NSA ScotSheep held at Wedderlie Farm, Gordon, in the Scottish Borders proved to be another successful event for the Society, with plenty of activity on the Society Stand and Texels well represented across the event.
A highlight of the day was Ben McSporran on the Roscoe flock winning top spot in the ScotSheep NSA Next Generation Young Shepherd’s Competition. This competition, sponsored by the Society was a hard fought one, with a wealth of keen, talented youngsters competing.
Taking second spot was Hayley Ryan, with third going to Tyler McKinnley, with Tyler also being the highest placed under 21-year-old competitor. In fourth place was Niamh Milton with fifth going to Angus McGowan.
Society events and cataloguing manager Ailish Ross said the competition was a great showcase of the young talent coming through the Scottish sheep industry. “The standard displayed by all entrants was exceptional. Every competitor displayed superb levels of skill and knowledge across all elements of the competition and the Society was delighted to be able to support the competition once again.”
The Society’s stand featured four shearling rams from Neil Harvey’s Blackadder flock, with these drawing many favourable comments from visitors to the stand.
Alongside this, the Society also promoted its summer competition and is grateful to Scottish Texel Club members, James Dunlop, Eastfield, Iain Struthers, Craigend, David Gray, Ettrick and Robert and Amy Laird, Cambwell, for their help on the day.
Society chief executive John Yates said the event had been a hugely successful one, with a strong, positive feeling among event visitors and those who stopped at the Society stand.
“The event was a great success for the Society, with lots of positive engagement, reflecting the success of the breed in sheep farming systems across Scotland and northern England.
“The sheep industry and, as a result, the Texel breed is in a great place and this was reflected in the comments received from commercial sheep farmers visiting the stand throughout the day. Texels are adding value and giving businesses both resilience and confidence across a range of sheep farming systems which is hugely positive,” he added.