2016 Annual Report – Solway & Tyne Club

Where has this year gone?  The club and its members have packed loads into this year and we all have great memories to look back on.

We set off in January with our AGM. Stephanie Ryder from Farmers Guardian and Ryder Livestock gave a funny and informative talk to a small but perfectly turned out audience. There were enough beef rolls to feed the 35th Battalion but we ploughed on through and a good night was had by all.  

We then organised a club outing, having missed out on one last year and in May we set off for Aberdeen, with over thirty on the bus and the trip, while cold, was a great success with varied and interesting visits to Duncryne, Logie Durno, Strathbogie and Deveronvale Flocks and an impromptu visit to Halbeath Flock on the way home. Our hosts could not have been better and our huge thanks go to the flocks who hosted us and made us feel so welcome. We not only enjoyed looking at the stock but the social side was second to none.  We are currently looking at a joint venture to Northern Ireland in the coming year.

We followed our weekend visit with a visit in August to Auldhouseburn, where 70 people enjoyed the best of hospitality, when the club visited Allan Blackwood and family, who made everyone very welcome and it was a most enjoyable day out, viewing the very good stock at Muirkirk Farm.

Our Flock Competition, held in early October, was well supported by members and ably judged by Kirree Kermode from Isle of Man, driven by or resident competition organiser Harry Woodmas.   The eventual winner was Messrs Wilkinson, Arkle Flock.

The summer shows proved popular, with good turnouts for the breed at most, although our attempts to boost numbers at the local shows by giving a prize for Texel cross prime lambs, proved a bit challenging. We do however plan to do the same again in 2017 as the Christmas shows are not as well supported as they used to be, primarily because our lambs are all away by then! Too good!!

Like the other main sales, our club sale at Carlisle, were very successful, with averages well up on the year. The first sale saw ram lamb averages jump by an astounding £400 and there was a new female record for a Sportsmans’ gimmer at the female sale of 6,800gns, which finished the season off nicely.

The first sale was judged by our long-standing friend, Robbie Wilson of the Milnbank Flock and his champion, Douganhill Young Gun, from Brian MacTaggart sold for 12,000gns. Top at this sale however was Knock Yankee who sold to a consortium of buyers for 30,000gns

The second sale also saw a steady trade and although it didn’t have the five figure prices of the first sale, it was still a great success and the female sale held at the beginning of December saw a very good clearance, also with increased averages and our top female price to date at a club sale.

Agriexpo in November, once again proved to be a big crowd puller and we were kept busy all day on our new stand, which the Society supported, for which we are very grateful.

The website, which we introduced last year, has proved to be a great source of communication with our members and wider afield and we make every attempt to put the catalogues, show and sale results up as soon as we have them.  The gallery allows members to look back at the year and we would like to see more pictures from the summer shows coming forward to add to this. There is also a facility for members to sell sheep from the site, so contact us if you would like to place an advert.

We continue to communicate with our growing membership through our website and if anyone wants to know what is going on just pop us an email direct from there.

This year we introduced some new members from the waiting list into full membership, although it is still restricted, as we have had quite a few new members from our immediate club area.

The club continues to grow and thrive a big thank you to all our committee members who take time to help with the organisation of the events.

Fiona Sloan,Secretary.