A SHEEP breeder from Elmley Castle hit the jackpot on his first visit to the Royal Show.

Jerry Strong, with Lorna Hendey, took three sheep from his 30-strong flock at Grove Farm, where he has been breeding for only four years.

"We had awards for the best male, best female and best group of three and then in the inter-breed championships took the best pair in the Mountain and Hill section," Mr Strong said.

"We knew we had bred some pretty good sheep and after a good result at the Three Counties decided to go to the Royal and we really hit the jackpot," he said.

Another champion was shown by Jennifer Curtis, of Daffurn and Curtis, Wickhamford, who as well as collecting a number of class awards took the male championship with a two year old ram and the inter-breed pair. "It was a very good show for us," she said.

The champion Cotswold was a two-shear ewe from Sam Palmer, of Idicote, Shipston, who also had the best group of three with S.J. Parkes, of Stow, reserve. Mr Parkes also paraded the best shearling ewe.

In the South Devon cattle ring there was keen competition for top honours between Douglas Scott, of Grove Farm, Moreton, and avid Smallcombe, of Church Farm, North Piddle, between them taking all the top prizes Patricia Knauff, of Hoden Lane, Cleeve Prior, and Anne Perkins, of Marlcliff, Bidford, were both among championship winners in the Highland Ring.

In the Dexter ring, Peter Lancaster of Church Farm, South Littleton, followed-up the family success at the Three Counties with Gallipott Valentine judged the best Dexter heifer.

Results: Jacob Sheep: Shearling ram: 1 Jerry Strong; Shearling ewe, Jerry Strong; Group of three, Jerry Strong; Best male, best female and best Jacob, Jerry Strong.

Charollais sheep: Two shear ram, 1 Daffurn & Curtis; Shearling ram, 2 Daffurn & Curtis; Ram lamb, 2 Daffurn & Curtis; Performance recorded ram lamb, Daffurn & Curtis; ewe lamb, 2 Daffurn & Curtis; Male champion, Daffurn & Curtis.

Cotswold sheep: Two shear, 1 Sam Palmer, Idicote, Shipston, 2 S.J. Parkes, King Georges Field, Stow; Ram lamb, 3 Mr Parkes: Shearling ewe, 1 Mr Parkes; Group of three, 1 Mr Palmer, resever Mr Parkes; Bests Cotswold, 1 Mr Palmer.

Zwartables: Two shear ewe, 1 and 2 Miss P Godwin, Fossway farm, Moreton; Ewe lamb: Miss Godwin; Shearling ewe, Miss Godwin; Group of three, Miss Godwin.

South Devon cattle: Cow with calf, 1 Douglas Scott's Grove Sorrell 39; 2005 cow or heifer, Mr Scott's Grove Celandine 81; Female with calf at foot, 1 Mr Scott's Grove Celandine 81, reserve, Mr Scott's Grove Sorrell 39; 2006 heifer, 1 David Smallcombe's Brookin Bluebell, 2 Mr Smallcombe's Brookin Bella; 2007 heifer, 1 Mr Scott's Grove Daisy 15, 2 Bredon School's, Bredon Norman Conquest, 3 Mr Smallcombe's Brookin Bluebell 3; Best cow or heifer, Mr Scott's Grove Celandine 81; Senior bull, Mr Smallcombe's Grove Brutus 81; Bull born in 2005 or 2006, 1 Mr Scott's Grove Eisenhower 19, 2 Bredon School's Bredon Zagreus; 2007 bull, 1 Mr Scott's Grove Croesus 6; Best bull, Mr Smallcombe's Grove Brutus 82, reserve, Mr Scott's Grove Croesus 6; Best group, 1 Mr Scott, reserve, Mr Smallcombe; Best pair bred by exhibitor, 1 Mr Scott, reserve, Mr Smallcombe; Best South Devon, Mr Smallcombe's Grove Brutus 82, reserve, Mr Scott's Grove Celladine 81; Best junior bull, Mr Scott's Grove Croesus; Best junior heifer, 1 Mr Scott's Grove Daisy 15, reserve, Bredon School's Bredon Norman Countess; Best junior South Devon, Mr Scott's Grove Daisy 15, 2 Mr Scott's Grove Croesus 6; Best poll, Mr Scott's Grove Sorrell 39.

Dexter: Heifer in milk, A.G. Lancaster's Gallipott Valentine, 2 Mr lancaster's Moomin Kittiwake; Heifer in calf, 2 Mr Lancaster's Gallipott Dinky; Group of three, reserve, Mr Lancaster; best heifer, Mr Lancaster's Gallipott Valentine.

Highland: Senior cow, 1 Patricia Knauff's Lesley of Thistle, 2 Mrs Perkins' Mairi Glasaid of Thistle; 2007 heifer, 1 Mrs Knauff's Isobel May of House of Hoden; Best junior Highland heifer and best junior Highlander, Mrs Knauff's Isobel May of House of Hoden; Best Highland 1 Mrs Knauff's Lesley of Thistle, 2 Mrs Knauff's Isobel May of House of Hoden.