CENTRAL REGION
Regional Contact Member – Kay Carpenter
Open day at the Spottywood flock:
The open day at John and Rachel Richardson’s Spottywood flock in Cheshire was well attended, with members joining us from the Northern and Welsh regions. Our thanks to John and Rachel who were very welcoming and generous hosts. Following a great deal of rain in the days before we were lucky to have dry sunny weather and to enjoy a tour of the flock and a hog roast lunch preceded by a very interesting talk from Jennie from Cheshire Farm Vets on diseases, prevention of strike and preparation for an early lambing. Richard kindly allowed us to go over his pens of shearlings, ram lambs and ewe lambs and I don’t think there was a person present who didn’t have a go to match the judge’s placing. Well done to everyone for joining in but special congratulations go to Rachel Knowles for winning the competition and prising Richard’s bottle of gin off him.
Lesley Partridge’s champion ewe lamb and Bernie Barker’s reserve champion lamb at Hanbury Country Fair with the judge, Wyn Harries
Many shows have been running in the region and showing has again become extremely popular. We have tried to arrange support for classes that have had a lack of entries but this proves difficult on occasion when there are shows on in the same week or even the same day in the same area, but this is out of our control unfortunately.
Please send in any show results with three or more exhibitors from the region to Jane Nightingale who has kindly agreed to collate them all and forward them to our Journal editor for inclusion in the Journal.
Central Region Show & Sale, Saturday 27th July
This years’ official Society show and sale at Worcester is set to have a great turnout of sheep across all classes. At the time of writing, we are in the process of putting the catalogue together. However, by the time you receive this I hope you are home and happily settling in your new purchases. We are grateful to judge, Wyn Harries, inspectors, Scott Dalrymple and Marie Connor and adjudicator, Jean Simmons for all the work they do to ensure it goes smoothly. Also, many thanks to our sponsors JG Animal Health, Pard House Jacob’s & Shelsley Belties, Hillvalley Jacobs, Animac and Estate Country Feeds.
Ridout & Higginson’s champion ewe, bred by Steffan Griffiths, at Shropshire County Show with the judge, Robert Locker
Forthcoming Events
Sunday September 22nd – Stock Assessment Day (to include Young Shepherds Stock Judging)
Venue: Lickhill Flock, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcs DY13 8RW
The day, open to all members, will include workshops on how to assess conformation and the finish of live lambs to go to market and selecting ewes for breeding and for showing.
The event will include a young shepherd stock judging competition, whereby competitors will judge a pen of 4 lambs, place the group of 4 in order of merit and give reasons for those placings in a short, 2 to 3-minute verbal presentation to the judge. However, everyone attending will be encouraged to have a go at the placings, just for fun. Everyone will be encouraged to use the EUROP 1-5 classification that will be discussed in the workshops.
Anyone interested in the event should contact me at , on 07771 511445 or message on social media.
Jane Nightingale with her champion ram at Ashby Show
Sunday 13th October – Autumn Open Day and AGM at Chatsworth Flock
Venue: Chatsworth House Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1PP
Ewes and lambs from the historic Chatsworth Jacob flock (member number 00240) have relocated from the estate farm to the paddocks in the farmyard in an area opened to visitors. Jacob sheep have a long association with Chatsworth, stretching back over 250 years of grazing the estate’s parkland.
The farmyard at Chatsworth has a variety of animals including cows, sheep and lambs, pigs, horses, goats and poultry, as well as a milking parlour for demonstrations. Since opening, they have developed a breeding programme for rare and sometimes critically endangered breeds. In 2021, Chatsworth farmyard was awarded Rare Breeds Survival Trust accreditation, recognising their important contribution to the conservation of some of the rarest livestock and equine breeds native to the UK, from Suffolk Punch horses and Shire horses to British Landrace pigs and Eriskay ponies.
We have kindly been invited to hold our Autumn open day and AGM by Izzy Cowan, the Jacob shepherdess at Chatsworth. We shall discuss the intricacies of four horners, as well as any discussion on both 2 horn and 4 horn Jacobs with Clive Richardson, our field officer. Clive will also be holding a judges seminar on the day.
Members, Terry and Bernie Barker, who are currently carrying out their own faecal egg count (FEC) will give a demonstration on how to go about the process….. after we’ve eaten!
Again, anyone interested in the event look out for the open day flyer in your emails or you could contact me at , on 07771 511445 or message on social media.
To contact Kay please email: or Tel 07771 511445
Ridout & Higginson’s champion ewe and Tori Stanley with her reserve champion aged ram at Staffordshire County Show with the judge, Margie Rushbrooke