AFTER years of experience on the family farm in Northumberland Alastair Graham has been named NSA North Sheep Young Shepherd of the Year.

He collected the prestigious Hexham and Northern Marts sponsored award after completing a pentathlon of activities designed to test his shepherding skills at NSA NorthSheep 2011 at West Nubbock Farm, Hexham.

He will also go forward to represent England in the new World Young Shepherd’s competition in New Zealand in November.

Back home at Plainfield Farm, Thropton, Morpeth where his dad, Maurice and his and grandparents, Roger and Hilda manage a 330-acre organic unit which carries 320 ewes and 100 finishing cattle, the 21-year-old has been helping out for almost as long as he can remember.

However, since leaving school he set up his own agricultural contracting business working on farms throughout Northumberland featuring a range of systems, from a 30-ewe pedigree flock to 3,000 commercial ewes carrying out various jobs including shearing and lorry and tractor driving.

“I’m thrilled to bits to win the competition and for the award to stay in Northumberland,” he said. “It’s also a big bonus to have the opportunity to travel to New Zealand and to compete against people from all over the world.

“I’ve won various stock judging competitions with YFC at county level, however this award was much, much bigger with a lot of tasks that required a great deal of skill and concentration.”

Event organiser, Julie Sedgewick said: “We are acutely aware that the biggest long-term challenge which continues to face the sheep industry is to encourage young people to be involved. These two competitions are designed to help equip tomorrow’s sheep keepers with the skills they need and give recognition once those skills have become honed.”