Glendale Looking for the Finest of Flocks
The Glendale Agricultural Society (GAS) has announced details of its Flock Competition, which is aimed at highlighting the tremendous sheep enterprises across North Northumberland.
The area of Glendale is renowned for sheep, and this competition is open to farmers across North Northumberland, from Morpeth in the south to the Scottish Borders. Sheep are an integral part of Northumberland farming and this competition gives farmers the opportunity to showcase their flocks and to demonstrate how they maximise returns and potential from their sheep.
Sponsored by Harbro Ltd, the competition has two categories with a first and second prize for each, Large Flock category Small Flock, with the overall winner receiving the Fox Family Trophy. Judging will take place the week commencing 9th July, with the prizes presented at the Glendale Show on Monday August 27th. In order to assess how well the flock is managed, visits undertaken by the judging team will last an average of 1½ hours, and entrants will be asked to present one individual field of sheep for judging.
This year, the competition will be judged by Mark Gray of Broom House Farm, Witton Gilbert Durham, who farms and operates a flock of 2,000 commercial sheep.
On announcing details of this year’s competition, Ian Murray, Glendale Agricultural Society’s Head Livestock Steward and Organiser of the Flock Competition:
“As a society, which built its foundations on showing sheep when it was established over 125 years ago and continues to do so today, we really feel that it is important to highlight the work of the people within the industry and that is exactly what this competition is intended to do. This competition is open to all sheep farmers across Northumberland, so we are really keen to hear from pedigree breeders, commercial sheep farmers and shepherds with a commercial flock. It is how you get the most out of your flock that we are looking for.”
Taking into account farm type, size and management practices, entrants will be judged on the presentation, standard of the stock, stockmanship and how effectively they manage their flock. The judges will look at the steps taken by the farmer to maximise the opportunities for their flock, how the flock integrates into the whole farm business and the flock’s overall commercial performance and profitability.
The inaugural GAS Flock competition, held in 2015, saw Large Flock and Overall Winner being awarded to Charlie Armstrong and Shepherd Mark Goldosky, for the 1,200 ewe Beulah flock at Fenton and Doddington. The Small Flock Class Winner went to Michael and Nicky Gray, of Low Espley, for their 230 ewe Beltex cross commercial flock and 35 pedigree Blue Faced Leicesters. Roly and Rob Telford’s Mule ewe lambs, at Branton East Side, received the special prize of Best Field of Sheep.
“We are delighted to launch our second GAS Flock Competition, as the sheep industry is integral to farming in this area and a very important element of the show. As a world – renowned sheep producing area, with so many tremendous flocks, this will certainly be a very interesting and challenging competition”, concludes Ian.
If you are interested in entering, please contact Ian Murray on 07711 478813 or by email at [email protected], entry is free. The winners of each class will receive a cash prize and the overall winner, for the Best Overall Flock, will receive the Fox Family Trophy.
Prizes will be awarded for:
- Best Overall Flock
- First and Second Large Flock
- First and Second Small Flock
Active for over 100 years, Glendale Agricultural Society annually stages the hugely successful Glendale Show and the Children’s Countryside Day. The Glendale Show, held on August bank holiday in Wooler, attracts over 15,000 people every year and has become one of the highlights of the Northumbrian agricultural calendar.
For more information about the Flock Competition, Glendale Show or the GAS please visit www.glendaleshow.com or call 01668 283 868.
