EASTERN REGION REPORT
Regional Contact Member – Tom Green
The show season kicked off in style in mid – May with David Tuffney winning the champion and reserve in the breed classes at Nottinghamshire County with his shearling ram and aged ewe respectively. Gillian Christian took on the continentals at the South Suffolk and beat them with her shearling ram and ewe lamb placed highly in their respective classes.
The end of May saw Charlie Coe’s take champion and reserve at Suffolk Show with his shearling ewe and shearling ram respectively. Gillian Christian won the ewe class, the Wneham team won both the lamb classes and the aged ram class too, and Wneham bred sheep won every class. The Jacob pair were pulled forward in the interbreed and a pair of Wneham ewe lambs were placed 4th in their interbreed class.
Rutland Show Jacob classes were unfortunately cancelled due to lack of entries, but Young Farmer Joe flew the Jacob flag here in the Any Other breed and Young Handlers and also won his Young Handler class with his 4 horn shearling from the Partridges at Lincolnshire Show.
Blaston Show was up next with David Tuffney’s aged Kingsmore ewe champion and the Dixon family’s shearling ewe from their Douglas flock reserve. The lamb classes were both won by the Sandall family with lambs from their Glenbank flock.
The Royal Norfolk Show was the culmination of showing in the region in June with Lisa Adams back in the ring claiming the championship with her ewe lamb from her Oakfields flock. This stopped a third straight Cumbrian smash ad grab raid at the show by Clive Richardson who was reserve with his shearling ewe, all male classes were won by the Wneham flock of Charlie Coe who won male champion with his shearling ram, Celtic Picasso.
Charlie Coe’s shearling ewe, champion at Suffolk County Show
Looking forwards, Melton Show and Sale is on the 8th and 9th of September respectively and it would be nice to see as many of you there as possible. There are always some good sheep presented from well-known flocks.
David Tuffney’s shearling ram, champion at Nottinghamshire County Show at Newark
Lisa Adams with her homebred ewe lamb, champion at the Royal Norfolk Show
The autumn flock visit will take place at the Stowe Heights Flock or the Sykes family on Sunday September 24th. Although only recently established the flock was joint second placed large flock in the Region Flock competition. Stowe Heights is only small but their primary enterprise is a Market Garden and the morning will allow us the opportunity to look around and see how the Jacobs fit in with this and the Sykes passion for regenerative agriculture, with a judging competition to follow after lunch allowing the opportunity to discuss the finer points of the sheep on show. It promises to be a fun, informative day. I would like to extend an invite to all members if they would like to attend, please keep an eye on social media and emails for more details.
In my own flock lambs are being halter trained for Heckington Show at the end of July and Melton Sale in September, and it will soon be time to synchronise ewes ready for the tups to go in on August Bank Holiday weekend. I look forward to catching up with everyone over the next couple of months.