Regional Report
6th September 2012
Firstly, may I start by thanking everyone who contributed to making the 2012 NSA South Sheep Event such a resounding success in so many ways. Thanks to our hosts, Nugent Farms, all our generous Sponsors, Exhibitors, competitors and everyone who attended the event. Last, but most definitely not least, our Region owes a big thank you to Sue Martyn for organising South Sheep for the second time, again most successfully.
Sue has written a full report on South Sheep that appears elsewhere in this issue, but two of the highlights for me, personally, were the ‘team’ on the gate who managed to sign up 41 New Members and then went on to the National Event to help sign up 82 New Members. Well done to all those involved. The other highlight was raising £263 for the Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Air Ambulance who had saved the life of Ewan Kershaw, shepherd at Nugent Farms, the previous autumn.
The Committee will not be resting on its laurels as planning for the 2014 event has already started. We are looking for a venue in the ‘true’ South East as one member pointed out to me when they learned it was to be in Berkshire in 2012. Possibly East Sussex would be more ‘central’ to our very geographically spread region, so if you can suggest anywhere suitable, then please do not hesitate to contact me. The SE Region has drawn the short straw by now having to hold its Event in the same year as the National Event at Malvern as it used to be in the alternate years, but got changed when the World Sheep & Wool Congress came to the UKin 1992. However with an increase in the distance from Malvern and the return of the National Event to its normal slot at the end of July, we would hope for an increase in visitor numbers.
Now please reach for your diaries and mark 11th October for a joint meeting that the SE Region is holding with Eblex. After all the very positive feedback from the very successful Sheep Handling Workshop with Miriam Parker that we had last year at Chilbolton Down, we are repeating this and holding another Workshop at Helen & Robert Langrish’s Pickney Bush Farm, Newchurch, Romney Marsh, TN29 OBZ. Miriam is a specialist in animal behaviour and is in much demand from various organisations for her expertise and forward thinking on how to make handling easier and more efficient. We will meet up at 10.30 am for tea & coffee and the workshop starts promptly at 11 am. A light lunch will be provided for everyone, so you must contact me to register for a place if you are coming. Because this workshop is being held jointly with Eblex, it is open to non-members so if you would like to invite friends and neighbours to come along that will be fine as long as you let me know numbers beforehand.
Finally, the NSA South East Region’s AGM will be held on Thursday, 15th November at The Swan Hotel,11 West Street, Alresford, Hants. SO24 9AD. The AGM will be held at 6 pm which will include an update from Phil Stocker and be followed by Alan Wight from the VLA Centre atWinchester giving a talk – “A Vet’s View on Current Disease Threats”. Then we will have “Guess Their Use” - a fun quiz on some items from Jim Cook’s unique collection of shepherding and shearing memorabilia. The evening will be rounded off with supper. Obviously we will need to know numbers for the supper, so if you are coming along, please let me know by the end of October.
Bob Blanden, Secretary
