Page 7 - Beltex Year Book 2024

CHAIRMANS REPORT
5
Here we are now after last year’s AGM having been elected
as Chairman to do my first year in office. It is indeed a great
honour and privilege to be Chairman of the Beltex Sheep
Society.
To start I would just like to thank Kevin Buckle for the time he
spent has my predecessor,
At the end of December Barbara retired after 10 years running
the Society and I would like to thank her on behalf of everyone
for all the work she put in.
I would also like to thank Kayley as she moves on to pastures
new, herself and Nick have taken on a new farm and are also
getting married this year.
In 2023 the lamb trade was much steadier throughout the year,
as we came into 2024 the trade escalated into all-time highs.
For farmers the length and breadth of the country this was a
welcome rise to their income but the one thing that hasn’t
changed is that Beltex-sired lambs continue to sell at a premium
with auctions and processors unable to get enough of them.
Beltex lambs are still dominating the commercial classes at all
the shows and major winter events and to all the exhibitors I
thank you personally as this is one of our main shop windows.
With the welcome rise in the lamb trade throughout the spring,
this made the premium on Beltex lambs even higher, and the
commercial lamb producers could only sit up and take note at
these premiums which again lead to the Beltex tup.
Pedigree classes at the summer shows were extremely well
supported especially the major royal shows where the Beltex
breed is fast becoming the biggest section at them all. Having
judged the Great Yorkshire show in 2023, I can only congratulate
each and every one of you for the quality of stock that you put
in front of me. Well done and thank you to all exhibitors for
making the effort and promoting our breed all over the UK.
At the Premier Carlisle Sale, shearling rams were again on fire
with an amazing clearance and the average held up well
compared to last year’s record-breaking shearling average, while
both ram lambs and shearling ewes improved on the year.
Other Society and Club sales faired very well too considering
that the numbers were up at the majority of them. Beltex were
yet again buzzing at Kelso and the back-end in-lamb sales
proved very successful with high clearances. The female
highlights of the year including Andrew Wainwright getting
12,000gns at the Premier Sale, which was matched by Alan
Miller at the Beauties. A big well done to everyone.
Facebook is still a huge hit and is no doubt one of our best forms
of promotion nowadays with over 15,000 followers and thanks
to everyone who sends content into the Society.
A big thank you to Joanne Hall for continuing as Chief Inspector
and all her helpers for carrying out their duties in their capable
manner.
Regional Clubs all over the country are a great asset to the
Society for promoting the breed in their area, the Council is keen
to work closely with all involved. Well done to everyone.
I look forward to meeting up with a lot of you through the
summer and at the sales.
That concludes my chairman’s report for this year and last by no
means least I thank you the members who make the Beltex what
it is today, the No 1 premier carcase breed.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Kenny
www.beltex.co.uk