‘Perfect’ estate wins at Purdey Awards

A small sporting estate in the Yorkshire Dales, started from scratch, is the worthy winner of the 2018 Purdey Awards for

Game and Conservation.

Judges praised Helen and Rob Brown for their passion, energy and enthusiasm in turning Howesyke, an intensively managed hill farm, into a “perfect sporting estate in the uplands of England”.

Over the past decade the couple, working with Natural England, have successfully regenerated the grouse moor on the farm, planted nearly 100,000 broadleaf trees over 250 acres, repaired and built 1.3km of dry-stone walls, restored 900 acres of peat, created five new wetland habitats and re-established black grouse.

Judges said the remarkable diversity of species on the farm “is unquestionably a result of an outstanding blend of conservation and shooting”. Red grouse numbers have increased as have numbers of other wild bird species, including black grouse, woodcock, snipe and grey partridge.

The Browns were presented with a cheque for £5,000 and the Purdey

Awards Shield in the gunmaker’s famous Long Room on 22 November.

In second place, winning the Silver Award and £3,000, is Nick Zoll and the Burnham Thorpe Syndicate in Norfolk

(pictured). Judges were “exceptionally impressed” by the commitment of Zoll and his team to create a syndicate shoot with a viable population of grey partridge.

The Bronze Award was presented to Alastair Salvesen for his “dedication and vision” in creating on his farm in Midlothian a grey partridge recovery programme.

“Purdey’s are proud to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Purdey Awards this year. These awards reveal how important shooting is to the biodiversity of the countryside,” said chairman James Horne.