Humshaugh farmer to be County Show Champion of Champions judge

Posted by The Journal on Mar 31, 10 10:00 AM in News

This year's Champion of Champions judge at Northumberland County Show will be Matt Robinson, who recently retired as the chief steward of the event's agricultural horse section.

Mr Robinson, who farms at Humshaugh, has been a show committee member for more than quarter of a century and is a major force in the heavy horse showing world.

Matt Robinson, Humshaugh farmer

His Clydesdales, kept as a hobby separate from the Holstein cattle and Blue Faced Leicester sheep on his farm, once won 13 championships in 13 shows in the same year.

Many of his horses have been exported to the US and Border Fine Art used one of his mares as the model for the ceramic sculpture, Mare and Foal.

But his judging experience is not confined to horses. In addition to local shows, he has judged in the sheep section at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Mr Robinson said: "I'm not so familiar with the alpaca but I'm finding out what I should be looking for! I usually like to be at the back making my own comments."

Poultry will also be making the first appearance in this year's Champion of Champions parade, where the overall best animal in show is chosen.

The show, held in Corbridge on May Bank Holiday Monday, is also introducing a new class to back British wool producers.

Judged by Malcolm Corbett, who farms at Rochester and is the local NFU livestock board chairman and regional representative for the British Wool Board, will choose the Best Wooled Sheep from all the mature sheep entries.

He says that rather than the 'most woolly sheep', he will be looking for the best wool of its type from the Blackface, Swaledale, Bluefaced Leicester's, North of England Mules, Suffolk, Texel, Continentals and Zwartbles at the event.

Mr Corbett said: "All young animals have good wool but we may find that the best quality wool might be on an older Swale, it may not be worth as much in monetary terms as a Leicester, but it may be of a finer quality. I'll be looking for a fine wool free from kemp [coarse hair]."

A campaign is currently aiming to boost demand for wool as a fashionable and environmentally friendly product.

Mr Corbett said: "Recent efforts by HRH Prince Charles and The Wool Project, launched in January this year have highlighted its qualities and attracted high end fashion designers as well as major value clothing suppliers like Tesco.

"Wool is attractive again, it is environmentally friendly and has a carbon-free footprint compared to oil based produced synthetic fibres; also, there are less sheep around, so its rarity is actually increasing demand."

Schedules for Northumberland County Show on May 31 can be downloaded from www.northcountyshow.co.uk or can be obtained from the show's offices at Hexham Mart by telephoning 01434 604216. The main livestock entries close on May 1.

We'd like to hear from you.
Send your stories, pics and videos to northumberland@ncjmedia.co.uk