Lleyn Sheep Society

We hosted a well attended AGM last May at Park Farmhouse, and elected the new committee, comprising Adam and Amanda Cheesmur, Alan West, Tony Palmer as secretary, and myself as Chairman and Treasurer. Events for the year were discussed then members then ate salad with smoked trout which I had fortunately managed to catch the previous day, before finally looking over a few of our sheep.

Sue Peters judged the Kent Show in July, giving Champion to Julian Courtold's ram with Derek & Olivia Bond's ram lamb as reserve, and also winners of the Group. Sue chose Adam Cheesmur's yearling ewe as best of opposite sex, and Alan West won the small flocks point cup for the third year. Alan also won the show champion fleece, a great credit to his Lleyn given the renowned quality of the local Romney fleeces. As usual a very enjoyable show, and 2005 will celebrate 20 years of Lleyn classes at Kent.

We were initially disappointed to learn that our local representative on the restructured national working committee lives over 450 miles away in Cornwall, but in order to bridge the distance John Adams and his wife Jill were invited over to judge the Southern England flock competition.

This eventually took place over three days in mid November, when John and Jill had to track down our families of sheep hidden throughout Hampshire, the Sussex Downs and Kent, under the charge of "lookerers", often miles away from their homes. The results leaked out a few weeks later, but were not officially announced until the Christmas Dinner.
The Christmas dinner was actually held in mid January, so that Mandy Cheesmur could negotiate a low season deal with a local Pub. Although some older members did not make it due to the weather it was a good social evening. Olivia and I were delighted to win the Southern flock competition, and Brigit Kirsch was awarded the best small flock. Trophies were presented by life member Ian Charlton, on John Adams behalf.

There was good demand in the region for pedigree ewes last autumn, sourced both locally and from society sales at Ross, Ruthin, and Perth, for I guess at least 10 new breeders. Some of these have used Lleyn crossing rams and been impressed with results, others want to close their flocks to improve performance. Smaller breeders are following the trend towards organic, then private killing and selling through farmers markets. The ability of the lleyn to finish well over an extended season is becoming a major plus.

Amanda Cheesmur, 19 Green Park Corner, Wivelsfield Green, West Sussex. TH17 7QQ Tel: 01444 471140
amanda@cheesmur19.fsnet.co.uk

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