The Scottish & Borders Club have had another strong year in 2025 despite Bluetongue playing havoc with members plans for both showing and sale entries. The Annual General Meeting took place in January with the now familiar hybrid format of zoom and in room allowing members from all corners of the Country to join. This format is now working really well and enables plenty of discussion with everyone able to take part. The 2025 AGM saw Ian Walling of Farmstock Genetics, Selkirk re-elected as chairman with Matt Jenkinson of the Woodfoot Flock taking on the Vice-Chairman role with Paul Barrow and David Knowles remaining as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.

With lambing over, a cold dry spring followed – little did we realise there was a drought on its way. NSA North Sheep held at Greystoke Castle Farm near Penrith in June saw club members supplying sheep and helping with the Society stand.  It was a great day, the stand looked really good and generated plenty of interest throughout – it suddenly became even busier when lollipops were being handed out!!! Sheep on the stand were: Lleyn Ewes with Beltex x Charollais cross lambs and Pure Ram Hoggs from the Geldard Family of Low Foulshaw alongside Lleyn Ewes with pure lambs from the Jenkinsons of Woodfoot. We are really grateful to both the Geldards and Jenkinsons for kindly allowing their sheep on the stand.

The event provided a great opportunity to hear from several past purchasers from the sales – including a number that had purchased Lleyn Rams to cross onto their flocks in order to breed their own replacements. It was great to see a few who had visited the stand follow up their interest with purchases at the Carlisle sale. We wish them well with their purchases and look forward to hearing how they’ve performed. 2026 will see the club supporting the Society at NSA Scotsheep held at Wedderlie Farm, Gordon on Wednesday 10th June 2025.

The end of June saw members representing the breed at the Royal Highland Show, judging was in the very capable hands of well known breeder Colin Price from Brecon.It proved a successful day for our club chairman when the Wallings scooped the championship with a Shearling Ewe closely followed by their Shearling Ram in Reserve. The other major shows in our area which included Lleyns saw the McGowans  of Incheoch taking the Championship at Perth with their Aged Ram whilst at Dumfries the Farmstock Genetics team took the champion ticket with their Shearling Ram. Heading over the border to the Westmorland Show J A & R Geldard & Sons took home the silverware with their Shearing Ewe.

Our 2025 Open Day was kindly hosted by the Robertson Family of Carmont Valley Livestock, Stonehaven (Flock 1970) The weather behaved itself and visitors were treated to a great display of stock. The stock judging competition was won by David Henderson. Thanks to Debbie McGowan for being master judge and Joanne Thow for organising and running the stockjudging. The winner of the guess the weight competition was Blair Wyness. Guests also enjoyed a delicious BBQ of  home produced burgers and sausages together with an array of home baking – thanks to Carolanne Crawford, Shona Marshall  and Leigh McEwan for all their help with the food.  Thanks also must go to Chloe McEwan for all her work with the stock. As a club we are incredibly grateful to Euan, Callum and Julie Robertson for offering to host the Open Day. It’s a lot of work, even more so when Julie was laid up in Hospital. However, the team at Carmont Valley still put on an excellent day and we’re delighted that several batches of Lleyns were purchased as a result

It was soon on to sale season with lots of trips up and down the M6. Unfortunately Bluetongue restrictions limited some members from attending. Scottish & Borders members did the club proud with representatives at 9 out of the 11 sales.

Highlights included:

• John and James Dugdale made the LONG trip down to Exeter and came away with the top price ram for Borrins Nimble
• The Goldie Family sold 4 of the 6 top priced pens of Shearling Ewes in Ruthin, as well as taking the Reserve Female Championship. Meanwhile, the Male Championship went to club members G & A Fort
• The Kennedy Family topped the female section at Ballymena selling their 1^st place individual shearling ewe for £570. They also featured prominently in the leading prices across all sections
• Stirling Sale was a highlight of the season for many members with trade being described as electric. C Davidson topped the ram section at 4000gns whilst Shearling Ewes peaked at £430 for a pen from H Goldie
• Welshpool Sale saw 6 out of the 9 top priced rams come from our members – well done to the Fort, Dugdales and Knowles families!
• Carlisle continued its run of offering buyers the biggest selection of Lleyns anywhere in the Country and Club Members dominated proceedings in both the show and sale – 13 out of the 15 prizes tickets in the show went to club members. Whilst members were also responsible for all 10 highest priced pens of shearling ewes, 6 of the top 8 priced pens of ewe lambs and 12 of the 14 highest price rams. A phenomenal achievement for the club!!!
• Special mention must go to D & B Henderson who sold their ram Bardspark Notorious for 10,000gns – the highest price at any Society sale this year!
• Skipton saw the Dugdales top the female trade at £300 for a pen of shearling ewes whilst joint top in the ram section went to the Knowles family.

Rounding off the Year, several members made the long trip down to South Wales for the Society AGM. It was great to see club member John Geldard elected as the Society President. John is not just a great ambassador for the breed but also for UK agriculture as a whole. As a breed, we are incredibly lucky to have someone with his knowledge, passion, dedication and vision leading us going forward. We’re sure he’ll make a great job in helping to steer the Society ship in the right direction going forward.

Thanks to the South Wales club for organising and hosting a great AGM weekend and we can’t wait to see what Southern Ireland has to offer in 2026.

Paul Barrow, Scottish & Borders Club Secretary