Crowning

All Swaledale Tups have to be registered with the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association.  Every year the tup shearlings are inspected as being correct and tagged.  This is known as Crowning. 

Remember Goliath, the giant tup lamb, born two years ago?  Well this is him being looked over by the crowners at Hoggarths today.  He is still a bigger than the rest.  He will be sold at the Tup Sales in October and I have high hopes for him.

Crowning goes on all over North Yorkshire, Cumbria & Co Durham but it is only here at the very top of Swaledale that the tradition of 'following on' still happens.  Farmers go from farm to farm following the crowners.  It gives those that follow a sneak preview of the standard of tups that will be coming up for sale in the autumn. It is also an opportunity to do a bit of marketing, explaining the tups breeding and pointing out its strengths.  Good head, good legs, good bone, good sort, no sweat - in other words they have to be GOOD!   

As you can see from the number of vehicles in the yard, there was a good following today.