NORTHERN REGION

Regional Contact Member – Emma Chester

On Saturday 26th October the Northern Region held its regional AGM hosted by the FettleMead flock, Thirsk, North Yorkshire. The day was attended by 27 Northern members from all counties in the region and included both new and established JSS members. The day’s agenda consisted of refreshments on arrival and a meet and greet, followed by a talk and presentation from Lucinda Bird from the Benridge Woolworks on the potential market for raw Jacob wool fleeces. After lunch there was a walk and talk around the FettleMead flock and overview of the sheep looking at two and four horners sheep, and discussing the importance of supporting four horn breeding. The day finished off with the Northern AGM, questions and any other business.

Emma introducing her flock at the open day at FettleMead

Lucinda Bird processing Jacob wool at Benridge Woolworks

Lucinda Bird’s key points and topics:

The talk was about creating a viable business model for Jacob wool. Lucinda has a prosperous market for Jacob wool in saddle flocking and the art of crafting a quality saddle.

There’s also continued growth for the craft market, such as whole fleece rugs and peg loom rug making. We were all treated to seeing some examples of such rugs that have been handmade Lucinda states: “Farmers must be paid above the cost of shearing even if that starts small. Only waste wool should be for gardening or green burning. Therefore wool should either be sold to processors or the risk taken to process your own wool and sell fantastic products from it.” At the end, members spent a huge amount of time chatting and conversing with Lucinda with the many questions they had and further talking points that came up. With many excited with the potential for the versatile fleece our Jacob’s produce. I would like to say an enormous thank you to Lucinda for finding space in her extremely busy schedule to come to visit us all. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and were incredibly impressed with the information and details Lucinda spoke about. Everyone went away feeling inspired and motivated with the future prospects for Jacob wool and recognising the hard work Benridge Woolworks is doing for the raw wool market.

Going on from the topic of wool, FettleMead flock are also super passionate about raising the awareness of Jacob wool and what the fleeces have to offer and it sells most of the fleeces as private sales to spinners, weavers and crafters who appreciate the natural colours and long fibres this raw wool has to offer. Another part of what the flock prides itself on is the fresh meat side of it, rearing lambs for freezer ready lamb boxes in various pack sizes from whole through to smaller taste packs. Everyone who tastes Jacob meat admits how the flavour is leaps and bounds ahead of anything off the shelf they have tried. Jacob lamb is full of flavour with its meaty joints and chops with marbling throughout. When slow cooked it falls of the bone.

A ewe and lamb from the Beacon View flock in West Yorkshire

Finally, I talked around how sheep from the flock are taken to local and national shows, and have also more recently been entered for regional Show & Sales which I enjoy and feel should be supported. I finished off by talking about how important I feel it is to keep supporting and breeding the four horn Jacob, which are bred in fewer numbers compared to the two horn Jacobs. I am passionate about keeping the four horners relevant and popular. Over the 15 years of the flock we have had a plethora of four horn sires bringing in excellent bloodlines, which has meant other flocks can continue the richness of having new four horned bloodlines. I also love the two horned sheep too, hence why FettleMead is a mixed two and four horns (but slightly weighted towards the four horners).

I would like to take the time to thank all members for attending and supporting the open day. Young member, Georgia Knowles, wrote: “Last year, me and my family attended the national, northern AGM at Emma Chester’s. One thing I found particularly interesting was meeting a lady from Benridge Woolworks and seeing just how special and popular the Jacob wool is. Another interesting fact we learned was that people particularly like Jacob wool to fill the main seat of saddles for horses. But thank you to everyone for all the hard work that went into organising it. Me and my family really enjoyed it.” It was great to host a regional AGM for the Northern members; especially to talk around many topical points that got all thinking ahead, but even more so getting everyone together to have a good catch up.

I look forward to our next events this year, and already have dates in the diaries for 2025. As a parting note, if anyone would like to contact me about hosting a 2025 spring/early summer or autumn (possibly Northern AGM combined) open day please do not hesitate to get in touch. Many thanks in advance.

Ewes at Fenton & Fozzard’s Greenacres flock

Ewes from Jen Hurford’s Studley flock in winter

NORTHERN REGION

Regional Contact Member – Emma Chester

Part of Andrew Barker’s Tancred flock in North Yorkshire

Since taking on the RCM role for the Northern area, I’m loving speaking to, connecting with and meeting members (including longstanding and new members) at various shows and events. After taking on the role, I’m keen to get specific events set up throughout out the year for JSS members. I wanted to take the time to put this out in the Journal to gauge what ideas, suggestions or recommendations individuals have on what they would like to see the Society offer. This could be things to improve shepherding skills, livestock husbandry, stock selection, nutrition, show preparation and show etiquette, or more focus on the Jacob fleece and raw wool. These are just some examples. I encourage members to contact me with your thoughts and what you’d like to see in the calendar going forward. This echoes a poll I did via social media on our Northern Facebook page (please follow if you don’t) but for any of those who have not seen it, this is an opportunity to extend this communication. Events we are looking to organise in 2025;

– Trimming demonstrations

– Flock open day

– Region flock competitions

– Show preparation and stock selection

– Annual regional meetings

– Wool/ fleece workshops

The Knowles family’s ewe, champion at the Royal Lancashire Show

Please think outside the box too. If there is another area you’d like to focus on that hasn’t been thought about I’m keen to hear. Maybe even things around the mental health side of livestock husbandry, rearing and management, maybe a community focus at say lambing time, for example, when we can all feel the seasonal stresses and pressure. I look forward to hearing from you all. Please contact me via our email;  or any other medium, drop me a message.

Emma Chester’s shearling ewe, champion at Ripley Show

By the this goes out, the Northern area will have had held their annual AGM where hopefully we can start the ball rolling on these ideas. Anyone who couldn’t make that, this is a time to add your input as I’m keen to hear from you all.

Kevin Gaskell’s champion shearling ewe and the Haworth family’s reserve champion ewe at Gargrave Show with the judge, Richard Chapman

George Fell’s champion ewe and Clive Richardson’s reserve champion ram at Cartmel Show with the judge, Stephen Harrison

Howard Walsh’s granddaughters helping to get his sheep ready for showing at Wensleydale Show

NORTHERN REGION

Regional Contact Member – Emma Chester

The Great Yorkshire Show may not have been blessed with good weather but the entries were excellent for judge, Lesley Partridge, and congratulations to Ridout and Higginson for their champion shearling ewe and Ryan Edwards for his reserve champion shearling ram. An excellent after-show party was organised by Wendy Atkinson, Freda Fozzard and Sheila Wood with further contributions from members.

Looking forward, the Skipton Show and Sale will be held at the end of August and I hope to seeing many of you there.

Having recently taken over as the new Regional Contact member for the Northern Region, I am keen to hear from you regarding yourself and your flock. Please get in touch through whichever medium you like (even if I know you, I’d still love to hear and share your stories). It would be great to have your ideas for events/collaboration in the Northern Region – what would you like to see? I am setting up a committee and am looking for a range of members to join me. You can contact me via: email, Facebook, WhatsApp or even a letter. My mobile number is 07702104033 or email

John and Wendy Atkinson with their group of three at Otley Show

Betty Palmer’s great-granddaughter, Esmae Buckle, reading the Jacob Journal