SOUTHERN REGION – Regional Contact Member – Peter Gorringe
It has been a great year for support from Southern Region members starting the year with a lambing open day at the Shutecombe flock with guest speaker, Ellie, an experienced shepherdess who teaches at Plumpton College followed by lunch afterwards at a local pub.
In June the Hallwood flock hosted a trimming for shows day which was well attended by members with positive response. An enjoyable walka round the farm and a pub lunch completed the day.
In September we held a flock competition with twelve flocks entering from across the region. In
November the Albans flock will host an open day with a talk on organic fly sprays.
The shows in the region have been well attended with good entries in the Jacob sheep classes which was great to see. Wendy Sharp attended the Edenbridge and Oxted Show and writes: “This year at the Peter Gorringe’s champion ram lamb and Wendy Sharp’s Edenbridge & Oxted reserve champion shearling ewe
Show, my team and I had the pleasure of bringing along eight of my Jacob sheep flock, four rams and four ewes for a weekend of great weather, great competition and great fun, along with a great celebration of rural life. The turnout this year was impressive and it was a wonderful chance to meet other passionate shepherds and exchange breeding tips. Getting the sheep show-ready was a task in itself. Days beforehand, my team had carefully washed and trimmed their fleeces and on the morning of the show, we gave them a final brush and polish. When our judge, Gareth Jones was ready, we started with the ram classes, and my rams looked as good as they could, shown by Vicky , Lexie and Gracie in turn. Mixed results were received with very tough competition. Then the females turn with shearlings first and then ewe lambs, shown by Vicky and I. Better results here with some first prizes enabling us to go into the championship. We entered the championship with a ewe lamb and a shearling ewe, and landed reserve champion Jacob sheep with the shearling. Good result and worth all the hard work… but room for improvement always. While the showing was the main event, what stood out was the atmosphere of shared enthusiasm. Families wandered past the pens, fellow exhibitors stopped by for a chat, and there was a real sense of community. Leaving the show, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. The experience was invaluable for showcasing my animals and for strengthening the bonds within the Jacob sheep community. I’ll certainly be back next year to celebrate again.”