NSA Sheep Event 2024 delights visitors with attractions, competitions, Defra Ministers and more

The National Sheep Association (NSA) Sheep Event 2024 drew crowds from across the UK to enjoy a fantastic day out at the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire yesterday (Tuesday 30th July).

Focussing on a sustainable future for the sector, the Association’s flagship event attracted prominent names from industry to lead seminar discussions including new Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner who joined NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker ‘in conversation’ for the NSA Breakfast Club Live.

With questions asked of the future of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), food security and the threat to upland sheep production, the seminar provided much for both the audience and the Minister himself to take away for further thought.

The event also saw the launch of a new exciting NSA report. ‘Sheep Farming and the Sustainability Agenda’ brings together evidence to demonstrate the UK sheep industry’s positive role in sustainable agriculture, identifying what more can also be done to progress the sector and further improve its credentials. The report was welcomed by another packed seminar tent with a buzz around the showground of what the report highlights for a positive farming future.

Workshops providing practical advice on issues from parasite prevention to grassland management, talks and demonstrations including a popular ‘agri-influencer’ forum and a cookery theatre were also popular features at the showcase event.

As crowds enjoyed the opportunity to speak with more than 250 agricultural trade stands to learn about the latest products and innovations to benefit their sheep farming businesses, many competitions took place around the showground, the centrepiece of these being the finals of the NSA Next Generation Shepherd of the year competition.

Having qualified at NSA regional heats, 18 competitors were put through their paces in six shepherding challenges in the contest that is sponsored by the Texel Sheep Society. Scoring the most points across the board and taking the prestigious title plus £1,000 prize money was 22-year-old Tom Garlick from Herefordshire. Tom comments: “I am really pleased to take the top prize. The competition included some very skilled fellow young farmers who I was honoured to compete alongside.”

Close behind on the scoresheet was 24-year-old Michael Hogg from Tyne & Wear in second place and 25-year-old James White from Derbyshire in third place. Taking first prize for the highest placed under 21 competitor was 20-year-old Ben Edwards from Herefordshire.

Another hard-fought contest took place at yesterday’s event as teams of fencing specialists competed in the popular Tornado Wire fencing competition requiring a section of stock fencing to be erected to a professional standard in just three hours. The winner this year was James John Agri Fencing from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

And with much focus on farm sustainability a new competition at the event rewarded three young farmers who demonstrated business planning skills for the future. Dafydd Owen from Abergele, Conwy took first place winning £400 in the NSA Next Generation ‘Future Farming Competition’ kindly sponsored by Kepak.

Further competitions also rewarded skilled sheep shearers, trade stands and the popular sheepdog demonstration and sale also took place led by auctioneers Clee, Tompkinson, Francis. A sale report will be available from them soon.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: “What a fantastic day we all had at NSA Sheep Event! Thanks go to all involved in the organisation of such a valued industry event and to the event sponsors and exhibitors who of course help to make the event an essential date in the diary of the nation’s sheep farmers.”

NSA Sheep 2024 was supported by Major sponsors AHDB Beef & Lamb, Elanco, MSD Animal Health, Rumenco and Shearwell. For more information on these and other event sponsors visit go.nationalsheep.org.uk/eventsponsors.

With the event’s future firmly set, NSA looks forward to welcoming visitors to the 2026 event, to be held once again at the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire on Tuesday 28th July 2026.

NSA Sheep Event 2024 Competition Results

Stand Competitions
Best Outdoor Stand - 1. IAE, 2. Farmsense, 3. Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd
Best Indoor Stand – 1. Oliver Seeds, 2. Pickstock Foods, 3. Shearwell Data.
Best Breed Society Stand – 1. Dorset Horn & Poll Dorset Sheep Breeders’ Association, 2. Suffolk Sheep Society, 3. Shearwell
Best Pen of Sheep – 1. Hole Farm Rams, 2. British Texel Sheep Society, 3. Welsh Mule Breeders’ Association

NSA Next Generation Shepherd of the Year
1. Tom Garlick, Herefordshire, NSA Marches Region, 2. Michael Hogg, Tyne & Wear, NSA Northern Region, 3. James White, Derbyshire, NSA Central Region, 4. Ian Armstrong, NSA Scottish Region, 5. Tilly Abbott, Suffolk, NSA Eastern Region, 6. Alexander Boyd, Co Antrim, NSA Northern Ireland Region.
Highest Placed 21 year old – Ben Edwards, NSA Marches Region

NSA Next Generation Sustainability
1. Dafydd Owen, Conwy
Runner Ups,  Ben James, Ceredigion, and Richard Seed, Carmarthen.

Tornado Wire Fencing 
1. James John Agri Fencing, Carmarthenshire, 2. HVB Fencing & Morgan Fencing, Stoke on Trent, 3. Samson Fencing, Dumfries

NFYFC Team Shearing 

1. Ben Edwards and Tom Garlick, Herefordshire
2. Sarah Dunn and Daniel James, Gloucestershire
3. Tilly Abbott and Jack Fletcher, Suffolk
4. Ben Powers, Herefordshire, and Rollo Deutsch, Warwickshire

Fleece

Class 1 – Fine (Including Down, Down Cross & Portland), 1. Miss Y Hoskins, Gloucestershire, 2. P Green, Gloucestershire.
Class 2 – Medium (Including Halfbred, Kent, Texel & Lleyn), 1. G. Boulden & Sons, Kent, 2. Horne & Son, Kent.
Class 3 – Cross (Including Masham, Mule & Greyface) 1. T Abbott, Suffolk, 2. T Abbott, Suffolk.
Class 4 – Lustre (Including Wensleydale, Lincoln, Devon, Cotswold & Bluefaced Leicester), 1. DJ Parker, Buckinghamshire, 2. G Hacking, Worcestershire.
Class 5 – Hill (Including Radnor, Improved Welsh, Cheviot, Exmoor, Gritstone & Lonk), 1. G. Hacking, Worcestershire, 2. G Hacking, Worcestershire.
Class 6 – Mountain (including Swaledale, Dalesbred, Blackface, Rough Fell & Welsh), 1. E Owen, Denbighshire, 2. E Owen, Denbighshire.
Class 7 – Natural Coloured (Including Jacob, Herdwick, & Black Welsh Mountain or any other natural coloured pure bred or cross bred fleece) 1. Miss Y Hoskins, Gloucestershire, 2. Miss Y Hoskins, Gloucestershire.
Champion Fleece – Merino cross fleece from Y Hoskins, Gloucestershire - Class 7  
Reserve Champion Fleece – Wensleydale fleece from DJ Parker, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – Class 4