THE SOUTHDOWN SHEEP SOCIETY FLOCK COMPETITION
The annual Flock Competition is an ideal opportunity to gain an appraisal of your flock, on a one-to-one basis with the Flock Competition judge.
Whilst the judge has to compare all flocks and select the winners in the respective classes, at the same time the judge is able to offer an informed opinion and answer any questions you may have. The Flock Competition judge is always an experienced sheep keeper and the experience of taking part in a Flock Competition should be an enjoyable and educational experience.
It should be pointed out that the competition judges the whole flock, and therefore breeders with individual, different groups of sheep within their one flock will necessarily be disadvantaged. The judge is looking to see a flock, rather than a collection of different animals.
The judge follows a marking scheme approved by Council where points are awarded across a number of sections:
A: quality of flock ewes - /35
B: intake of shearling ewes - /35
C: uniformity - /35
D: ewe lambs - /20
F: rams - /60
E: wool - /15
Total: /200
Noakes Trophy: Three ewe lambs & three ram lambs sire by a named ram and shown - /100
Flock Competition entry forms and rules can be found below. Alternatively, please email or call the Office if you would like a paper copy sent to you. The entry fee is £25 per flock, and the closing date for entries is September 1st 2022.
2022 flock competition
The annual Flock Competition is an ideal opportunity to gain an appraisal of your flock, on a one-to-one basis with the Flock Competition judge.
The judge for this year’s competition is Antony Glaves. A knowledgeable and experienced judge, Antony’s Brompton flock was founded in 1999.
2020 & 2021 FLOCK COMPETITION
The 2020 & 2021 Flock Competition did not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
2019 FLOCK COMPETITION
Judge: Neil Stainthorpe Esq.
FROM THE 2019 FLOCK COMPETITION JUDGE, Mr Neil Stainthorpe
Dear All,
It has been an honour and a great privilege to judge the Southdown Sheep Society flock competition this year, a task
which I have greatly enjoyed doing. It is also very encouraging to see that the number of entrants for this year's competition have increased making it a truly competitive competition.
I had given myself a week's holiday to visit everyone's flocks. Travelling from the north down through the Midlands, out to East Anglia (as far east as you can go I think). Down into Kent and along the south coast, then across country up into Wales and on into the west then back up north finishing my visits on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors.
I must say that the standard and quality of all the sheep on display was excellent and that every flock without question that I visited, contained individual animals that I would have liked in my own flock.
This obviously did not make my task easy. Having said that, this being the Flock Competition I was looking for uniformity throughout the flock. Be it ewes, shearlings, lambs or rams and not a collection of different superb individual animals.
Uniformity only comes with time unless you have been careful with your foundation stock, and this was evident in flocks which had recently sourced animals from a number of sources and which had not yet left their mark on the flock.
Also in general I would remind members it is easier to breed faults into the flock than get them out, so please try not to breed with animals with obvious faults i.e. teeth, pasterns and open fleeces which were some of the faults seen in some individual animals.
I would also advise anyone who enters the Flock Competition to look at how the competition is scored and that they are able to provide animals in the required categories to score maximum points.
I would like to thank all the flock masters for penning up all the various groups of sheep in their flock so that I was able to handle and inspect their sheep at close quarters. It is only by handling the sheep that their true worth and uniformity can be seen and I did handle a lot of sheep!
I do hope that everyone feels that after my visit, their flock inspection was carried out thoroughly and that I allowed plenty of time.
I must also thank all the entrants for their hospitality. I was awash with tea, buns, meals and offers of accommodation, which without I am sure it would make the competition much more difficult to run. Thanks also to the Welsh Regional group committee for inviting me along for a meal and a chat.
The competition was a close run thing with only the odd point separating flocks. Unfortunately not everyone can win but my congratulations go to all the prize winners and their excellent sheep. To those that didn't pick up a prize remember you have to be it to win it and your time will come!
If any of the entrants wish to discuss their individual results please feel free to give me a ring.
Regards,
Neil Stainthorpe
