DORSET HORN & POLL DORSET SHEEP BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION March 2017
D O R S E T Champion Male Exhibit and BestCham Group of Three Rams, May Fair 2016 Fooks Bros. Poorton X843, X889 and X895
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May Fair is just around the corner and the 2nd and 3rd May will soon be upon us.
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There is no better opportunity for pedigree and commercial breeders to see what the countries breeders have on offer.
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It also offers potential new breeders the chance to meet members of our friendly Association.
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MAY FAIR EXETER LIVESTOCK MARKET
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SHOW DAY – TUESDAY, 2ND MAY SALE DAY – WEDNESDAY, 3RD MAY ENTRIES CLOSE TUESDAY, 4TH APRIL AT 12 NOON PROMPT 1
COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, 22nd FEBRUARY, 2017 May Fair See Separate Items on Page 3. Early Notice of 2017 Annual General Meeting Please see details on Page 4. Further details and the dinner menus will be sent out later in the year. 2017 Flock Competition Graham Cubitt and a co-judge of his choice will be the 2017 Flock competition judges.
Applications for Membership The following new applications for membership were accepted: Messrs. A Barr & R Armour, Northern Ireland Messrs. R Bowles & E Jess, Northern Ireland Mrs S Christie, Northern Ireland Mr T Cleator, Isle of Man Mr & Mrs E Devlin, Wales Mr J Duggan, County Meath, Ireland Mr R Fitton, Lancashire Mr A Hill, Devon Master W Hopper, Devon Mr & Mrs K Hughes, Northern Ireland Mr R Irvine, Northern Ireland Messsrs. C & J McGrath, Donegal, Ireland Messrs. S Morgan & Miss A Wright, Shropshire Mrs K Widger, Devon Mr J Wilkins, Gloucestershire
Associate Membership Mr D Dibble, Somerset Mr & Mrs P Hutton, Devon
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Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix: Prefix:
Dunlop Slate Farm Drumgane Sartfield Tan Y Ceiri Bellewstown Dynamite Susannah Farm Gogwell Kirkistown Drumbadmore Collarrock Dakota Bickaton Cattle Country
MAY FAIR 2017 MAY FAIR ENTRY FORMS May Fair entry forms are now being sent out, but only to those breeders that have entered May Fair in the past five or six years. They will also be sent to those of you I have an e-mail address for. The entry forms will be available to download from the Website, but if you require entry forms to be sent to you please let me know as soon as possible. ENTRIES CLOSE ON TUESDAY, 4TH APRIL AT 12 NOON. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.
FEMALES FOR MAY FAIR, 2017 PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IN ORDER TO BE SOLD AS REGISTERED ALL EWES (YEAR LETTER “P” “S”, “T”, “U” & “W”), SHEARLING EWES (YEAR LETTER “X”) AND EWE LAMBS (YEAR LETTER “Z”) MUST BE REGISTERED BEFORE THE SALE AND REGISTRATION FORMS MUST BE SENT WITH ENTRY FORMS IF NOT ALREADY REGISTERED IN ORDER FOR CERTIFICATES TO BE PRODUCED BEFORE THE SALE. THESE CERTIFICATES MUST ACCOMPANY THE SHEEP TO THE SALE AND BE BATCHED ACCORDING TO LOT NUMBERS, AND HANDED IN ON ARRIVAL TO THE BREED SECRETARY WHO WILL BE IN THE MARKET OFFICE.
SIGNET CLASSES (Female & Male) These classes will no longer be worked out on points and showing results, but will now be judged as per a normal show class. However, on entering the ring entries will be lined up according to index. Winners of both the classes will be eligible for their respective championship. Rams or females entered in these classes will not be allowed to enter any other class, apart from the Progeny class.
