SOUTH WEST REGION

Regional Contact Member – Richard Fenwick

What a great time of year. All the anticipation and hopes for the year, as well as a few disappointments, come to fruition as our flock present Class of ‘25.

A ewe and lambs at Chris Slee’s Halsbury flock in Devon

A new section is being introduced to the South West report in the Journal – “A South West Diary,” giving us an insight into the workings of a cross section of our south west members. This edition’s inaugural contribution comes from Steph Jasper (previously Cornelius) and her Treven flock. Do get in touch if you would like to share a few words about your experiences, interests or general ovine musings.

As a result of a few conversations within the region, I thought it would be interesting to collate some lamb gender numbers from a few flocks, highlighting the enormous variation. There appears to be no seasonal pattern and huge variation, but it does leave one wondering what factors could result in the very thought provoking 107:11 ratio.

Ram lambs	Ewe lambs
107	11
7	14
24	10
5	12
13	13
31	16

Lambing at Chris Fisher’s Sparnham flock

A number of members have started shearing their better sheep ready for the South West shows. Please keep supporting the shows, especially those still with Jacob classes. It’s the only way we will keep these classes open. If you haven’t taken sheep to a show before, it’s a very enjoyable, social occasion and if you are unsure about the preparation and process please get in touch. There are lots of members who would be very happy to give you advice.

A South West Diary

by Steph Jasper

Here at the Treven flock, we cut back on stock numbers a while back – which meant early lambing for us in 2025 consisted of a smaller number than usual.  We’ve successfully used CIDRs for a number of years and this year proved no different – our ewes all lambed within a week and with great outcomes. Mainly doubles, two singles, one triplet and one quad. With a 60/40 spilt of ewe lambs and ram lambs. As I’m sure you’d all agree, one of the best qualities a Jacob holds is their natural ability to ‘”just get on with it” –  again, proven with us here when all but one lambed by themselves with no intervention needed.

Young handlers at Steph Jasper’s Treven flock in Cornwall

I’ve always loved how Jacob lambs get up on their feet quickly, and ewes are always attentive, maternal, and milky, a quality that I feel is sometimes lacking in other breeds. With our first batch lambed and attended to, it will soon be time to turn our attention to our next batch, all of which are pure Jacob ewes crossed with a Dutch spotted ram. For us, in the last 2 or 3 years, this has proven a successful cross. We like the Jacob ewe – milky, motherly and easy to keep, crossed with a Dutch spotted ram that’s meaty and stocky. The lambs that they’ve produced have proven to be just so –

Jacob looks (that people still find attractive) and a meaty carcass, resulting in a better finishing lamb and as a bonus they come back with no horns – which proves perfect for our children who are very keen on showing, but not so keen on the horns resulting in the perfect young handlers sheep.

As always, we’ve enjoyed our lambing so far, and now look forward to the next batch of cross lambs and then very soon we’ll be looking back to the pure batch to make a selection for the upcoming shows. Devon County, in the middle of May, isn’t as far away as it once seemed. Happy lambing one and all.

Lambs at the Treven flock in Cornwall

 

SOUTH WEST REGION

Regional Contact Member – Richard Fenwick

Julia Staughton with her prize winning ram lamb at Okehampton Show

It has been a quiet couple of months in the South West with members focussed on selecting rams for tupping and making sure their ewes are in the best condition they can be as well as selecting lambs to rake through a potential show sheep for next year.

On a personal note, we have relocated with our Camel Valley flock from Cornwall to Somerset, swapping a sheltered site with quick draining alluvial soil on the banks of the River Camel for a windy hillside with poor draining clay and a very different selection of grasses. It is already interesting to note the very different challenges and management strategies that come with a different environment. It makes one realise that although members have much in common, they all have to develop their own strategies for managing their sheep on the land they have.

Kerry Gaden’s champion and reserve champion sheep at Okehampton Show

In the South West, members use a variety of strategies to determine when their ewes will lamb in the spring. There have been quite a few informal discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of different strategies whether it involves sponging, using CIDRs or just letting nature take its course. We have opted for the latter approach but have found lambing to be very spread out, leading to problems with pre-lambing feeding, weaning and managing Heptavac injections.

Kayleigh Rennie’s champion shearling ewe and Riley Marsh’s reserve champion ewe lamb at Dorset County Show with the judge, Simon Jones

We are keen to avoid hormone based intervention and are keen to lamb at a time when spring grass is beginning to grow, but wanted to achieve a much reduced lambing season. Taking advice from other South West members, we have managed to greatly tighten up our tupping window which will reap benefits in the spring. As well as making sure our ram was in good condition, we employed two new approaches. The ewes had access to a Denis Brinicombe Super Tup Tubby and they were put onto fresh pasture about three weeks before being joined by the ram. It was with considerable satisfaction that nearly all the ewes were sporting distinctive raddle marks within a 7-day window. Hopefully lambing will be more straightforward next year and interrupted nights will be kept to a minimum.

South West members are keen to get together pre-Christmas and a suitable date will be circulated in due course.

At Woolsery Show Chris Slee’s ram was champion with Steph Jasper’s shearling ewe reserve

SOUTH WEST REGION

Regional Contact Member – Richard Fenwick

Success at the English National

The South West was well represented at this year’s inaugural English National Show at The Royal Three Counties Show. Chris Fisher and Chris Slee made their way north and were both pleased to be well placed in a number of classes. Particular congratulations go to the Sparnham flock which was placed first in the classes for aged Ram, aged ewe, pair of sheep bred by the exhibitor, female champion and best English exhibit with their home bred aged ewe winning the reserve breed champion. Hopefully their success will be an encouragement to others to make the journey north to enter next year.

