Held on Tuesday June 9th 2009 at North Alfordon Farm, Okehampton, Devon.
The day was fine and dry, the sun adding heat in mid afternoon. The sheds were airy and pleasant and the whole atmosphere was very friendly and relaxed.
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There was plenty to see and to listen to. The Open Question Forum covered a wide variety of discussions, and the EID seminar sparked a lively debate. Clearly a lot of questions need to be addressed and clear and workable information from DEFRA made available before electronic ear tagging becomes law at the end of the year.
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| The Open Question Forum |
EBLEX demonstrated live lamb selection, various welfare issues and butchery, while there was an entertaining display of yard and race work by Kelpies from the Lyndhurst Stud. There was a sheep dog trial and sale as well as a number of the normal trade stands including a shearing demonstration.
Competitions included those for carcasses and for fleeces, and also a 'Shepherd of the Future' competition covering a wide aspect of sheep farming skills.
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| The Southdown breeders who set up and manned the
Southdown stand throughout the day: from left to right: Sarah Cartwright, Caroline Brown, Anna Woolard, Susan Moore, Henry Burrough, Adam Brown and George Elliott |
There were fewer sheep society stands than last year, but all were interesting. The SW Southdown Group stand, superbly designed by Caroline Brown and Anna Woollard, featured the use of a Southdown ram on Exmoor Mules and comments by Julian Branfield who used this cross for the first time this year. He kindly lent a pair of Exmoor Mule ewes and their Southdown lambs at foot for display; showing how well grown the lambs were under challenging conditions.
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| Southdown x Exmoor Horn lambs on display, kindly loaned by Julain Branfield, Hawkridge, Exmoor. |
Also on display was a prize-winning Southdown ram, generously provided by Henry Burrough, who helped on the stand too. The whole stand attracted quite a lot of interest. A new jute bag emblazoned with 'Super Southdowns' was for sale, there were sheep-shaped biscuits to tempt passers-by, and all the helpers were kept busy talking and answering questions. We were especially pleased to receive Second Prize for the stand.
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It was a good day, with lots of interesting comments, both generally and specific to the Southdown breed.
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| Council members Anna Woollard and Adam Brown share a joke during the day |