NSA North Sheep 2013 seminar programme announced

North Sheep, the National Sheep Association’s northern biennial one-day event, is not just about showing, competitions and demonstrations - it also acts as a vital industry forum. With farming facing many important changes, this year’s seminar programme has been designed to look in detail at these challenges and opportunities.

If you are a farmer, breeder or shepherd, or otherwise involved in the sheep sector as a supplier or manufacturer, NSA North Sheep’s seminars will provide opportunities to find out and reflect on CAP reform, health and nutrition issues, opportunities for Young Entrants and updates by BWMB and NSA.

NSA North Sheep 2013 will be held on Wednesday 5^th June in North Yorkshire at Crimple Head Farm, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate. 

Seminar sponsor Rumenco will take the lead with a session on Matching bought-in nutrition with your farms' own resources. This will be delivered by the company’s Technical Manager, David Thornton, who has been with Rumenco for 28 years. He is a respected nutritionist and has helped many beef, dairy and sheep producers maximise the value of home grown forages through cost-effective supplementary feeding of his company’s products.

Rumenco specialises in feed supplements, minerals and nutritional products for dairy, beef, sheep livestock and equine and has been helping livestock farmers for over 40 years to maximise animal performance from home grown feeds. It has a reputation for nutritional products that are well known throughout the UK and Eire.

With an update for UK sheep producers and a look at the work of the British Wool Marketing Board entitled Your Board 2013, will be Malcolm Corbett, Chairman of the BWMB. Malcolm farms at Dykehead, Rochester, Northumberland, and was elected board member for the English Northern Region in 2009. He is well known to livestock producers as Vice Chairman of the NFU’s Livestock Board. His hill farm stands at 1,200ft in Redesdale and carries 650 ewes comprising Texel cross Lleyns and pure Lleyns.

To underline NSA North Sheep’s commitment to young farmers there will also be a seminar dedicated to Opportunities for Young Entrants. This will be led by Liz Philip, Principal of Askham Bryan College, and Josh Metcalfe, potential new entrant. The Chairman will be Tim Sedgewick, young farmer and graduate surveyor for H&H Land & Property. They will be supported by practical activities at the event to which 12 local schools have been invited.

A high-powered seminar on Sustainable Farming and CAP reform in the Uplands will feature contributions from Will Cockbain of Natural England; Andrew Jamieson, Agricultural Advisor for H&H Land & Property; Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive; and Rob Macklin, National Trust Head of Food and Farming. This key session will be chaired by John Geldard, NSA Chairman. All have different perspectives on a vital topic and John, who farms Low Foulshaw, Levens, Kendal, based on traditional added-value livestock enterprises, is well equipped to chair the session.

Finally in the ambitious programme will be Sheep Health Issues - Fluke, Schmallenberg and the Stamp Out Scab campaign. This will feature Dr Fiona Lovatt, Consultant Vet Surgeon with Castle Veterinary Surgeons at Barnard Castle.

NSA North Sheep Organiser Julie Sedgewick says: “We are extremely proud of our sheep industry, its efficiency and ability to produce world class lamb. Seminars give everyone involved a chance to hear what’s going on beyond the farm boundary and reflect on change and opportunity. This year will be very much focusing on the way ahead for the British sheep industry here in the North and how farmers can improve both their business efficiencies and maximise opportunities for the younger generation.”

With this firm focus on the future of the sheep sector, NSA North Sheep is aiming to build on its successful 2011 Northumberland event, which attracted over 7,000 farming visitors and 230 trade stands from across the UK. Organisers are already reporting a record number of applications for 2013.

Julie adds: “We are delighted NSA North Sheep 2013 will be held in one of the UK’s most important sheep producing regions. Our one-day programme will present visitors with a wealth of information, ideas, and an unforgettable day.”

North Sheep will also feature a comprehensive stockjudging competition, sponsored by Carrs Billington and Shearwell Data. Visitors will also have the chance to take a farm tour sponsored by Ripon Farm Services and Portequip Ltd. While on the tour, they will even get the chance to try some real ale from Black Sheep Brewery, Masham, pork pies from Kendalls Butchers and flapjacks from Park View Bakery, both in nearby Pateley Bridge.

Keen foodies will also be able to enjoy the Farmers Market organised by the Northern Dales Farmers Market. And back by popular demand, amateur chefs will take part in the event’s own Ready Steady Cook competition sponsored by CCM Auctions and featuring prime local lamb, which will be selected and purchased at CCM auctions.

An extensive trade show will include displays from a record breaking 40 sheep breed societies. It will be an opportunity to meet representatives from auction marts, nutrition companies, vets and suppliers of agricultural products and services.

The NSA North Sheep Organising Committee has also arranged a comprehensive array of practical activities including a dry stone walling demonstration by Phil Dolphin, a crook making display by the Harrogate Stick Making Guild and a spinning, weaving and felting display by Bowland and Craven Spinning Guild.

The importance of the event is underlined by the enormous level of national and local support it has attracted including major  sponsor Novartis Animal Health, and mainline sponsors Yorkshire Water, British Wool Marketing Board, Campaign for Wool, Caltech Crystalyx, Craven Cattle Marts, Eblex, MSD, Scotmin Nutrition and Shearwell Data Ltd.

The event is being held at Crimple Head by kind permission of J.M. Wilson and Sons, involving three generations of the family. The 1,000-acre farm on the outskirts of Harrogate runs its own flocks of 1,000 horned Dalesbred ewes and 300 Masham and Mule ewes. The Wilson family are very keen supporters of the National Sheep Association and the sheep industry and David Wilson is himself Chairman of the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders’ Association.

For further information on seminars, classes, trade stands and sponsorships  at NSA North Sheep 2013 please contact Event Organiser Julie Sedgewick on  07836 773888 or visit www.northsheep.org.uk.