Rouge Society News
AGM 2009 report
The AGM weekend started with a visit to Mr John Smithson, Kirby Stephen, Cumbria on Saturday 3rd October in the afternoon to view the East of Eden Flock at home. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and sociable afternoon with the weather being dry. Thanks were extended to John for starting the AGM weekend with some excellent sheep to view.
The group then moved to the Kings Arms in Kirby Stephen where the serious business of the weekend took place and members were able to voice their thoughts and ideas for promotion of the breed in 2010.
Mr John Smithson has taken on a second term of office as Chairman and Mr John Watkins is to continue as Vice Chairman.
Council representatives:
- Region 3 Simon Wright had been voted on by his region earlier in the year with Mrs Debbie Siggs as deputy.
- Region 1 as a result of the voting of the members of the region Mr John Gate was elected as representative for Region 1 with Mrs Pat Imlah as deputy.
- Region 4 as a result of the voting of the members of the region Mr Moore Hamilton was elected as representative for Region 4 with Mr Michael Graham as deputy.
- Miss Elizabeth Lee will continue her term as representative for Region 2 with Mr John Watkins as deputy.
Mr John Smithson thanked Mr Michael Graham and Mrs Pat Imlah for their hard work whilst on council and hoped they would still be willing to volunteer help when needed.
Mr John Smithson reported that the show flock for 2008 was Mr David Jane of the Broadwood Flock with Mr Percy Tait of the Knighton flock in reserve place.
Photo of David Jane receiving the Rouge Sheep Society Show Flock Award from Chairman John Smithson
A crystal goblet was awarded Graham and Knox for the most points at the Royal Ulster show. A crystal goblet was awarded to Mr David Jane for the most points at the Royal Highland show. A crystal goblet was awarded to Mr Percy Tait for the most points at the Royal Show and the Royal Welsh Show.
Photos of David Jane and George Knox receiving their awards from Chairman John Smithson
Hororary Life President
Mr John Smithson announced that the Society had never had occasion to present this award and felt privileged to be able to do so. John Watkins put forward the nomination and Mr Simon Wright gave a brief resume of the life and times with rouge sheep for the nominee Mr David Jane of the Broadwood flock.
Mr David Jane stated he was delighted and honoured to receive such an award.
Photo of David Jane receiving his award from Chairman John Smithson.
Sunday morning 4th October saw a trail of cars leading across the hills out of Cumbria to visit Jeff and Sue Wilkinson, at Barningham, Richmond, Yorkshire.
This started with a tour of the flock at home in lush pastures and then a sheep dressing demonstration with a ewe kindly loaned by John Smithson and dressed by Stephen Doddsworth and Ian Teasdale. A paper is to be put together for those members that were unable to attend this very interesting demonstration it showed just how much time needs to be spent to present the sheep at shows and sales.
The dressed ewe – ready to show
Jeff and Sue had kindly arranged a sheep judging competition as well, the judge being Mr Michael Graham. Everyone was urged to have a go and the lambs looked really well. The winner on the day was Mr John Smithson.
John Smithson receiving the sheep judging prize from Sue Wilkinson
Thanks were extended Jeff and Sue Wilkinson for the fantastic day in Yorkshire and for their kind hospitality. John Smithson thanked everyone that had attended the AGM weekend and it is hoped to make a social weekend of the AGM in 2010.
Dungannon Sale 7th August 2009
The sale was topped at 480gns for a recorded ram lamb from the Tullyvallen flock of A J Graham from Co Antrim and was sold to the show and sale judge Mr Simon Wright to use in his Wrights flock in Axeminster, Devon.
A J Graham also took the prize for the Best opposite sex to Champion with a shearling ewe which made £260 on the day.
Carlisle Rouge Sale 14th August 2009
Rouge breeders gathered for one of the biggest sales of Rouge sheep seen for some time at Borderway, Carlisle at the annual show and sale on behalf of the Rouge Sheep Society. This included the dispersal sale of the adult portion from the Broadwood flock for David Jane of Bridgewater.
Topping the sale at 880gns was shearling ram from David Jane, Broadwood Hunter, a substitute entry to the original catalogue. Sired by the noted Garlic Footprint ram and bred from a Broadwood Rocksolid sired mother, Hunter was sold to J Charlton & Sons of Cleator Moor, Cumbria. At 800gns was another shearling ram, this time coming from the Knighton flock of Percy Tait based in Worcester. This home bred ram, a son of Knighton E1 and out of a Happy Home bred mother, he was knocked down to SA & VL Morris of Craven Arms. Topping the Romer pen of shearlings from John Lloyd and Elizabeth Lee was a February born ram at 710gns. Romer Harchibald, a son of Elagh Action Man and out of Wrights Bountiful, has had a successful show season earlier in the year winning 4th prize at the Royal Show and is full brother to the reserve male champion at the Royal Highland Show 2008. Harchibald was successfully bought by local enthusiasts Messrs Dodd of Temple Sowerby.
The highest female price of the sale came from the Broadwood flock dispersal of ewes and gimmers for David Jane. At 500gns, David’s champion show ewe Broadwood Evita, a daughter of Carscreugh Kingpin, caught the eye of many breeders with her shear size of strength of bone. She was sold to fellow breeder James Redfern to join his Redfern flock based at Leek, Staffordshire. James continued his purchases with selecting another two sheep from the Broadwood flock, the first at 480gns and the second at 420gns. The first was a three shear ewe, Broadwood Forgetmenot, a daughter of Broadwood Dynamo and going back to the noted imported sire Bruiser on her mothers pedigree. The third purchase for Mr Redfern at 420gns was a shearling gimmer, Broadwood Hilda, sired by Red Alert and bred off a Broadwood Dynamo sired mother.
Averages – 5 aged rams £243.60, 8 shearling rams £576.19, 10 lamb rams £290.85, 16 shearling gimmers £187.69, 8 ewe lambs £190.31, Broadwood Flock: 20 ewes £224.70, 8 shearling gimmers £279.56
Flock Visit: John Smithson
In addition to the Annual General Meeting taking place on the 3rd of October, Society Chairman John Smithson has kindly organised an extra flock visit to take place, starting at 1.00pm, before the society AGM later on that day.
John looks forward to welcoming you to Skelcies Hall, Appleby Road, Kirkby Stephen CA17 4PG
Please confirm attendance with John (tel:01768 371287) or the Society office (tel:02476 541766)
22nd Annual General Meeting
The next British Rouge Society Annual General Meeting is to be held on Saturday 3rd October 2009 starting at 6.00pm at The Kings Arms, Market Street, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4QN. The Kings Arms does have accommodation available please contact tel: 01768 371378. www.kingsarmskirkbystephen.co.uk
The AGM will then be followed by a dinner and trophy presentation at 8.00pm There is a booking form at the bottom of this page. Please get this back to me by Saturday 26th September 2009. The formal AGM notice and 2008 AGM minutes are also below, with the accounts being available on the night.
This will then be followed by a flock visit, sheep dressing demonstration and socialising on the Sunday morning by kind permission of Jeff and Sue Wilkinson, Langlands Farm, Barningham, Richmond, Yorkshire DL11 7ED
UPDATE: John Smithson has kindly organised an extra flock visit to take place at his farm at 1pm before the AGM commences. Follow the link for further details.
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