The full article featuring our Chairman, Del Knowles, is below for you to enjoy! The issue also has the first of our sales adverts, with the dates of the Ludlow Sale and the new sale at Carlisle.    RWAS 2024 Taste Test Winners Arthur Davies (South Wales Mountain) and Brian Davies (Clun Forest) with the Judges Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society celebrates outstanding achievement in Welsh lamb competition The Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society is proud to announce that Clun Forest Lamb, entered by I.T. Davies & Son of Honddu Daw flock was named a joint winner at the prestigious Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards held in November 2024. The competition, which celebrates the finest Welsh lamb, saw the Clun Forest entry share top honours with a South Wales Mountain entry, a testament to the exceptional quality and flavour of both breeds. The Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards, held in collaboration with Cambria Training, The Culinary Association of Wales, and the Wales Culinary Team, aim to highlight the superior quality of Welsh lamb to a wider audience, encouraging chefs, businesses, and consumers to appreciate Welsh lamb as a premium product. A total of seven native Welsh lamb breeds were presented by skilled chefs, each expertly cooked and served to a distinguished panel of judges made up of experts from across the industry. The judging panel, which comprised of Dilwyn Evans, Steven Owen, Neil Finn, Rhian Goodfellow and Alwyn Watkins, evaluated the lamb entries based on tenderness, flavour, and overall culinary excellence. Despite fierce competition, Clun Forest Lamb stood out for its remarkable tenderness and rich, distinctive flavour, which impressed the judges and earned it joint first place. The decision was made following an incredibly close contest, with South Wales Mountain Lamb also earning high praise for its own superior qualities. The recognition of Clun Forest Lamb underscores the breed’s reputation for producing high-quality, delicious meat that is both tender and full of flavor, a true reflection of the care and attention to detail that our farmers invest in their flocks. “We are thrilled that Clun Forest Lamb has been recognized at such a prestigious event,” said Chairman Del Knowles from the Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society. “This award highlights the dedication of our breeders, such as I.T. Davies & Son, who continue to produce some of the finest lamb in Wales. We are proud to showcase the Clun Forest breed as a premium product that can compete on the world stage.” The Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards are a key platform for promoting Welsh lamb, and this year’s awards have once again reinforced the global reputation of Welsh lamb as a premium, high-quality product that deserves a place in kitchens around the world. For more information about the Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society or the Clun Forest breed, please visit www.clunforestsheep.org.uk  Following the Society AGM earlier this month, the Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society council met on Wednesday 27th November to ratify the nominations to serve on the council.
Del Knowles was re-elected to serve a second term as Chair with Claire Wilkins elected as the Vice-Chair. Anna Pennell has submitted her resignation to step down as a council member and we thank Anna for all her hard work over the years, especially her show ring successes and we hope she will continue be a wonderful breed ambassador supporting the breed and the Society. Paul Murray has now taken on the role of North & Scotland region representative and Craig Phillips was co-opted onto the council to represent the Midlands/ Central England region. If any member has any ideas, suggestions or questions for our office bearers or regional representatives then their contact details can be found on this website. We look forward to hearing from you. Saturday 16th November 2024 saw Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society members from across the UK gather at the Salwey Arms near Ludlow for the Society’s 99th Annual General Meeting and Prize Giving Dinner. A good turnout of over 30 members attended the AGM which was followed by the prize giving dinner with presentation of the Society’s trophies by the Society President’s wife, Celia Price of the Trewyrlod Flock. 16 awards were presented during the evening, including the coveted Gerald Vaughan Cup for Ram of the Year to P & L Murray of Inside Hype Flock, and both the The Laidlaw Prize for Female of the Year and the LT. Col. Palmer Trophy for Exhibitor of the Year, which were won by Anna Pennell of the Nipna Flock. Congratulations to all our members who have worked so hard to represent the breed throughout the year; a full list of all trophy winners is below: I.T Davies & Son – I.T Davies Cup for Best Ram Lamb at Society Sale I.T Davies & Son – Sunderland Cup for Best Aged Ram at Society Sale I.T Davies & Son – Bert Davies Cup for Best Shearling Ram at Society Sale K. Newey – J Gwilliam Cup for Best Novice Exhibit at Society Sale P. & S. Thackery – Marsh Cup for Best Clun Ram at ‘Ram Friday’ McCartneys Sale L. E. Lloyd & Sons – A E Williams Salver for Highest Average price of 3 Rams at Society Sale M. Eckley – Pen-Y-Wern Cup for Reserve Champion at Society Sale I.T. Davies & Son – R J