A THREE-year-old is feeling anything but sheepish when it comes to agricultural shows.
William Mullin, from Marsden, is fleecing experienced handlers to take home first place prizes in sheep showing.
Having started when he was just two, William will soon compete in a Champion of Champions contest.
Proud mum Jamie Mitchell said: “He is such a keen farmer and has won lots of awards.
“His latest competition was the Great Yorkshire Show. He competed in the three to nine-year-old category for sheep handlers and came second. The crowd roared as he collected his prize.”
William comes from a long-line of successful handlers. His grandfather, 54-year-old Clive Mitchell, of Coldwell Farm, Holmbridge, started sheep showing when he was just 10.
His father, 27-year-old Daniel Mullin, of Huck Hill farm, Marsden, has also recently got involved in the sport.
Jamie, who is chairwoman of Holme Valley Young Farmers, said: “William has competed in main events and won two. One of them was the trophy he took home from Harden Moss Sheepdog Trials. William’s grandad had won it for the past two years.
“We are keeping it in the family. William has told me that he cannot wait to be a farmer.
“He goes to the shows and talks to all the farmers. He has developed a true broad Yorkshire accent and talks in lingo that some of us don’t even understand. Without knowing, the other day on the farm he released the sheep dogs and tried to round up the sheep by himself. He came back and told us that the dogs were already back in the pen.”
William started sheep showing when he was two after he trained his lamb, Laddie.
He has won several competitions with his Shearling tuck Laddie but has now acquired a flock of sheep including a Derbyshire Gritsone and a Jacob.
He will compete in August with his latest sheep Boris at the Halifax Agricultural Show.
To prepare for the event,William is responsible for washing the sheep, brushing them up and making sure that their behaviour is impeccable while they follow him around the ring.
He must wear smart attire for the competition as he is also judged on this.
Having won his category at Harden Moss Sheepdog Trials, William is due to compete against other winners in the Champion of Champions competition at the Hope Show in Derbyshire on August bank holiday weekend.
Animal-lover William turns four in August and will start full time at Marsden nursery and infants in September.
