Excellent industry forum provided by NSA North Sheep 2013
5th June 2013
NSA North Sheep acted as an excellent industry forum on Wednesday 5th June, with around 7,000 people attending and an amazing array of trade stands and attractions showcasing the latest developments in the sheep sector, including flock management, healthcare, genetics and much more.
One of the highlights of the event was the competitive spirit of the many competition, including the shearing competition won by 30-year-old Adam Berry of Kendal.
Winners of the Stockjudging Competitions, sponsored by Carrs Billington Agriculture, were in the Gents, Cecil Hutchinson, of East Harle; the Ladies, Margaret Iveson of High Force Farm, Bainbridge; 25 years and under, Eddie Heard; and 18 years and under, Henry Forsett. Entrants were required to show their keen eye for champion stock by judging four pens with Dalesbred, Teeswater, Mashams and Mules.
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The third NSA North Sheep Young Shepherd of the Year Award was made to a competitor from a neighbouring farm – Josh Ryder of Central House Farm, Haverah Park near Harrogate. Receiving trophy he emphasised that North Sheep was a flagship in farming and said it couldn’t be a better event to win it at. Josh works at CCM auction and on the 300-acre family home farm where they run 1,200 Dalesbred and Swaledale ewes and a small herd of sucklers. He will represent the NSA Northern Region at the final of the UK Young Shepherd of the Year to be held at NSA Sheep 2014.
The competitors (all under 26 years) performed five tasks – stockjudging; lamb selection; shearing two sheep; answering questions on flock management and demonstrating dosing, vaccination and foot trimming skills.
Askham Bryan College sponsored the Young Shepherd of the Year competition, and also led a seminar for young entrants entitled ‘Opportunities for the Future’. In the seminar Liz Philip, College Principle, said the farming family was the bedrock of British food production.
“Young people can invent the future of farming,” she said, looking ahead to when farming would have the added dimension of greater entrepreneurship. “New entrants are business people who want to farm.”
The highlight for those who enjoy the end product almost as much as the production was NSA North Sheep’s very own version of Ready, Steady, Cook. The winning chef was Andrew Atkinson, a lamb buyer of Felliscliffe Harrogate, who clearly knows as much about preparing lamb as about purchasing it. Sponsored by CCM Auctions and featuring prime local lamb, the heats involved the runner up, Ted Ogden from Craven Cattle Marts, Ian Smith from Wharfedale Farmers Mart and Stephen Maskill, also a lamb buyer. Chefs were on hand from Harrogate College assisting and celebrity chef Sophie Moon, and Northumberland’s Frankie Walton did a tremendous job of judging and humorously entertaining the audience.
There was a fantastic showcase of trade stands. Winning best indoor stand was Logie Durno Sheep, from Aberdeenshire, Best Outdoor Trade Stand, Ripon Farm Supplies, Wool on the Hoof was won by The North of England Mule, Lleyn Sheep Society.
Hugely popular during the day were the sponsored farm tours, especially as participants were offered Yorkshire tasters of real ale, pork pies and flapjacks! The trailer rides offered an oversight of activity at Crimple Head Farm, which is ran by three generations in the name of J.M. Wilson and Sons. The 1,000-acre farm runs flocks of 1,000 horned Dalesbred, 300 Masham and 50 Mule ewes, along with 30 pure-bred Texels and 100 head of breeding cattle. The Wilson family are very keen supporters of the NSA and the sheep industry, with David Wilson currently serving as Chairman of the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders’ Association.
As the trade stand packed up at the end of the day, David said afterwards how grateful he was to the teams of people who had helped to set up and make the farm smart. “I couldn’t be happier and prouder,” he said. “North Sheep hasn’t been to this county for 10 years and the event was a triumph and a showcase for Yorkshire farming and produce.”
Event Organiser Julie Sedgewick echoed this. She said: “We were delighted with the high number of visitors that turned out and this demonstrates yet again how the sheep farming industry continues to be such an important part of British agriculture. We had a record number of trade stands, sheep breed societies and support from sponsors, and I would like to thank them all. Their attendance and support helped us to produce what was a tremendous event.”
For further information on NSA North Sheep 2013 please contact Julie Sedgewick on 07836 773888 or visit www.northsheep.org.uk.
