On our site you can find information relating to the breed, latest news, details of shows and sales, stock for sale and information from Breeders’ Groups around the regions.

Our breed can meet your needs - whether you are looking for an easy-lambing terminal sire to produce fast finishing lambs, or a few docile sheep to keep on top of the grass and provide some delicious lamb.

The Society hopes this website offers you a starting point, please get in touch with the Southdown Office for further information.

Download the 2025 year book

Worcester Show and Sale 2nd August 2025
Details of the Premier Breeders Show & Sale at Worcester market on August 2nd are now available. It is possible to enter stock for the Premier sale either via Grassroots online or by completing a paper entry form and returning to the auctioneers.
Grassroots is now open for online entries. Please note that that all entry fees are processed by the auctioneers.
Closing date for entries is Monday July 7th

The Farmers Guardian Sheep Supplement
Coming up in August on the 1st and 29th is running an offer for all Pedigree Sheep Breeders to advertise their prefix and promote their breed.
View full details

2025 AGM & Field Day
The Annual General Meeting of the Southdown Sheep Society will be held at North Hele Farm, Clayhanger, near Tiverton, Devon, EX16 7NZ on Saturday 20th September 2025 at 2.00pm
View full details

2025 Flock Competition
The 2025 Flock Competition will be judged from September 13th – 29th 2025 and entry form and all details are now available
View entry form and rules

If you are looking to sell or buy Southdowns do pencil in these dates

There are two Official Society Sales which benefit from a pre-sale independent vet and society inspection, a pre-sale show, minimum weight requirements and upset prices:

• Saturday 2nd August - The Society’s Premier Sale at Worcester Market

• Saturday 13th September Traditional & Native Breeds Show & Sale at Melton Mowbray Market (pre-sale show on Friday September 12th)

View details of all Southdown sales in 2025

Latest News

About

Welcome to the website of the Southdown Sheep Society, the Society represents the interests of Southdown breeders in the UK and provides registration and marketing services to breeders across the country. The Southdown is the oldest of the terminal sire breeds in the UK and as the name suggests originates from the native sheep which have roamed the South Downs in the South of England for many hundreds of years.

Developed by foresighted flockmasters into a fixed type in the eighteenth century, the breed has been responsible for the development of many of the native terminal sire breeds, including the Suffolk and the Hampshire Down and in France the Charollais. Today the breed can be found in the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and America and many other countries across the globe where its ability to produce high quality lamb has led to it being recognised as the king among terminal sires.

In the UK the breed is undergoing a significant revival as a new generation of breeders firmly focussed on maximising the breed’s commercial attributes has developed the breed into a modern terminal sire. The breed’s easy lambing, docility and ease of finishing make it a suitable sire for a range of sheep farming systems in all locations and climates with Southdown rams found working in all corners of the UK from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire.

Email & phone

Email: secretary@southdownsheepsociety.co.uk

Tel: 01986 782251

Southdown Sheep Society, Limited by Guarantee., Company Number 35585 Registered as a Charity, Number 266713