The Society
Formed in 1974 the British Texel Sheep Society
has grown into the largest registry of Pedigree Texel
sheep
anywhere in the world. Today 2,200 Texel flock-masters
birth notify around 72,000 lambs with 26,500 females
and 1,400 males going onto full pedigree registration.
The Society and its nineteen Regional Clubs and two
sire reference schemes market some 12,000 breeding
rams through 48 sales throughout the UK.
The society’s
structure:
Area Directors are elected on a regional basis for
a 5-year term from each of the fifteen geographic regions
that the UK is divided into. The Board meets at least
three times per year and sets the policy for the Society.
The Board has four internal standing committees, the
Breed Development Committee, Promotions Committee,
Sales and Shows Committee as well as a Finance Committee,
each of which sits in an advisory capacity to the Board.
The policy of the Society is implemented by the Chief
Executive who is supported by a staff of six at the
Society’s Offices at Stoneleigh Park, and two
Field Officers covering all parts of the UK.
The UK boasts a diverse geography, ranging from the
harsh hill areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland down
to the coastland areas of southern England and the
distinct hill and valley landscape of Wales. This diversity
creates different needs in the promotion and marketing
of Texels, which are addressed by the nineteen Breeders
clubs that have formed over the years. The Clubs have
an in-depth knowledge of local traditions, market conditions
and preferences and this experience means that they
can deliver a more targeted service.
Whilst Sales are either organised by the Society centrally
or by the Clubs regionally, all are conducted under
a standard set of conditions of sale and all are under
the auspices of the Society and conducted by auctioneers
approved by the Society.
Showing is an integral part of the Society and every
year the Society Board reviews and issues an approved
Judges list. The Judges list contains the names and
addresses of individual members who the Society feels
are capable of judging major Texel events throughout
the UK. In recent years the Society Board has favoured
the introduction of younger Breed Judges, as it firmly
believes the future of the Breed lies in the hands
of its junior members. |
