The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2019 - Issue 65 | Page 34

34 SEARCHLIGHT FARM OCT/NOV 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk KERRY HILLS ABOUT TO GET READY EARLIER Chris Berry talks with Anna Wilson of Searchlight Farm, Nunthorpe. WHEN Ray Wilson of Searchlight Farm, Norman & Gray Ltd. Agricultural Buildings and Groundworks Design, manufacture, painting, supply and erection of steel framed buildings. Nunthorpe near Middlesbrough asked his daughter-in-law what hopes she had for her then fledgling Kerry Hill sheep entries just prior to her first run out with them at North Yorkshire County Show in 2009 plucky Anna, wife of his son Ian, gave the kind of reply that her fellow breeders will appreciate, especially on their own first experiences. ‘I said I’d like them to stay in Yorkshire and that if they stayed on the showfield it would be a bonus. If they stayed in their pens I would be ecstatic. Anyone who has Kerry Hills will know what I mean. Their first game plan usually seems to be to get back to Wales!’ Anna had shown Texels with Ian and his parents Ray and Liz. They’d shown Texels for a number of years, but Anna fancied showing something different. ‘I’d seen some Kerry Hills and thought they looked really showy. Ian bought me a couple of ewes for my birthday and then at Christmas I got a tup. At that first show the next year we stood second in a very large group in the shearling ewe and I really was ecstatic. From then on we’ve had everything from first prizes to reserve champions. I now show at between five to seven or eight shows a year, including the Great Yorkshire Show, Malton, Aldborough & Borougbridge, Ripley, Stokesley and Westmorland and Masham Sheep Fair if I can fit them in.’ ‘I now have 15 Kerry hill breeding ewes and still have Opal my first ever ewe in 2008. She’s still going strong at 11 years old, but doesn’t breed anymore. My main tup is Harry who I bought from Colin Boocock of Freeborough Farm who tragically died earlier this year.’ ‘Harry is by my tup Ram’s Delight, so having him here I got a lot of my first breeding back. He tups all the new ladies who are not related and anything by Harry I now put to a Downwood tup from Shobden. Harry has been my biggest achievement so far. He won at every show I took him including the Great Yorkshire Show where he stood as breed champion four years ago. He was third in the inter- breed championship that year and took all the titles of native, hill and interbreed at both Egton and Stokesley.’ ‘Kerry Hills can be wild and flighty, as anyone will tell you, but they show so well. Competitive rates on: Timber Roof Sheets Rainwater Goods Steel Purlins Plastic Guttering & Fittings Gates Roller Shutter Doors Feed Barriers Steel Troughs and much more Our dedicated team has over 30 years experience *** Bespoke Innova�ve design *** Cost effec�ve *** Excellent environment with good air flow *** Installa�on *** Best on the market *** Refurbishments Pleased to be associated with Searchlight Farm Unit 1, Malton Road Business Park, Pickering, YO18 7JW Tel - 01751 472 231 Fax - 01751 474 011 Vat Reg No: 158 585171 Email: [email protected] Phillip Norman - 07974 827555 | David Gray - 07974 821894 Ellipse Fabrica�ons are proud to be associated with Ian and Anna and wish them every success Designers & manufacturers of curved roof structures for the agricultural sector “Designed by farmers, for farmers” Email: sales@ellipsefabrica�ons.co.uk Tel No. 01833 638675 www.ellipsefabrica�ons.co.uk