MONDAY NIGHT ARRIVALS FOR MAY FAIR Any vendors wishing to arrive for May Fair on the Monday evening MUST ring Russell Steer after 6 p.m. on the Monday, on 01392 251261 to ascertain exactly what time they may be allowed to gain entry, BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE THAT ACCESS WILL BE ALLOWED, AND IT IS ENTIRELY AT THE VENDORS OWN RISK. 3
2017 AGM DETAILS Confirmed dates - Friday 10th to Sunday 12th November 2017. AGM to be held on Saturday, 11th November. Accommodation: The AGM base will be at the Eight Acres Hotel, Morrison Road, Elgin, IV30 6UL. It has a mixture of single, double and twin rooms available and there is a hold on the following rooms:
10 Twin
20 Double (4-6 can be converted into Twins)
18 Singles
We have negotiated a rate with them, which is far better than their standard rate (and beats any of the discount websites by a long way). The rates are as follows: Double or Twin - £40.00 per person per night for bed and breakfast. Single - £45.00 per person per night for bed and breakfast An additional night (Sunday 12th) is available at the same rate if people want to extend their stay. This rate will be available to all parties who book their rooms prior to 31st March 2017 and they are only required to pay a deposit of £10.00 per person to secure their stay. There are full Leisure Club facilities including a swimming pool. The Thursday night room rate will be £45 per person for a double/twin and £67 for a single. If you wish to book accommodation, please contact the hotel direct on: 01343 543077. The Dinner on the Saturday night will be three courses with three options for each course and the price will be £17.00 per head. This will be added as a supplement to the Saturday night room rate. For those not staying at the hotel that wish to attend the dinner, the cost will be £27.00 per head. At the Dinner there will be an after dinner speaker and some local musicians. This will compliment the prize giving and auction/raffle. The Farm visit will be to Plewlands Farm, Duffus, Elgin by kind permission of Smallburn Farms Ltd (Dean and Andrew Anderson). 4
They have a flock of 250 pure bred Poll Dorsets, a commercial flock of continental sheep, a suckler herd including Commercial show calf production, Wagyu, pedigree Beef Shorthorns and a selection of other beef bulls. They also have egg and poultry production units. Following the farm visit their will be a visit to two Whiskey Distilleries - Glen Moray and Benroamach (TBC). There is the possibility of a visit to Johnstones of Elgin Woolen Mill (producers of high end woollen and cashmere products) on the Sunday morning but this is provisional. Flights can be made to Inverness or Aberdeen and arrangements will be made for buses to collect members from the airports. (further details on this will follow later in the year). There is also a train link from the airports to Elgin. As per normal, members will be asked to contribute towards the bus travel.
The Cornella Cup This cup and a bursary of £100 (to help the winner towards expenses to attend the AGM) is awarded annually in memory of the late David Mathews, Greenfield Farm, Treoes, Bridgend ( passed President of the Society), by his wife Mrs Liz Mathews to the most “enterprising young breeder” in recognition of all that David did in encouraging young breeders in developing their interest in the Dorset breed. Council are now inviting nominations from members with an explanation of why the nominee is being put forward, by the June Council meeting to be held on Wednesday, 28th June, 2017, so that the winner can be invited to the Annual General Meeting in Scotland on 11th November, 2017, where the award will be presented. “If you are young and keen in the Breed”, then why not give it a go – nothing to loose but a lot to gain !
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Performance Recorded Rams and Ewes Annual Selection Day and then Sale Sedgemoor Auction Centre Saturday 8th April High Index stock Rams in top 50% of Terminal and Maternal Index “Ready to work at 55Kgs” Catalogues – call 01278 410278
DORSET HORN & POLL DORSET SHEEP BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION DISCLAIMER
Agriculture House Acland Road Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1EF Tel/Fax : 01305 262126 e-mail: dorsetsheep@xlnmail.com www.dorsetsheep.org.uk
The Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeders’ Association produce this newsletter in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies contained therein.
Secretary: Marguerite Cowley
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2017 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Early March Monday, 13th March
May Fair entry forms sent out (by post to those that have sold over the past 5 or 6 years – by e-mail to other members that I have an e-mail address for) 4th Annual NI Spring Ram Show & Sale
Tuesday, 4th April
May Fair entries close at 12 Noon prompt
Saturday, 8th April
Centurion Sale at Sedgemoor
Tuesday, 2nd & Wednesday, 3rd May Middle May
May Fair, Exeter, Livestock Market
Middle May Tuesday, 16th May
Worcester Show & Sale entry forms sent out. (by post to those that have sold over the past 5 or 6 years – by e-mail to other members that have an e-mail address). Welsh Sheep, Talybont-on-Usk, Brecon Powys
Wednesday, 31st May
Highland Sheep, Ross-Shire
Wednesday, 7th June
North Sheep, County Durham
Tuesday, 20th June
Sheep South West, Tiverton, Devon
Saturday, 24th June Friday, 9th June
Llandovery Show & Sale For details contact: Clee, Tomkinson & Francis Tel: 01550 720440 e-mail: Llandovery@ctf-uk.com Worcester entries close at 12 Noon prompt
Friday, 30th June
Flock Competition entries close
Monday, 3rd July
NSA Sheep NI Event
Saturday, 8th July
Worcester Show & Sale, Worcester Livestock Market
Monday, 31st July
45th NI Annual Premier Export Show & Sale For details contact: William Carson 07841 746705 e-mail: downkillybegsdorsets@gmail.com 6th Annual Hilltown EU Export Show & Sale For details contact: William Carson 07841 746705 e-mail: downkillybegsdorsets@gmail.com Gisburn Show & Sale
Friday, 11th August Saturday, 12th August Friday, 25th August Monday, 2nd October Saturday, 11th November
Flock Competition entry forms sent out
Carlisle Show & Sale, Borderway Mart, Carlisle For details contact: Heather Pritchard, Harrison & Hetherington Tel: 01228 406230 e-mail: info@borderway.com 28th NI Autumn Sale For details contact: William Carson 07841 746705 e-mail: downkillybegsdorsets@gmail.com Annual General Meeting – Eight Acres Hotel, Elgin For details contact: The Breed Secretary 01305 262126 e-mail: dorsetsheep@xlnmail.com
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