ASHLEY Kinvig pulled off an amazing double today at the Royal Agricultural Show in Knockaloe when he won the Supreme Award just weeks after winning the top honour at the Southern Show.

Ashley and his family went down in the record books today when he became the first farmer in many years to win the Supreme Award at both shows.

Last month one of his prize cattle won the Southern Show Supreme title. Today, another of his top quality dairy cattle took the honours - greeted with Ashley punching the air and warm applause form the large knowledgeable crowd.

Figures aren’t yet available for the attendance at the show, held for the first time at Knockaloe in Patrick, but it’s a good guess that it will have been another record as huge numbers flocked to the west of the Island for two days.

But the overwhelming consensus was that Knockaloe has been a massive success and the venue certainly attracted a positive response from those who exhibited and attended.

“It’s all so much more open and it seemed to be much easier to get around,” said one visitor. “I wasn’t sure about Knockaloe, because Sulby was always very enjoyable, but this was definitely better, a lot better. And the parking was the best yet.”

Show organisers also seemed to be very pleased with the success of Knockaloe, and the smiles on the faces of the senior officials at the end of proceedings this afternoon reflected that this first Royal Show away from Sulby for many decades was an undoubted success.

The judge for the Supreme Award today was well known Manx farming figure Ted Corrin who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the occasion, making some very popular decisions.

The First Reserve award today was won by Pip Kermode’s Texel ewe. Second Reserve was another of Pip Kermode’s animals - his superb Limousin bull - and the very popular Third Reserve award was won by the magnificent gelding owned by Sue Kirkpatrick.

The Supreme Award was presented today by Mrs Rosemary Peen and all other awards by First Deemster David Doyle.