Wine and Wisdom evening open to all

The annual Romney Sheep Breeders Association is hosting it’s annual Wine and Wisdom evening at Ashford Market on Friday 27 February, with the evening open to everyone.

Teams of eight can enter on the day, with tickets costing £10/head with a light supper of pate and cheese as well as wine and soft drinks included in the price. For more details see the advert below.

Romney rams hit £700 at Ashford

Romney ram trade at Ashford on Friday (3 October) hit a high of £700 when Stewart Wood, Sittingbourne, bought the pick of Andrew and Alan Barr’s pen from their Pivington flock.

Following that at £560 was the pre-sale show champion from Gordon Wimble, with this shearling selling to Colin Balcombe and family. Close behind was another heading home with the Balcombe’s with this being another of Gordon Wimble’s shearlings.

Making £500 was the reserve champion from Hugh and Pauline Skinner, with this shearling selling to Langrish Farmers, Beckley.

Then at £440 was another from the Skinners’ Aragon flock, with this shearling selling to L Wheeler and Sons, while a pair sold at £400. Taking the first bid at this level was another from the Aragon entry, with this selling to R H Baker and Son, while the next in from the same home made the same money when taken by Messrs Horne and Son, Westwell.

Three then made £400, with the first of these an Aragon shearling from the first run. This one sold to Messrs Boyles. Second at this level was A Pivington shearling from the Barrs. The final £400 bid came for an Aragon shearling which was bought by Messrs Wheeler.

Large entry for Romney Day

The annual Romney day show and sale of Romney Sheep at Ashford Market has once again attracted a strong entry of pedigree rams and commercial ewes and ewe lambs.

More than 4200 sheep are catalogued in total with some 50 pedigree rams entered from many of the breed’s leading flocks.

The sale takes place at Ashford Market on Friday 3 October.

A ful catalogue can be seen by clicking here

RSBA AGM set for 21 May

This year’s Romney Sheep Breeders Association AGM will be held on Wednesday 21 May at 8pm in the Orchard Room of the Conningbrook Hotel, Ashford, Kent, TN24 9QR. All members and potential members are welcome to attend the AGM the agenda for which will be circulated to all members ahead of the meeting.

Study trip to Scotland

The Society is organising a short study trip to Scotland in mid-June to visit commercial Romney flocks in southern Scotland.Flock visits are still being confirmed, but the Society anticipates it being an interesting and stimulating few days with the chance to see Romneys being farmed commercially in large numbers in some diverse environments.For more information and to book places please contact the secretary.

Pickneybush lambs win Society carcass competition

Lambs from the Pickneybush flock of Society chairman Helen Langrish took the top spots in both the singles and pairs class at the recent Society carcass competition held at Anglo Dutch Meats, Charing. Congratulations to the Langrish family and all the other competitors who put on a tremendous show of carcasses for our judge Richard Scott.

Flock competition well supported

The Society’s annual flock competition was once again well supported this year, with strong competition in both the pedigree and commercial classes. Society president Elwyn Davies took on the task of judging and congratulated all entrants on the high quality of the sheep presented.In the small flocks class of the pedigree section the winners were Pip and Martin Holgate, with Hugh and Pauline Skinner winning the large pedigree flock class. Second in the large flocks was the Barr family, with the Bouldens third.The commercial class was won by Helen Langrish, with second going to A R Dunlop and third taken by Les Ramsden.

Judge Elwyn Davies said the flocks were a credit to the entrants and demonstrated the versatility and adaptability of the breed. “In both the commercial and pedigree sections it was very apparent the quite different systems being adopted, varying from low cost extensive systems to higher input systems, were working well for the individual concerned.

“The breed has many favourable and well known characterisitics which are very adaptable to a variety of workable systems. These inherent qualities, the careful use of New Zealand bloodlines and their strength, together with the increased use of performance recording, mean the future for the Romney breed is undoubtedly in good health.”