Price Salver for Champion Ram at Society Sale G.R. Roberts & Son – Milner Morgan Cup for Best Pen of 5 of more Two Shear Ewes at Society Sale W. Longden – Chas Edwards Cup for Best Pen of 5 or more Shearling Ewes at Society Sale R.E. & C.M. Price – CFSBS Rosette for Best Pair of Ewes of Any Age at Society Sale A. Pennell – W H Bason Cup for Best Single Female of Any Age at Society Sale G.R Roberts & Son – J T Luntley Cup for Highest Price Pen of Ewes of Any Age at Society Sale P. & L. Murray – Gerald Vaughan Cup for Ram of the Year A. Pennell – The Laidlaw Prize for Female of the Year A. Pennell – The Lt. Col. Palmer Trophy for Exhibitor of the Year P. & L. Murray – The Court-LLacca Perpetual Challenge Cup for Exhibitor with the Most Points in Any Other Breed Sections Nationwide G. Williams – The Cholstry Cup – Female Champion at Royal Three Counties Show M. Eckley – CFSBS Cup for Male Champion at the Royal Welsh Show A. Pennell – The Brobury Cup for Female Champion at the Royal Welsh Show I.T. Davies & Son – RWAS Group Champion Rosette for Group Champion at the Royal Welsh Show F. Hendrie – The W.P Williams Cup for Best Novice Exhibit at the Royal Welsh Show I.T. Davies & Son – The Laidlaw Cup for Best Pair at the Royal Welsh Show F. Hendrie – The W H Sinnett Cup for Exhibitor under 25 with the Most Points at the Royal Welsh Show M. Eckley – The Easter Beltie Trophy for Champion Clun Forest at the Royal Welsh Show C. Phillips – The McCartneys, Morris & Barker Cup for Best Group at Burwarton Show E. John – The Boyne Cup for Breed Champion at Burwarton Show P. & L. Murray – The Phillips Simmons Cup for Male Champion at Great Yorkshire Show A. Pennell – The Lord Porchester Cup for Female Champion at Great Yorkshire Show R. & P. Whitticase – The F E Beaufort Cup for Best Clun Exhibit in the AOB Section at Tenbury Wells Show M. Eckley – The T R Eckley Cup for Best Clun Exhibit in the AOB Section at Felin Fach Show M. Eckley – CFSBS Cup for Best Clun Exhibit in the AOB Section at Shropshire County Show W. Handley – The C L Coxon Cup for Best Clun Exhibit at Kington Show 99th Annual sale of Clun Forest Sheep – Friday 13th September McCartneys Ludlow Friday 13th proved not to be superstitious for the Honddu flock of I. T. Davies & Son, Brecon who took the red rosette in the three male classes at the 99th Annual sale of Clun Forest sheep held at McCartneys Ludlow. Judge Mr Richard Price (Trewyrlod) found his Male Champion in the shearling ram Windsor Gruffalo exhibited by I. T. Davis & Son, bred by A Phillips, Pembrokeshire. This shearling ram was purchased privately as a lamb and several females from him have been retained by the Honddu flock. He sold for 820gns to Messrs Vernon, Staffordshire. The reserve male champion also came from the shearling ram class and was the 2nd placed ram of M. Eckley, Powys; Aber-Rheon Gethin bred by M. Davies. Top price of the sale was achieved by the renowned Sarnesfield flock of L.E. Lloyd & Son, Hereford with the Aber-Rheon Alun son Sarnesfield Gold-Dust realising 1500gns and sold to the Court-Llacca flock of M. Eckley. The second leading price belonged to the North Yorkshire based Nipna flock of A. Pennell with her shearling ram Nipna George selling at 950gns. The same flock also had success in the female ring bringing forward the Champion single female the Nipna Earl sired shearling ewe who sold for 460gns to new breeders A Collier, Lancashire. The highest female price fell to her pen-mate, a daughter of the RWAS 2018 Interbreed supreme ewe also from A Pennell selling for 560gns to F. Hendrie, Talgarth. The Champion pen of females was judged by Mr Rex Vincent and his Champion was found in the well-thought of Ludlow based Furlongs flock of G.R. Roberts & Son, they sold to 190gns with the highest priced pen of 5 2 year old ewes coming from the same flock selling at 220gns a head to G. Williams, Gwynedd. Pairs of Shearling ewes always prove popular with the Ludlow based breeder S. Thackery selling the winning pair away to 300gns a head again to A. Collier, Lancashire. Prices Shearling Ewes (singles) av. £441 Principle prices; 540gns, 440gns A. Pennell 380gns 320gns D. Knowles Shearling & Aged Ewes (pens) av. £190.24 Principle prices; 300gns, 220gns S. Thackery, 210gns, 190gns G. R. Roberts & Son Ewe lambs (singles) av. £249.37 Principle prices; 320gns, 300gns I.T. Davies & Son, 190gns D. Duggan Ewe lambs (pens) av. £138.75 Principle prices; 140gns C. Wilkins Clun Mule av. £210 Principle prices; 200gns C. J. Davies Aged Rams av. £651 Principle prices; 620gns I.T. Davies & Son Shearling Rams av. £540.75 Principle prices; 1500gns, 620gns 580gns L.E. Lloyd & Sons, 950gns A Pennell, 850gns 820gns A.E. Williams & Son, 820gns I.T. Davies & Son. Ram lambs av. £280.87 Principle prices; 330gns 300gns I. T. Davies & Son 300gns M. Eckley The Catalogue for the 2024 Show/Sale of Clun Forest Sheep can now be found on the Sales page
Entries are now OPEN for the CFSBS Sale.
The official Sale of Clun Forest Rams and Females is held in September every year at McCartneys, Ludlow and will be held on FRIDAY 13th September 2024 The entry form can be found here - entries close 7pm Friday 9th August - no late entries accepted! Please note NEW for 2024 - Lambs must be registered and registrations PAID for at time of entry. Entries will NOT be accepted without registration form - the form can be downloaded here |
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