As usual the first event on the clubs calendar was the spring sale at Carlisle. Prices were generally regarded as poor though looking back, relative to the autumn sales they probably don't quite seem as bad. An average of £79 for hoggs may be distorted by many breeders not selling in what can only be described as a patchy trade.
This spring David Knowles set up the clubs own website, this has seen a steady stream of interest over the year. The club is lucky to have David's expertise in this area. Thanks have to go to him for his efforts.
The Highland show maintained its high standard of entry with 48 entries and 2 new exhibitors. Robert Johnson won overall with a shearling ewe and John Kingan taking reserve with his shearling ram.
In June and July the club had a presence at the sustainable sheep farming event in Aberdeenshire and at North sheep at Hanging Wells Co. Durham. Thank you to all who supported the club stand with time and examples of the breed.
The rest of the clubs summer programme was severely disrupted by the twin scourge of Bluetongue and Foot and mouth. After putting in a huge amount of work to host the open day in August, Derek and Cindy Stein were sadly forced to cancel the event due to disease restrictions. Thank you to them both for their efforts in what must have been very frustrating circumstances.
The inaugural sale at Thainstone started on good note with people commenting on how well organised and helpful the mart staff were. However during the sale news began to filter through about a 2 nd foot and mouth outbreak. This understandably depressed the trade severely. The clubs other sales were postponed and reorganized for later dates. However movement restrictions , a depressed prime stock trade and poor cash flow throughout, in sheep section meant that these sale were on the whole somber affairs.
In August one of the clubs most respected members John Geldard achieved the great honour of becoming the Farmers Weekly Farmer of the Year. Congratulations John on a fantastic achievement.
Looking back on 2007 it would be easy to get very low , disease low prices and more impending red tape will naturally weigh heavy on the shoulders of sheep farmers.

However as breeders and keepers of Lleyn we must remember the attributes of the breed that lends itself to harder times. The ability to thrive on grass with low concentrate inputs stands it well in a world of rising grain prices. The ability to run a closed flock delivers huge disease prevention and bio security benefits coupled with her ability to produce lambs of high stocking rates and finish them bode well for the future of the breed.
The sheep sector in general is also starting to show signs of recovery with the reopening of exports and the increased prices for finished lambs. Coupled with a decrease in New Zealand sheep production it should bode well for the future.
Coming to the end of my chairmanship I would encourage everyone to look forward to the future with optimism. Finally I would like to thank all of you but especially David Knowles and David Alexander for their unstinting work and support.