Hugh and Pauline Skinner’s champion sold at £500

Romneys hit £625 at Ashford

Romney ram trade at Ashford on 4 October was led by tups from Hugh and Pauline Skinner’s Aragon flock, Sissinghurst, with the top three prices paid for Aragon shearlings.Taking the best price of the day at £625 was the first prize winner from the best wool class, with this one selling to Andrew Barr and family for their Pivington flock, Lenham.

A pair from Aragon then sold at £500 apiece, with the first selling to Langrish Farmers, Beckley, Rye, and the other, the champion from the pre-sale show, selling to Colin Balcombe, Lydd.Making £440 was another heading to Lydd with Mr Balcombe, this one came from Gordon Wimble’s Norwood flock, Bilsington.

Also at this price was one from the Skinners, with this one having been in the first prize pen of three.Then selling at £420 was another Aragon shearling, this time joining Stuart Wood, Faversham. And a £400 bid secured the best of the day from the Barr family’s Pivington pen, with this shearling selling to Messrs Wheeler.

Kent Show 2013

Judge Gordon Wimble, Bilsington, Kent

Osmond Horne Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the best Romney – Julie Murray Reserve – Horne and Son

Ashford Jubilee Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best Romney ram – J Murray Reserve – M Murray

Alfred Day Challenge Cup for the best novice Romney exhibitor – M Murray

Samuel Lyle Trophy for the best Romney pair – Horne and Son Reserve – J Murray

Redland Aggregate Perpetual Challenge Bowl for the exhibitor with the most points – J Murray Reserve – M Murray

David Roberts Memorial Trophy for the best group of three  animals – J Murray

Class Winners.

Ram, two shear or upwards, either shorn or in wool – J Murray

Shorn yearling ram – J Murray

Pair of yearling ewes, either shorn or in wool – Horne and Son

Ram lamb – M MurrayEwe lamb – M Murray

Group of three – A Barr

Ashford Sale report 2012

Taking the top price at the 2012 Romney Sheep Breeders Association sale at Ashford in October  was the champion ram from the pre-sale show from Gordon Wimble. This shearling ram from the Norwood flock was secured by Colin Balcomb and family at £1200.The day’s second best price of £700 went to the Norwood flock too, with this shearling tup selling to breed chairman Helen Langrish.

And making £520 was another of Gordon Wimble’s rams which sold to the Boulden family, Aldington.A pair then sold at £500, with both coming from Andrew Barr and family’s Pivington flock the first of these sold to Stewart Wood, with the other bought by the Bouldens.Selling for £480 was the best of the day from Hugh and Pauline Skinner’s Aragon flock, while making £460 was another from Gordon Wimble which sold to Messrs Prior.Another from the Pivington flock of Messrs Barr sold at £440 to the Bouldens, with another from the same home making the same price when selling to Messrs Chandler and Dunn.  Overall 61 shearling rams levelled at £314.

Demand was also strong in the commercial Romney females on offer, with ewe tegs meeting a strong trade with averages improving by £20 a head on last year to £123.03 and the top pen making £151 for N A Balcomb and SonsEwe lambs were not the quality of some years, but from last year’s prices the average still moved up by £8 to £66.39 with the top pens to £77 and £75.50Demand was very strong for young breeding ewes with one lambers to £116, £104 for three lambers and good three and four lambers to £86.50. (Hobbs Parker).

Kent Show 2012

Osmond Horne Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the best Romney – G Horne Reserve – H Langrish

Ashford Jubilee Perpetual Challenge Cup for the best Romney ram – G Horne Reserve – G Horne

Alfred Day Challenge Cup for the best novice Romney exhibitor – M Murray 

Samuel Lyle Trophy for the best Romney pair – H Langrish Reserve – G Horne.

Redland Aggregate Perpetual Challenge Bowl for the exhibitor with the most points – G Horne Reserve – A Barr

David Roberts Memorial Trophy for the best group of three  animals – A Barr Reserve – G Horne.

Class Winners.

Ram, two shear or upwards, either shorn or in wool -G Horne and Son

Shorn yearling ram – Horne and Son.Pair of yearling ewes, either shorn or in wool -H Langrish

Ram lamb – H LangrishEwe lamb – H Langrish

Group of three – A Barr