The Society enjoyed a great day at ScotSheep hosted by the Hamilton family at Aikengall, Innerwick, with the Society’s stand busy all day and welcoming large numbers of members and commercial farmers to hear the latest Society developments.
Central to the stand were a pen of commercial Texel cross ewes with Texel sired lambs at foot from the Anderson family, Headshaw Farm, the stand also hosted a guess the weight competition, featuring the lambs, with the correct answer being 104kg. Winning Society merchandise was 13-year old James Patrick Goldie of Lauder, Scottish Borders.
The Society’s Youth Development Programme also supported the event’s NSA Next Generation Shepherd’s competition with this won by Ian Armstrong. Joint second spot went to Tyler McKinlay, who was also the highest placed under 21 competitor, and Harry Gemmill.
Society chief executive John Yates said the event had been hugely successful for the breed, with a lot of interest in the Society’s core messaging around commercial success and the added value Texels can add as both a terminal and maternal sire.
“As ever the event was a well-run, well attended day, with a great host farm and committed sheep farmers keen to explore how they could benefit their businesses with the latest technology and developments. The Society stand was busy throughout the day and it was great to meet so many successful and committed Texel users making the most of what the breed can offer them.”
Adding to the breed’s success the Allanfauld flock of Archie and John MacGregor took top price in the event’s sale of ewe hoggs with their pair, sired by Mullan Firefly and out a dam by Procters Chuma Wumba.