Sheep shearing extravaganza at NSA Scot Sheep 2016 and new supershear open challenge

A Scotland v England inter-district challenge between 10 Scottish districts and an exciting new open competition will keep sheep shearing enthusiasts enthralled at NSA Scot Sheep Wednesday 1st June this year.

The venue for this year’s event, organised by NSA Scottish Regioon, is Blythbank Estate, West Linton, Peeblesshire, courtesy of leading sheep farmers, Glenrath Farms Ltd.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has been confirmed as major sponsor of the event and the headline sponsor of the sheep shearing competitions will be animal nutrition and husbandry company, Nettex.

The new open competition for individual shearers, the NSA Scotsheep Supershear Challenge, is set to attract considerable interest with a top prize of £500. It will be open on a “first come, first served” basis to 40 individual competitors who will be required to shear one sheep. Points will be awarded for speed of the shear and quality of the fleece.

The entry fee is £10 and pre-entry is required. Entry forms and further information available from Mary Armstrong on 01555 841218.

The test match will see the Scottish team of former world champion, Aberdeenshire’s Gavin Mutch, and his close rival, Perthshire’s Hamish Mitchell, assisted by wool handler, Leeanne Bertram, combine to take on England who will be represented by international shearers, Adam Berry and Anthony Rook, and current world wool handling champion, Hilary Bond.

Last year Gavin, now based in New Zealand, became the first non-New Zealander to lift New Zealand’s coveted Golden Shears title and with Hamish, who is based in Norway, took the Golden Shears pairs award back to Scotland.

“The sheep shearing competitions will provide an exciting spectacle for visitors to NSA Scot Sheep 2016 and the test match between Scotland and England a real challenge for the two teams,” said Lance Armstrong, who is co-ordinating the various competitions.

The District Sheep Shearing Challenge, which was a highly successful innovation at the last NSA Scot Sheep in 2014, will again be run as a team relay with the two members of each team, who will be assisted by a wool handler, shearing both Mule and Blackface ewe hoggs to give them a real test.

Each team member will shear four hoggs of each breed in three heats with the top three teams with the lowest penalty points competing in the final when they will shear 20 Mules.

The following 10 districts have been invited to put forward teams – Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Borders, Fife, Stirling, Perthshire, Aberdeenshire, Peeblesshire and Lochearnhead.

Earlier in the day, Gavin and Hamish will be giving a shearing demonstration to children from local schools who will be taking part in a Uses of Wool poster competition and shearing will also feature in the competition to find Scotland’s Young Shepherd of the Year.

Additional sponsors of the various sheep shearing competitions will include AP Supplies, Agri-Lloyd, Beltex Sheep Society, Blackface Sheep Breeders Association, British Wool Marketing Board, Broughton Ales Ltd, Glenrath Farms Ltd, Lance Armstrong, Scotch Mule Association and Scottish Shearing Association.

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Issued by Agricultural Communications Ltd. Tel/Fax: 01330 811616. Mob: 07772 329159.

E-mail: [email protected]

April 6, 2016