2022 show & sale dates

The dates for the 2022 shows and sales have been added.

The Association has two official sales, held at Worcester market on Saturday 6th August and Melton Mowbray market on Saturday 10th September. The entries at both sales are subject to inspection by a veterinary surgeon and Association inspectors. Catalogues are available from the auctioneers or from the Association’s website shortly before each sale. There is normally a good selection of both rams and ewes available at these sales. Further details can be found here

One of the best ways to see some quality Oxford Down sheep and meet members of the Association is to visit a show which has Oxford Down classes. Breeders will be pleased to discuss any aspect of the breed or the Association in the sheep lines after judging. Further details of where to see Oxford classes can be found here

NEW! Interactive breeder map

We have now added an interactive Google map listing all our registered Oxford Down Breeders.

They are listed by Flock and breeder name and show accurate locations.

Contact details of breeders are available by emailing registrations@oxforddownsheep.org.uk

Second Oxford ram joins Signet RamCompare trial

Following the success of the first Oxford ram to take part in the RamCompare scheme last year, a second Oxford Down has been added to the trial this year.

In autumn 2020 an Oxford Down ram, Weeton White Walker from Ruth Steele’s Weeton flock in East Yorkshire became the first Oxford ram to join RamCompare, which is the national on-farm progeny testing scheme organised by Signet. The ram ran with 80 Lleyn ewes on Duncan Nelless’s Thistleyhaugh Farm at Longhorsley, Morpeth, Northumberland. This organic unit supports a flock of 2000 Lleyn ewes.

Now in 2021 a second Oxford Down ram has entered the trial, Lydiard 000111 bred by Lindsay Rumming in her Lydiard flock in Wiltshire. This ram is again being used on 80 Lleyn ewes, these being part of a 1400-strong Lleyn ewe flock run by Ian Robertson at Chawton Park, Alton, Hampshire.

The Weeton ram performed well on the test and it is hoped that the Lydiard ram will further enhance the breed’s results on trial. Getting Oxford rams into the RamCompare test is a major milestone for the breed and is very important in ensuring the breed continues to develop as a terminal sire. Through their participation in the Signet performance recording scheme and RamCompare, the Weeton and Lydiard flocks have taken a significant step for the whole breed in its commercial future.

There are now seven Oxford Down flocks being performance recorded by Signet.