Aged Rams dominate County Shows

Strong entries from across the region ensured that both county shows were a celebration of the breed. Well done to breed champions, Halsbury Sanpellegrino at Devon County Show and Duxmore Ace at The Royal Cornwall Show from the Halsbury and Kezmor flocks respectively.

Kerry Gaden with her champion ram at the Royal Cornwall Show with judge, Mark Wakelin

South West Open Day

Members gathered at Treven Farm near Launceston, kindly hosted by Steve and Clair Cornelius and coordinated by Steph Jasper. We were very pleased to welcome to the meeting, Janet East, our new chair, as well as Clive Richardson, National Field Officer, who had travelled down from the Lake District to join us.

Chairman, Janet East, and Clive Richardson, National Field Officer, at the open day in Launceston, Cornwall

Chris Slee’s champion ram and Chris Fisher’s reserve champion ewe at Devon County show with the judge, Lyndon Trumper

Philip Warren speaking to members at the open day

Local butcher, Philip Warren, who has a countrywide reputation and supplies many of the top restaurants in London, gave us much to think about with a very informative and stimulating talk about trends in meat markets at a national level. He told us that we have the ideal breed to supply one of the few growing markets for lamb in the country, pointing out that slow growing, lean meat is much sought after among the Muslim communities, encouraging us, as a breed society, to work together to establish a reputation and a supply chain into this market.

Philip Warren brought his sculpture of a Jacob ram’s head to the open day

The younger attendees enjoyed an informative and practical workshop, being introduced to preparing a sheep for the show ring and the basics of handling.

Clive ran a very informative judges’ workshop which all attendees were welcome to attend. He gave us a very comprehensive overview of the finer points of judging, particularly focusing on how to rate the inevitable imperfections that we will always find in our sheep. Certainly lots to think about as we select our own show teams.

Thank you to PRJ Engineering for bringing along a good selection of Ifor Williams trailers for us to look at and for all the work, particularly by the Steve and Clair, for the amazing selection of food, which had a very local theme.

2026 National AGM coming to the South West

The region looks forward to hosting the AGM in 2026. Planning is already underway to organise flock visits and other activities in the Exeter area.

James Leonard’s champion ram at the Royal Bath & West Show

SOUTH WEST REGION

Regional Contact Member – Richard Fenwick

Success at the English National

The South West was well represented at this year’s inaugural English National Show at The Royal Three Counties Show. Chris Fisher and Chris Slee made their way north and were both pleased to be well placed in a number of classes. Particular congratulations go to the Sparnham flock which was placed first in the classes for aged Ram, aged ewe, pair of sheep bred by the exhibitor, female champion and best English exhibit with their home bred aged ewe winning the reserve breed champion. Hopefully their success will be an encouragement to others to make the journey north to enter next year.

Aged Rams dominate County Shows

Strong entries from across the region ensured that both county shows were a celebration of the breed. Well done to breed champions, Halsbury Sanpellegrino at Devon County Show and Duxmore Ace at The Royal Cornwall Show from the Halsbury and Kezmor flocks respectively.

Kerry Gaden with her champion ram at the Royal Cornwall Show with judge, Mark Wakelin

South West Open Day

Members gathered at Treven Farm near Launceston, kindly hosted by Steve and Clair Cornelius and coordinated by Steph Jasper. We were very pleased to welcome to the meeting, Janet East, our new chair, as well as Clive Richardson, National Field Officer, who had travelled down from the Lake District to join us.

Chairman, Janet East, and Clive Richardson, National Field Officer, at the open day in Launceston, Cornwall

Chris Slee’s champion ram and Chris Fisher’s reserve champion ewe at Devon County show with the judge, Lyndon Trumper

Philip Warren speaking to members at the open day

Local butcher, Philip Warren, who has a countrywide reputation and supplies many of the top restaurants in London, gave us much to think about with a very informative and stimulating talk about trends in meat markets at a national level. He told us that we have the ideal breed to supply one of the few growing markets for lamb in the country, pointing out that slow growing, lean meat is much sought after among the Muslim communities, encouraging us, as a breed society, to work together to establish a reputation and a supply chain into this market.

Philip Warren brought his sculpture of a Jacob ram’s head to the open day

The younger attendees enjoyed an informative and practical workshop, being introduced to preparing a sheep for the show ring and the basics of handling.

Clive ran a very informative judges’ workshop which all attendees were welcome to attend. He gave us a very comprehensive overview of the finer points of judging, particularly focusing on how to rate the inevitable imperfections that we will always find in our sheep. Certainly lots to think about as we select our own show teams.

Thank you to PRJ Engineering for bringing along a good selection of Ifor Williams trailers for us to look at and for all the work, particularly by the Steve and Clair, for the amazing selection of food, which had a very local theme.

2026 National AGM coming to the South West

The region looks forward to hosting the AGM in 2026. Planning is already underway to organise flock visits and other activities in the Exeter area.

James Leonard’s champion ram at the Royal Bath & West Show

Percy Clatworthy’s reserve champion ewe at the Royal Bath & West Show

Percy Clatworthy’s reserve champion ewe at the Royal Bath & West Show