Young shepherds urged to enter
Youngsters up to the age of 26 who are interested in the sheep industry are being invited to enter for this year’s National Sheep Association (NSA) Next Generation “Shepherd of the Year” Competition, which has cash prizes up for grabs.
The competition is part of NSA Highland Sheep 2019 which takes place at Sibmister Farm, Thurso, Caithness, on Wednesday, 12 June.
The organisers said that participants would be required to carry out five of six tasks – prime lamb selection, shearing two sheep, ATV handling, sheepdog handling, demonstrate knowledge of foot care techniques (compulsory) and answer questions on flock management and health (compulsory).
The competition is being sponsored by the British Texel Sheep Society and the winner will receive a
trophy and cash prize of £300 and will be given the opportunity of representing Scotland in the finals at the NSA Sheep Event at Malvern in July. The highest placed competitor under the age of 21 will also receive a prize of £100.
The International Sheep Dog Society is also supporting those entrants taking part in the sheep dog handling element of the competition, including a first prize of £100.
British Texel Sheep Society chief executive, John Yates, said the society was delighted to able to support a competition which
encouraged youngsters who were keen on the sector. “As the industry moves to a post-brexit era, there has never been a more important time to retain and recruit the very best young people for the UK sheep industry,” said Yates.
He added that there was a wide variety of roles suited to all levels of experience and skill in the modern sheep sector, with technology and agritech playing an increasingly important role in flock management in areas such as genetic improvement, better grassland management and data recording.