Eckley’s shearling ewe taking 2nd in a class of 16 and his Clun Forest fleece taking 2nd in the Down & Fine fleece class. Full Results: Class S090: Aged Ram 🥇285 - Mike Eckley 🥈283 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥉284 - Abigail Collier 4th 282 - Del Knowles 5th 286 - Craig Phillips Class S091: Shearling Ram 🥇289 - Del Knowles 🥈288 - Craig Phillips 🥉287 - Abigail Collier Class S092 - Ram Lamb 🥇292 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥈294 - Craig Phillips 🥉293 - Abigail Collier 4th 291 - Faye Hendrie Class S093 - Aged Ewe, reared a lamb in 2026 🥇300 - Emily John 🥈295 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥉297 - Mike Eckley 4th 299 - Del Knowles 5th 296 - Abigail Collier 6th 298 - Craig Phillips 7th 301 - Faye Hendrie Class S094 - Shearling Ewe 🥇306 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥈308 - Mike Eckley 🥉309 - Jack Williams 4th 302 - Del Knowles 5th 311 - Craig Phillips 6th 304 - Faye Hendrie 7th 303 - Emily John Class S095 - Ewe Lamb 🥇312 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥈313 - Abigail Collier 🥉315 - Mike Eckley 4th 314 - Craig Phillips Class S096 - Pair bred by exhibitor 🥇317 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥈316 - Del Knowles 🥉320 - Craig Phillips 4th 318 - Abigail Collier Class S097 - Group of Three 🥇323 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🥈322 - Del Knowles 🥉325 - Craig Phillips 🏆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 🏆 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆: 285 - Mike Eckley Reserve Male - 289 - Del Knowles 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆: Female Champion - 300 - Emily John Reserve Female - 306 - Paul & Lydia Murray 🏆𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 285 - Mike Eckley 🏅𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻- 300 - Emily John |
Overall Champion & Male Champion - 'Sarnesfield Gold-Dust', bred by Mark Lloyd and exhibited by Mike Eckley.
Photo: Country Girl Media.
Reserve Champion & Female Champion - 'Honddu Gypsy', bred by I.T.Davies & Son and exhibited by Emily John.
Photo: Country Girl Media.
Reserve Supreme Group of Three Champion group - Clun Forest from Paul & Lydia Murray (Centre Right & Left) with Judge Gareth Jones (Right) and Society Chairman Del Knowles (Left).
Photo: Country Girl Media.
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Ayr, Northumberland & Shropshire Show
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Ayr Show
Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock took 1st place in the AOB group of three class and 2nd in both the aged ram and shearling ram classes at Ayr Show in large classes. Northumberland Show Paul & Lydia Murray of the Inside Hype flock took 1st place in the aged ram, aged ewe, and group of three classes in the AOB section at Northumberland show with their aged ewe going on to take reserve overall champion. Shropshire Show Congratulations Jack and Dominic of the Bachebrook Flock who were recently awarded reserve champion with their Clun Forest shearling ewe in the Any Other Native classes at Shropshire Show. |
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