Fatstock Cup double for Oswestry farmer

Oswestry sheep farmer Martin Jones completed a notable silverware double at Christmas fatstock show and sales at livestock markets in Shropshire.

Mr Jones, from Lower Forest, The Racecourse, followed a  cup win at Oswestry Market by winning the silverware on offer in the Christmas Fatstock Show and Sale at Shrewsbury Auction Centre with his pen of Dutch Texel lambs.

The 44kg lambs sold for £230 each to butchers Hough & Sons of Church Stretton. Mr Jones also took the runner-up prize with a pen of 37kg lambs purchased by judge Simon Jenner of Jenner Livestock, on behalf of Pak Mecca Meats. Best single lamb sold for £210 to Berriew Butchers.

Endorsement

The winning streak completed a family double at Shrewsbury – Mr Jones’ grandson Ralph Potter won the same cup last year. “It’s an honour to win the cup and it does mean a lot to me because it’s an endorsement of the quality of my lambs,” he said.

Nearly  1,100 fat lambs went under the hammer at the market with Halls reporting a fantastic atmosphere and trade throughout the pens. Lamb salss averaged 266p/kg.

Conference tickets now on sale

Tickets are now on sale for next month’s Lincolnshire Farming Conference. The one-day event takes place on Thursday, 8 February, at the county showground. This year’s theme is Future Farming Opportunities: Biodiversity & Carbon. Conference speakers will highlight ways farmers and landowners can generate revenue from emerging nature markets.

For details, visit lincolnshireshowground.co.uk