Beltex enjoys growth in South West showing classes

The Beltex Sheep Society is enjoying continued growth in its South West showing classes, with numbers rising year on year.

Following successes at both the Devon County Show and the Royal Bath & West Show, the Society is looking forward to record entries at the Royal Cornwall Show this week. "The breed won the carcass competition at the Devon County Show, and took the reserve championship in the Any Other Continental Breed class at the Royal Bath & West Show," says Louise Moorhouse, South West club secretary.

"We have driven really hard to get our own classes so that we can show the breed off to both farmers and the public – and we have had a lot of interest as numbers increase. We are also getting a lot of new, young exhibitors coming through, which is really great to see."

The Society is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and is holding its national Annual General Meeting in Exeter in October, with a weekend of activities open to members and non-members alike. It is also holding sales at Exeter on 18 August, and at Sedgemoor in September, and will have a stand at the National Sheep Association’s South Sheep Show in Hampshire next week (16 June).

Initially used by farmers in the North of England, the breed has taken off in the South West over the past five years, with strong demand from pedigree breeders and commercial farmers alike. "Farmers are increasingly seeing the benefits of keeping top quality, commercial sheep," says Miss Moorhouse. "Rams are fetching quite a premium now, and butchers are also keen to secure Beltex carcasses.

"If anyone wants to know more about the breed please do come and find us in the sheep lines at the Royal Cornwall Show, or at our stand at South Sheep next week."