News

Press Release - NORTH YORK MOORS QUALITY SHEEP ASSOCIATION

1st October 2002

Stokesley, Tuesday 1 October 2002

Northallerton Auctions Ltd held their annual show and sale of horned breeding sheep at Stokesley. The show was judged by Mr Chris Metcalfe, Bransdale who awarded first prize for ten uncrossed swale ewes to Mr Stuart Wood, High Wethercote Farm, Bilsdale which later went on to sell for £47 apiece to Geoff Featherstone of Wilton near Pickering. Other prices for uncrossed swale ewes: 47, 42 High Wethercote, 38 Billerea, 34-50 Piethorne, 28 Ryehill.

Awarded for the first prize pen of uncrossed Swaledale ewes belonging to a member of the North York Moors Quality Sheep Association, the Moorland Association Rosebowl trophy was presented on behalf of moor owners by George Winn-Darley who commented:

“The Moorland Association is delighted to present this trophy to the best pen of swaledale ewes which have been grazed on the North York Moors. The promotion and management of quality sheep is essential for healthy heather moorland and helps ensure the maintenance of this valuable habitat, 40% of which has been lost in the UK since World War Two. We hope this trophy now in it’s fourth year will help reward the best managed flocks”.


General Notes
The photo shows George Winn-Darley presenting the trophy to Stuart Wood, High Wethercote. Looking on is auctioneer Steven Aitkin and judge Chris Metcalfe of Bransdale.


The Moorland Association donated the Rosebowl to the Quality Sheep Association in
1997 to encourage the production of quality stock on the moors. It also aims to foster
the partnership that has developed between farmers, landowners and gamekeepers as a
result of the £2.8m MAFF/EU Obejctive 5b funded Moorland Regeneration
Programme which ran from 1995-2001 which was administered by the National
Park Authority.

The Quality Sheep Association was set up in 1997 with the aim of promoting breeding sheep from the North York Moors.