Farmers flock to Caithness for NSA Highland Sheep 2019
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FARMERS from all over Scotland and the north of England flocked to Caithness this week for National Sheep Association (NSA) Highland Sheep 2019.
Despite the cold, wet weather on Wednesday, the event at Sibmister Farm, Murkle, proved to be a huge success with large numbers of people enjoying a packed programme of activities and visiting the many stands and demonstrations on offer.
Welcoming everybody to the event, John Fyall, NSA Scotland immediate past chairman, said: “It gives me great pleasure to have you all here at Sibmister Farm.
“I hope everybody coming today appreciates the work done. The effort that has gone in to getting Sibmister looking like this today has been tremendous.”
Thanking the hosts, the Sutherland family, and the organisers for all the hard work put in, he added: “It has been absolutely phenomenal.”
Providing a warm Caithness welcome was the organising event chairman Willie Budge who said: “For people coming for the first time I hope they are pleasantly surprised. I hope that you all have a really good day.”
Officially opening the event, NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick said: “It is a real privilege to come up here and be a part of this.”
Commenting on the uncertainty of the commercial markets, he said that farmers needed to focus on the future and ensure they were part of the solution.
Mr McCornick described Sibmister as an “exemplar” farm.
A silver salver was then presented by NSA to Colin MacGregor, a former Scottish shearing champion, for his significant contribution to the sheep industry. Mr MacGregor, who worked as the shearing manager for British Wool for 20 years, was described as an ambassador for the industry and someone who performed a great role as both a mentor and trainer.
Accepting the award, he said: “I am fair overwhelmed. I knew nothing about this at all. It is just a real honour.”
Mr MacGregor was the commentator at the shearing demonstrations held throughout the day.
Elspeth Sutherland, who worked on more than 50 boxes of flowers for NSA Highland Sheep, was presented with flowers, as were her daughter-in-law Fiona and her son Stephen’s fiancée Alix Brown, with the family also receiving a gift as a memento of the event.
There was a great buzz on the day with people getting a chance to catch up with other visitors while they wandered round the various stalls, including a farmers’ market, and watched demonstrations and competitions.
Winning the award for the best breed society stand was the Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association, while award for the best indoor stand went to Harbro and the winning outdoor exhibitor was Allans of Gillock.
It is a real privilege to come up here and be a part of this.
Among the events taking place was the NSA Next Generation Shepherd of the Year competition which ended in a tie for the first time with Amy Jo Reid and Farquhar Renwick sharing the spoils.
Local sheepdog handler and former world champion Michael Shearer, Lythmore, Westfield,won the adult sheepdog trial with his dog Roy. Competition was fierce with only one point separating the first six handlers. The young handlers’ section was won by Joe Mackenzie with Tweedie.
Visitors to the show were given the chance to take part in a stock judging competition sponsored by SSE and run by the Young Farmers. Tommy Linklater won the confined section and one of the members of the event’s organising committee, Sandy McCarthy, was first equal in the senior section with Ronald Wilkie.
Tours of the farm proved popular with folk queuing to take part in a trip that took them round the large commercial livestock property which boosts numerous championships from its stock. Many farmers were interested in seeing the slatted sheds which were put up at Sibmister a couple of years ago and are used for housing around 900 of the farm’s ewes.
During a question-and-answer “meet the farmer” session, Stephen Sutherland told a packed audience: “In previous winters we had to keep feeding the sheep to keep them alive. Since keeping them inside the feed bills have definitely gone down. We have not seen any negative sides to the sheds.”
Asked about the whole NSA Highland Sheep process, Mr Sutherland said: “It has been a credit to the hard work from our committee.”
He said the best bit of it was seeing everybody that had come along to the event. “It has been a fantastic turnout of folk. They have come from all over Scotland and the north of England.
“One thing on our side, we have had a really good spring. Had we had a normal Caithness spring we would have struggled. There has been a lot of hard work and head-scratching.”
Thanking the sponsors and local event organiser Euan Emslie at the end of the day, chairman Willie Budge said: “Thank you all for coming along and making this a fantastic event.”
The main sponsors of the event were Harbro and W & A Geddes, with a number of other national sponsors contributing as well as local ones.
A special multi-breed show and sale of pairs of ewe hoggs was a major attraction at NSA Highland Sheep 2019.
It was standing room only for the sale, conducted by Aberdeen and Northern Marts, which was held at the end of the day.
The sale has been a regular feature of the event since being introduced at the first NSA Highland Sheep at Dingwall Mart in 2013.
The overall champion ticket went to D N Campbell & Sons, Bardnaclavan, with two North Country Cheviot ewe hogs, one sired by Sebay Vermont and the other by Durran Thunder. The prize-winning pair went on to achieve the top price of 800 guineas per head from M R Thomas and D P Bevin, Knowles Harbour, Wales.
Reserve champion went to W Barnetson & Sons, Lynegar Farm, Watten, with a pair of Suffolk hoggs both sired by Lakeview Sandy.
The Barnetsons started the Suffolk flock 35 years ago and it was the first time they had sold any females. They were sold for 600 guineas to Angus Brims of Thuster Mains. The second lot from Lynegar went for 550 guineas.
The Zwartbles winning entry came from Danny McCarthy of Longoe Farm, Mey. They fetched 380 guineas.
A sum of 250 guineas went to Jan Mackenzie, Langdale, Strathnaver, Kinbrace, for a pair of NCC (hill) hogs.
Badanloch Estate Ltd, Kinbrace, , NCC (hill) pair of winning ewe hogs, went to an Orkney buyer for 220 guineas, and the Blue Texels from Nigel Shelton, Larkins, Upper Lybster, went for 200 guineas.
The Shetland Cross Cheviot first-prize winners from young Alexander Douglas, of Achnamoine Farm, Watten, sold for 120 guineas, while his father Sandy Douglas got 80 guineas for the winning pair of blackface ewe hogs.
