Page 128 - Beltex Year Book 2024

126 www.beltex.co.uk
You might be forgiven for not associating Beltex sheep with
the harsh, windswept, craggy lands of the Orkney Isles, not
only are there Beltexes up here, but they positively thrive
in their environment up on this northern outpost of
Scotland.
Charles Copland and his partner in crime, Jo Higgs, run around
100 acres on the mainland, along with Charles’ mother Vera. Jo
works alongside Charles as well as working full time for QMS
assessing farmers on the island and lecturing at the local college
too.
The farm is mainly rented from the local estate along with some
owned too. Their main holding, Lenahowe, looks across the Bay
of Skaill over to the world-famous Skara Brae, a prehistoric
village older than the Pyramids, and a long while before the first
Beltex was ever even dreamed of!
Sheep form the core of their farm business, but they do run 21
suckler cattle at Lenahowe, alongside their 120 sheep. The flock
consists of 40 Cheviots, 40 mules mainly used as recipients, 15
Blue Texels which all work in alongside their main passion, the
25 head of Beltex ewes.
Charles first brought over some Beltex sheep way back in 2003
when he imported some direct from Belgium after he had seen
some at the Royal Highland show and was impressed with their
potential and foresaw the growth in popularity with the breed.
Starting out with six gimmers and two ewe lambs, which formed
the foundation to the Orkney Isle flock, with many of the sheep
going back to these original girls, he has built up quite a
reputation in the Beltex circles with the quality of their sheep,
which has seen them consistently sell strongly at the Carlisle
premier sale and do well in the showring too, even taking the
Overall Championship at the Highland in 2012 with a gimmer
shearling named Orkney Royal Duchess, which topped a tough
class of 50 Gimmers before taking the overall accolade.
In 2019 they took the Male Championship with a tup lamb
Orkney Eurostar which sold for 3000gns to the Vicky’s flock. The
Highland Show has always been a bit of a bus-mans holiday for
the family, but Charles is feels it is important to go, as it is a great
way of making sure as many people as possible get to see the
stock.
“It’s a great shop window, especially if you go on and do well
and it’s also a great social event meeting other breeders.”
BELTEX THRIVING ON
ORKNEY
BELTEX THRIVING ON ORKNEY