Central Region

Welcome to the News page for the Central Region, which includes the counties of Staffordshire,

Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Derbyshire and Worcestershire.

 

Regional Contact Member

 

Kay profile picture

Kay Carpenter

I am available to help any of our members and if anyone wishing to join would like to know more about the breed or has any questions please do not hesitate to contact me on 07771 511445 or

Central Region Ewe Assessment & Stock Judging Day

Sunday 29th September 2024 – 9.00am

Please reply by Monday 16th September 2024

 

To be held at the Lickhill Flock

hosted by Kay & Sean Carpenter at Woodgreen Farm

Lickhill Road North, Stourport on Severn, Worcestershire,  DY13 8RW

 

The day will be split into 3 parts to cover;

  1. Breeding ewe assessment. Selecting ewes for putting to the tup. This discussion will be led by Lesley Partridge of the Bentley Flock. Lesley has a great deal of experience and success at breeding Jacobs and has been a member of the society for 47 years. She has registered lambs in every Flock Book since issue No.2. The discussion will cover common issues such as correct teeth, pasterns, legs, udders, condition scoring and anything that is particular to Jacobs such as markings and horns.
  2. Grading fat lambs at finishing. How to assess your lambs for a better return using the EUROP grading system. This discussion will be led by John Wescott, Director at Farmers Fresh. Several JSS members sell their lambs straight to Farmers Fresh as dead weight. This would be an ideal time to find out more. John will be using live lambs to demonstrate the grading process. There will be an opportunity for members to then have a go at grading a pen of lambs for themselves.
  3. Young shepherds (up to 18 years old) competitions. To include;
  • Stock judging a pen of 4 lambs. Young shepherds are to individually judge a pen of lambs and make notes (a scribe will be provided if required). They will then need to present their order of 1st to 4th to the judge by giving a 5 minute talk. There will be no audience. Just the judge, a note taker and a scribe if required. Their placings of 4 lambs must have reasons based on the EUROP system and information learnt in the morning workshop.
  • A summary of show preparation given by Hayley Higginson with top tips on how to present your sheep in the ring. Hayley has been showing for more years than she wishes to divulge! Her showing highlight so far was watching her daughter, Abbie, win reserve champion RBST Young Shepherd after qualifying at Royal Cheshire, followed by overall champion at GYS this year. This section will culminate with an in-hand showing competition, using lambs provided on site.

 

Programme for the Day: 

9.00 am           - Arrival at Woodgreen Farm, DY13 8RW - Coffee & Biscuits

9.15 am           - Introduction.

9.30am            - Breeding ewe assessment workshop.

10.30 am         - Fat lamb workshop

12.00 pm         - Lunch - during lunch and throughout the rest of the day members are encouraged to have a go at grading a pen of lambs. These can then be compared to the judge’s assessment before leaving.

1.00 pm           - Young shepherds stock judging. Presentations to the judge.

Whilst these presentations are taking place a show preparation workshop will be held, with top tips on haltering, washing and trimming.

2.00 pm           -Young handlers competition - a chance for young handlers to demonstrate their in-hand skills.

3.00 pm           - Tea & Cake. Raffle.

3.30 pm           - Grading results and prize giving

 

To book your places or if you would like further information, please contact Kay Carpenter – 07771 5511445 –  Email

 

Please click here for event details and registration form download.

 

 

 

Jacob Sheep Society

Central Region Open Day

Sunday 13th October 2024 – 10.30am

To be held at Chatsworth Farmyard

Chatsworth House, Bakewell,

Derbyshire, DE45 1PP

by kind invitation of Izzy Cowan, Shepherdess at Chatsworth Flock

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 4 Horners, as well as any questions you may have 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 Berni 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!

Programme for the Day: 

10.30 am      - Arrival at Chatsworth Farmyard, DE45 1PP - Tea/Coffee & Biscuits

The entry fee for the day is £2.00 per person and includes one free raffle ticket each. The raffle will be held at the end of lunch.

10.45 am       - Introduction to the Chatsworth flock, followed by farm walk and discussion on the finer points of 4 horn and 2 horn breeding.

12.00 pm      - Judges seminar - all members are welcome to attend.

1.00 pm        - Break for lunch.

Please bring your own packed lunch or, or you can buy snacks from the farmyard café such as sandwiches and jacket potatoes. JSS Central will provide tea / coffee and cakes.

1.45 pm         - Raffle

2.00 pm         - Presentation by Terry & Berni Barker on DIY FEC

3.00 pm        - Central Region AGM

 

If you would like further information, please contact Kay Carpenter – 07771 5511445 –  Email   or speak to any member of the Central Region Committee.

 

 

 

 

Central Posts

Central Aug 2024

Posted on by

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