BOGHALL'S beef breeding enterprise at Capheaton received another boost on Friday when the Robinson family did the double at Hexham Mart's special May prize show.

The father and son team of Nicky and Ian Robinson won overall champion with a sleek black British Blue yearling heifer and reserve champion for their first prize steer and champion Limousin.

The show was expertly judged by well-known show cattle enthusiast Mr Edward Fawcett who has recently moved to the Coquet Valley from Yorkshire.

The show was jointly sponsored by The National Beef Association, Hodgson Toyota, Andrew Frost Farm Services and Northumberland County Show.

Ian said he was delighted to win this latest in a run of accolades. "It was another good day - but we don't take them for granted. There's a lot of hard work goes into this and these good days make up for that."

Boghall runs 120 Blue Cross Limousin cows and both of Friday's winners were out of mothers from their own stock. The Robinsons have used AI to strengthen the genetics of their herd and this latest champion heifer was sired by the renowned British Blue, Bringleevolkswagon and out of a three quarter Limousin cow. The reserve champion was sired by Lodge Hamlet and out of a three quarter Blue cow.

Both calves were duly presented in the sale ring and rose quickly to settle at the same hammer price of £1400 - the champion to Mr Fawcett and the reserve selling to Gordon Amos of Market Harborough.

The Robinsons have recently enjoyed a run of success which last year included one of their cattle taking the steer and overall baby beef championship at the English Winter Fair in Staffordshire.

Master Monty, exhibited by a Stoke on Trent farmer was bred by the Robinsons and was sired again by Lodge Hamlet.

Ian said: "We have sold a few calves privately that will be going round the summer show circuit and it will be interesting to see how they come on."