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A lamb's tale - from birth to showtime, follow it on video
EXPERTLY bred and carefully coiffeured sheep have been winning awards for one family at the Great Yorkshire Show for more than 60 years.
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Now the Elliotts from Providence Farm, Ferrensby, near Knaresborough, are to show the public how it is done - starting with the breeding of a potential winning lamb through to its starring role in the show rings in July.
This video footage shows the lamb's life and hopefully its success at this year's Great Yorkshire Show being held in Harrogate from July 14 to 16.
Tickets for the region's most prestigious farming showcase are on sale and its organisers, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, plan to use the Elliott's Wensleydale sheep to give the public an insight into what is involved in showing livestock.
The Elliott family, who have won 19 breed championships, know better than most people what is involved in catching the judge's eye and returning home with another rosette to add to their collection.
The family has been successfully showing their Wensleydale sheep at every Great Yorkshire Show since the Second World War. Now their enviable reputation is in the hands of Mark Elliott, who is steadily collecting more and more rosettes.
Milestones include taking the championship at the 100th Great Yorkshire Show and at last year's 150th event, which was visited by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
In July, the Elliotts expect to be showing in each of the six Wensleydale classes. Mr Elliott said: "A huge amount of work goes into showing, as anyone who has ever done it will know. It begins with choosing the breeding line, bringing them on, and then selecting the right animal for the ring.
"Wensleydales are a marvellous old Yorkshire breed and we've been keeping them since my father and his sister bought the first ones back in 1945. For showing, they have to have a good blue head - no pink, strong confirmation, no brown or black wool, and they need to stand well."
Once Mr Elliott has made his choice of the animal he will enter in the ewe lamb or ram lamb classes, visitors to the Great Yorkshire Show website will be invited to suggest a suitable name with the winner receiving a Bettys' Easter Selection Box. There will also be two runners-up prizes and Great Yorkshire Show tickets for the best three names.
Information about tickets is available from the Show office on 01423 541000 or the website www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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