Competitors ready for top UK sheep sector event

The flagship event of the National Sheep Association (NSA), NSA Sheep Event, will return to the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire this July, with tickets now available to purchase online.

Taking place on Wednesday 27^th July for the first time since 2018, the usually biennial event offers sheep farmers the opportunity to meet with sector specific commercial companies, breed societies and industry groups as well as finding out about the latest innovations and products available to them. Sheep farmers can also strengthen their technical knowledge by attending seminars and workshops that are run throughout the day with some leading names from the UK sheep industry.

A popular feature of the event will once again be a series of competitions providing entertainment for visitors and allowing those attending to get involved to show off their shepherding skills in a number of ways.

New for 2022, NSA is excited to launch a competition giving attendees chance to share their innovative on-farm ideas in the NSA Inventions competition. Open to both commercial companies and farmer visitors to the event, the competition, which is sponsored by Rappa, has two classes both offering the chance to win. Trade exhibitors can enter new products or equipment launched in the past four years whilst day visitors can bring along a piece of equipment or an explanation of a tip (that has cost no more than £200 to design/produce) to be displayed at the event for a chance to win prize money of up to £125.

The Tornado Fencing competition will also take place at NSA Sheep Event 2022. The contest, open to teams of professional fencing contractors gives visitors opportunity to see the teams pit their skills against their fellow competitors and demonstrate the advantage of good quality fence erection on farm.

 Another regular competition found at the event is the Fleece competition. NSA will be joined by an expert grader from British Wool to judge fleeces brought along by visitors on the day of the event hoping to win prize money for the quality of the wool they add to the display.

And once again NSA Sheep Event will play host to the exciting finals of the NSA Next Generation Shepherd of the Year competition, sponsored by the Texel Sheep Society. Having qualified from regional heats across the UK, up to 18 skilled young sheep farmers will compete in a series of common shepherding tasks demonstrating why the future of the UK sheep sector is in safe hands. Successful competitors will take home a slice of the impressive £2000 prize pot. Young sheep farmers will also be able to enter the National Federation of Young Farmers (NFYFC) team shearing competition, sponsored by Lister Shearing Equipment Limited & Timac Agro UK through their local club.

With more competitions to be run on the day including a chance to win prizes from the event’s major sponsors in a lucky ‘sheep’ dip and a carcase classification contest, visitors have even more good reasons to enjoy NSA Sheep Event this summer.

All information and entry forms for this year’s event open competitions can be found on the NSA Sheep Event website www.sheepevent.org.uk.

The website also details information on advanced tickets, that can now be purchased with a 20% online discount.

NSA members can enter the event free of charge. Individuals can find out more about NSA membership online with lots of time to sign up to claim their free entry before the event this year.

NSA Sheep 2022 is supported by Major sponsors Agri-Lloyd, AHDB Beef & Lamb, Barclays, Elanco, MSD Animal Health and Shearwell. For more information on these and other event sponsors visit go.nationalsheep.org.uk/eventsponsors.