Preparations are underway for NSA Scotsheep 2024 which will take place on a large-scale family unit in East Lothian in June.
The biennial event, organised by the Scottish region of the National Sheep Association, is being hosted by the Hamilton family of Aikengall Farm, Innerwick, Dunbar, on Wednesday June 5.
Brothers James, Charles and Harry, along with their mother Vanessa, lamb 1,400 Blackface ewes on the 1,900 acres of Aikengall, of which 700 are bred pure and the remainder crossed to the Bluefaced Leicester to produce Scotch Mules.
The operation also includes the 400-acre neighbouring unit Thurston Mains, as well as the 1,200-acre tenanted farm Nunraw, and, more recently, 600 acres at Barney Mains.
They also contract farm an upland unit of 2,000 acres near Heriot.
Together with a flock of 1,400 Scotch Mules at Nunraw, the Hamiltons are lambing some 2,800 ewes per year which they run alongside a 900-strong herd of spring-calving cows.
Virgin Money has been confirmed as the major sponsor of the event which will welcome an abundance of trade stands, seminars, workshops and working demonstrations, as well as the ever popular farm tour.
Brian Richardson, head of agriculture for Virgin Money said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to sponsor Scotsheep again, and particularly pleased to be supporting the event on the Hamilton’s host farm.
“They have been clients of the bank for more than 39 years, and their success is a perfect demonstration of well-planned business investment and management, and of course of their farming capabilities.
“What visitors will see is an excellent example of an enterprise that has stayed ahead of the changing trends in farming, and has always taken the right decisions to meet the challenges of change.
“The Hamiltons have expanded their core livestock business steadily over the past 25 years, but they have also diversified and they are meeting their carbon reduction targets on a very big scale.”
Entries are now open for the show and sale of pairs of ewe hoggs and the NSA Next Generation Shepherd of the Year competition.
Further entry details can be found on the NSA website or by contactingNSA Scotsheep organiser, Euan Emslie at euanemslie053@gmail.com.
