Seasons greetings to you all, hopefully you’re not too waterlogged at the moment!! It appears mother nature is not going to be as kind to us as last year, but at least the grass is still growing!

It has been a good year for members with many successes at shows and sales and i’m sure that most of you have some future stars swimming round in the fields.

The start of the Dorset year begins in Exeter at the annual May Fair Sale, the North again was well represented with many of our members making the long journey down to buy, sell and judge. Christina Johnson was placed 5th in the Signet Class with Bamburgh Frank who later sold to David Rossiter for 500gns, Sam Driver took the top price for the Northern Breeders with his Shearling selling for 650gns later in the day. Alec was busy in the Judging ring again this year being tasked with class 9, Best Pair of Shearling Rams. Many purchases made their way back up the M5, Edwin Pocock bought home the second highest priced ram of the sale, with tups and ewe’s also making their way back with Sam Driver, Helen Driver, Alec Steff and Christina Johnson.

The NSA event took place in out region this year, the Northern Dorset Breeders Club members manned the stand flying the flag high for the breed, Catherine and Brian Muncaster provided the sheep and a great day was had by all.

We have not had too many get together this year, but the ones we have had have been spectacular, especially the Irish trip, I think all of us that attended take our hats off to Alec Steff for planning such an amazing couple of days and not forgetting the Judging of the mammoth classes at the Ballymena Sale. Most members made the most of their time there too with plenty of Irish stock making its way back across the water!

This year has also seen the retirement of two of our founding members both the Bramain flock owned by our President David Eglin and the Hall Lane flock owned by past Chairman Edwin Pocock have been dispersed. David sold the Majority of his stock from home with others being split between Mayfair and the Carlisle Sale.

Edwin held his own dispersal sale at Sedgemoor Market just off the M5, a lot of his females made their way home with Sam, keeping some of the bloodlines alive in our area, others went to Tom Clarkes Manor Croft flock. The tups sold well, Brian and Cathryn Muncaster purchased the top price ram bringing home a high index Gortleigh ram for their Thornbank flock, Sam also purchased Ballytaggart Nijinsky.

We wish both David and Edwin a happy retirement and we are sure that you will both still be supporting our wonderful breed that you have both held close to your hearts for such a long time.

This year also saw the passing of another founder member with the sad loss of David Hullah who lost his long battle with cancer. His daughter and grandson have decided to continue the Fourways flock and we wish them every success in continuing in David’s footsteps, he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

The year finished on a high with the Society AGM being held for the first time in the North. Following the usual formalities and AGM at The Palace Hotel, Buxton we were taken on two coaches to view the Driver family’s Dorset/Lonk crosses at Ashbourne, then back to Sandy Lane Farm where Helen Driver and a band of willing helpers fed us on a Hog and Lamb Roast followed by exceedingly good cakes!

Sam had penned up a selection of his Dorsets for those missing sheep to look at over lunch!. Then we were off on the coaches again to Cheshire to see more of Sam’s Dorsets. We were shown some fabulous sheep and some very impressive sheep dog handling!

The Palace Hotel did us proud in the evening with good hot food and excellent service for the Annual Dinner. This was followed by the Flock Competition results and various awards.

The Charity Auction raised £2725 for Manchester Children’s Hospital and our thanks go to those who donated lots and also to those who generously bid for them. Lots went home to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Edwin Pocock’s retirement was short lived as he has been elected President elect for the Society, a well-deserved honour which I am sure he will carry out admirably.

The after-dinner speaker introduced as a “Derbyshire Sheep Farmer” was excellent with a dry, topical wit and very entertaining. A great day was had by all with the Drivers flying the flag high for Dorsets in the North.

The Northern AGM will be held on January 16th at 2.30pm. We will be having the meeting at Alec’s with pub supper afterwards. Please can you let me know by return if you wish attend, equally if anyone has any items they wish to be added to the agenda please also contact me as soon as possible.

We will also be holding a Judges day and grooming demonstration in the early part of next year, details to be confirmed soon. We will also be seeing the return of the interclub flock competition! So start polishing those sheep!!

It is also that time of year again when membership is due for renewal, forms are attached for you to complete and fees remain the same.

That’s it for this year! We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a successful new year!

Thank you ALL for your Support throughout 2015!