Breed Promotion News
The Campaign for Wool News & Events:
Join the Flock on Tour
The Join the Flock installtion will be on display at Farfield Mill in Sedbergh between 2 May & 10 June. The flock will then trot on up to Woolfest at Cockermouth Cumbria and will be on display on the 22-23 June.
The flock has already been on dispay at the Rheged Centre in Cumbria with almost 2500 visitors flocking to the centre during the installations 10 day residency.
Woolfest 2012
Woolfest 2012 is happening again this year at Cockermouth, Cumbria on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June. It's set to be even bigger this year with over 160 stalls to fulfill your wool and craft needs.
Continuing on the success of last year's Woolfest, Dianne Hall will be there to represent the Society and will have on display many beautiful handcrafted Jacob wool items as well as hanks of Jacob yarn, fleeces, patterns and kits for sale.
Woolfest is a celebration of natural fibres and all things wool. All aspects of wool are celebrated from hill farming and rare breed fleece animals to the latest craft techniques and creations.
Why not pop along to show your support for the Society and our woolly friends the Jacob sheep. Doors open 10.00 am each day and entrance costs £6.00 per day.
AGM Prize Winners
The Society's National AGM took place recently between the 27 & 29 April and was kindly hosted by the Southern Region this year. New post holders for positions such as Society President, Chairman and Breed Promotion Chairman were handed over at the event which was also attended by our Patron the HRH Princess Alexandra.
A great time was had by all attendees and over the weekend a few competitons were held and judged such as The Wool Cup. The results are as follows:
The Wool Cup - Winners, Southern Region
Eileen Kenney Trophy - Winner, Dianne Hall
The Pat Bromley Trophey - Winner, James Leonard of Wales
Journal Prize - Winner, Calum Smith from the Central Region
Photographic Competition:
Jacob Sheep & Animal Friends
1. Nicola Fletcher, 2. Mike Reynolds, 3. The Milners, Highly Commended, Vicki Hammond
Shepherd & Flock
1. Mike Reynolds, 2. Betty Palmer, 3. Mike Reynolds, Highly Commended, Mike Reynolds
Open Days
1. Stan Taylor, 2. Robert Locker, 3. Lesley Partridge, Highly Commended, The Milners
To view a photo slideshow of the Wool Cup & Eileen Kennedy Trophy entries, click on play button below. Well done to all of our winners and see you all at next years AGM!
Breed Promotion Committee Meeting, February 2012
A very successful Breed Promotion committee meeting was held on Saturday 11 February. The meeting was kindly hosted by Jean Simmons at her home in Staffordshire. Jean made all of the regional representatives very welcome and kept us all well-fed and fuelled up on tea and coffee. A big thank you to Jean for your hospitalty.
The committee felt that Society members may like to know about some items that are on the horizon that have come about as a result of the meeting.
Firstly, Janet East, has written a very interesting and informative article about the Jacob breed that will be published in a forthcoming edition of Smallholder magazine. Vicky Hammond will also have an article about the breed published in a forthcoming edition of Devon Life magazine. Publication dates will be updated on this page, so please check back for details.
This year again the Society will have a stand at Woolfest which will be held in Cockermouth, Cumbria on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June. Continuing on the success of last year's Woolfest, Dianne Hall will be there to represent the Society and will have on display many handcrafted items made from Jacob wool as well as hanks of Jacob yarn, fleeces, patterns and kits for sale.
Some new and exciting items are also soon to be added to the merchandising section of the website. A chic eco bag is planned which will hopefully be available in time for the annual AGM as well as variety pack of winter-themed Jacob cards.
Royal Mail have put together a sheet of six 1st class stamps featuring British farm animals and on this particular set, British sheep breeds. The Jacob is one of the six sheep breeds featured with the other five being: Welsh Mountain Badger Face, Dalesbred, Suffolk, Soay and Leicester Longwool.
The stamps are available to buy from the Royal Mail Online Shop and are available as a stamp set or as a cover with details of each breed and cancelled with a Sheepdrove, Lambourn, Hungerford postmark. The stamps will be issued on February 24.