By West End Gerard, he is the only known surviving male of the immortal Nosterfield Winalot, who is his grandfather and the only known Wensleydale to sire three consecutive Great Yorkshire Show breed champions 2012-14.

Winalot’s paternal grand-daughter, Nosterfield Lulu 2, the Skipton victor’s dam, was Interbreed Longwool champion and overall reserve supreme all-breeds champion at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, as well as becoming champion, interbreed and reserve supreme at Ryedale. She was also featured on the BBC programme Countryfile last month.

Survivor was born a twin in March last year and had only previously been shown once, finishing third in this year’s shearling class at the Great Yorkshire. He returned home with Mr Sherwin.

The reserve championship fell to the first prize shearling ewe and female champion from another well-known North Yorkshire breeder and society stalwart Mark Elliott, of Providence Farm, Ferrensby, near Knaresborough, who has won multiple Skipton titles.

She is by Manorhouse Caperby Ned, acquired by Mr Elliott at the annual Skipton sale two years earlier and since sold on to a Lancashire breeder. The dam is by a John and Shelagh Prescott ram, out of a ewe bred by the late Jack Watkinson, of Leyburn, The Skipton runner-up sold for 200gns, top price in class, to C Stacey, of Buckfastleigh in Devon.

Top price in show of 280gns fell to the first prize ewe lamb and reserve female champion from Welsh breeders Jim and Sandra Thompson, of Lower House Farm, Deytheur in Powys. By Maesafon Leonard Lloyd, out of a Hunton Monarch 11-sired ewe, the class winner joined 2014 Skipton Wensleydale show champion Andrew Fisher, of Well House, Low Laithe, Harrogate.

For good measure, Mr Thompson also took second and third prizes in the same class, again with Maesafon Leonard Lloyd-sired entries. He was also responsible for the second prize and top price 210gns shearling ram, another product of Leonard Lloyd. The buyers were John and Shelagh Prescott, of Longhorsley in Northumberland.

Nick Oliver, from Carperby near Leyburn, was responsible for the first prize ram lamb and reserve male champion, a son of Millhouse Endeavour, out of a Hunton Sergeant Major-sired ewe, which sold for 210gns to Paul Woodall, of Welshpool,Powys.

However, top price in class of 230gns fell to the second prize winner from Andrew Fisher. By the Welsh-bred Maesafon Tornado, out of a Thistle Dragon-sired ewe, the lamb also sold to the Prescotts,

Jill Bobek, of Ripon, presented the first prize aged ram, the home-bred Thistle Boris.

Principal selling averages were: Ewe lambs £147, shearling ewes £157, ram lambs £121 and shearlings rams £144.

Challenge prizes were awarded as follows: The Fawell Perpetual Challenge Cup for the champion sheep, The John Percival Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best shearling ram bred by the exhibitor, The Smalley Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best ram of any age, and The Burton Silver Teapot, re-presented by P Ashby, for the best shearling or aged ram – Ernie Sherwin.

The John Percival Trophy for the best female of any age – Mark Elliott.  The Fawell Silver Coffee Pot, re-presented by P Ashby, for the best ram lamb, and The Nettleton Perpetual Silver Salver for the best fleshed ram lamb – Nick Oliver.

Show results: Aged ram – 1 Jill Bobek, Ripon, 2 P Woodall, Welshpool. Shearling ram – 1 Ernie Sherwin, 2 Jim and Sandra Thompson, Deytheur, 3 JA&F Elliott, Ferrensby. Ram lamb – Nick Oliver, Carperby, 2 Andrew Fisher, Low Laithe, 3 Jim Thompson. Shearling ewe – 1 Mark Elliott, 2 JA&F Elliott, 3 JN&SM Prescott, Longhorsley, Ewe lamb – 1, 2 & 3 – Jim and Sandra Thompson.

Show judge was Roger Field, of Ferrensby. Full results are at www.ccmauctions.com The  Wensleydale show and sale formed part of the mart’s annual Rare & Native Stock Breeders Auctions.