Sheep shearing tasks made easier thanks to NSA prize giveaway

Two lucky sheep farmers are ready for this year’s shearing season thanks to the latest National Sheep Association (NSA) prize giveaway.

Throughout 2025 NSA is giving away a Lanati Astron cord-free handpiece kit each month. The prize, worth more than £450, is kindly provided by supplier of premium products to the animal industry, Rurtec Ltd.

Selected at random from the many entries already made were sheep farmers Graham Mellor from Cellarhead, Staffordshire, and Samantha Hird from Austwick, North Yorkshire.

Graham farms both pedigree Suffolk and Texel sheep to produce breeding rams in the autumn sales. He also runs a herd of suckler cows.

On winning the first of the handpieces Graham says: “I am very pleased to win. The new Lanati cord-free handpiece will benefit my sheep enterprise as it will save time as some jobs will now be able to be completed in the field instead of fetching all sheep back to the yard.”

As an NSA member, Graham first learnt about the chance to win the fantastic prize this year by reading of the competition in the NSA Weekly Email Update – an email newsletter received by NSA members as part of membership subscription benefits.

Graham has been an NSA member for more that 10 years. He comments: “I became a member of the NSA in 2013 taking over from my dad. I value the NSA for keeping us as sheep producers up to date with all things sheep related whilst promoting the sheep industry.”

Samantha Hird was amazed when she received the phone call informing her of the great news she was a winner. Samantha says: “I was looking for a new, easy to use handset and saw the NSA competition on social media so entered as it seemed to be just what I needed. I was totally surprised when I heard I had won such a brilliant prize!”

Samantha is a fourth generation farmer as well a vet nurse in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

Having previously farmed dairy cows and a commercial sheep flock Samantha now has a smaller flock of Zwartbles and Blue Texels which she enjoys showing. She is looking forward to using the prize on her sheep.

She adds: “I find clipping up for showing time consuming and difficult with my heavy corded clippers. These clippers are both lightweight (especially with the smaller battery) and easy to handle. Being cordless is an added bonus and means quick jobs like dagging should be so much easier.”

There are still ten more chances to win with NSA and Rurtec this year. Interested parties can learn more about the giveaway and enter by visiting the NSA website www.nationalsheep.org.uk/draw to enter the prize draw that is open to all UK sheep farmers over the age of 16. Both NSA members and non-members can enter, but entries are limited to one per person/email address. 

Alternatively, NSA will be welcoming entries for the competition at its NSA events taking place this summer as well as its usual stands at Balmoral Show, Northern Ireland, the Royal Highland Show, the Royal Welsh Show, and its presence at NSA Ram Sales.

It is a busy summer of activity for NSA with the return of popular NSA sheep events across the UK. NSA events offer sheep farmers a fantastic day out with NSA members receiving free or discounted entry. Visitors can enjoy NSA Welsh Sheep, NSA North Sheep, NSA Highland Sheep, NSA Sheep South West, and NSA Sheep Northern Ireland this summer. Find out more about NSA events at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events.

Further information on the Lanati Astron cord-free handpiece can be found on the Rurtec website www.rurtec.com.

Pictured below: Graham Mellor (left) and Samantha Hird (right).