On Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th June, we took an amazing team of Year 7 pupils to the Westmorland Country Fest in Kendal to be trained by RBST farmers to become Young Sheep Handlers. The pupils were completely thrown out of their comfort zone as they camped for two nights with just a cold water standpipe to drink and wash from – but they did have the luxury of a chemical loo!

Year 7 Sheep Handling Team 2023:

The pupils were worked so hard by the farmers in the full sun – they constructed animal pens, were taught how to assess the condition of sheep, how to prepare sheep for showing and were given a demonstration of shearing. They showed a wide range of rare breeds in the competition ring in front of the public at the show and they won a range of rosettes – with Megan Pitt winning 1st Prize in the Novice Sheep Handling Competition (out of 18 competitors!) and Abbie Swan won the trophy for Most Improved Sheep Handler of the weekend.