YOUNG Tavistock farmer Andrew Mudge proved he was a cut above the rest last week by winning three sheep shearing competitions at the Royal Bath and West Show.

Twenty-two-year-old Andrew, from Meadowside Collaton, sheared his way to victory in the Young Farmers Open competition, and the Golden Shears Intermediate and Senior championships.

The judges awarded points based on quality of shearing as well as speed, and Andrew saw off stiff competition from Britain and overseas.

In the final, he managed to shear 10 sheep in an impressive 9 minutes and 35 seconds.

Each sheep was checked by the judges for the evenness of the shearing and any nicks or cuts.

Andrew recently returned from New Zealand, where he spent the winter visiting farms, doing contract shearing.

Andrew?s dad, George, said: ?It was a tremendous achievement and I?m really proud of him.

?To win the intermediate competition and then go on to win the senior event is amazing really.?

There was glory for George at the show too, as he qualified once again to represent England as one of the two blade shearers in this year?s World Championships, to be held at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, later this month.

And Andrew?s fiancee, Kelly Vicary, will represent England as a wool handler for the first time, in the championships.