The Joys of Sheepkeeping - A Young Person's View

Thirteen-year-old sheep enthusiast Owen Thomas has been helping Southdown breeder Patrick Goldsworthy with his two flocks of Southdowns. Here Owen explains why he likes sheep, amongst other things!

“My first memories of sheep were when I was on holiday in Wales; we stayed in a cottage and on the other side of the wall in a field, there were sheep giving birth. That same week we went to see some friends on the Gower in South Wales, where I bottle fed some of their lambs. When I was 10, I started helping two farmers called Martyn and Helen, who I’d met at the Great Gransden show. I helped them for two years with their small flock of Suffolks and Poll Dorsets. I helped to worm them, weigh them, tag them and Crovect them. I also helped them at shearing and lambing time”.

“Recently, over the past few months I have been helping Patrick with his Southdowns, weighing, vaccinating, worming, showing, scanning and lambing”.

“Some jobs in sheep keeping that I would like to have a go at are shearing and vaccinating. However, I am a bit nervous about vaccinating. Jobs that I enjoy are lambing because there’s always lots to do and it’s nice to see lambs being born. I would like to gain more experience in showing and it would be nice to get a rosette one day”.

“If I had my own sheep, then I would probably choose a rare or native breed as I think it’s good to keep those different traits in different breeds going. I’ve enjoyed working with both the Southdowns and the Suffolks, but if I had to choose one breed it would be Derbyshire Gritstones. I like the look of them and they seem very hardy.”

“Apart from sheep, I also enjoy sailing, rugby, gardening and sprinting with Bedford Athletics Club. I also help my Mum with her horse. “

Owen Thomas

Patrick Goldsworthy adds: “It’s great having Owen to help me. He has a lovely gentle touch with the sheep, lots of interested questions and his running ability saves me having to get a sheep dog. I am not sure what he will make of a Gritstone if he can catch one!”

Owen in the young handler’s competition at Great Gransden with one of Lesley Mead’s very well-behaved ewe lambs