pennymuir show 2011

The week after Bellingham Show Shep headed north and trotted off for an hour or two at Pennymuir Show. Just over the border it has been long recognised as one of THE sheep shows. A tiny little show, smaller even than Falstone but one which is well supported by those who enjoy showing sheep.

There are classes for South Country Cheviots, North Country Cheviots, Scotch Blackfaces and an 'any variety' sheep class as well as young handlers classes. The usual industrial and produce classes and also dogs and hounds. A true traditional hill mans show.

All classes of sheep were of a high quality and good numbers of entries per class. The above is the South Country Cheviot ewe class (or was it the gimmer class?)Oops! lack of concentration there!

The judge has finally chosen the five he likes the look of the best and commences handling them, checking mouths, wool, conformation before making his final decision.

The blackface classes were also fiercely contested as in fact were all the classes, there were huge entries for the north country (hill type) cheviots but I didn't watch them being judged, can't be everywhere at once y'know.

The young handlers classes were the highlight of the show, these kids are the future of farming, they hold the destination of our sheep shows in their hands and it was great to see so many youngsters enjoying themselves. Not just the youngsters but the Dads seemed to be having a jolly time as well.

For once it wasn't necessarily going to be the sheep which won the prize tickets but the person handling the sheep. The judge was meticulous, speaking to each handler in turn, giving them all encouragement in their task. The young lass handling the leicester in this photo was the winner but by rights all the kids were winners on the day, their faces glowing with pride as they clung onto their sheep, enjoying the moment and hopefully heading home inspired and looking forward to the next time they can show sheep.

The future of farming in the form of these little ones were out in force, it was a great sight to see and a grand way to round off my day as I needed to head back south and attend local events. I didn't manage a full day at Pennymuir Show but I thoroughly enjoyed viewing a tremendous show of sheep, had a good crack with a few I knew and many I didn't and travelled home with a feeling of relief that hopefully I had seen a glimpse of the future of hill farming in that area.

Check out this other posting for the show http://johnm55.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/pennymuir-show/ and the local newspaper report here http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/community/farming/hownam_success_at_pennymuir_1_1831379