General News
17 August, 2023
Top marks for local producer at Sheepvention
The bleating heard on Carisbrook’s Glenore Poll Dorset farm belongs to its award-winning sheep after they bagged major wins at this year’s biggest farming event. Run by fifth-generation farmer and sheep breeder Peter Cain, the business has...
The bleating heard on Carisbrook’s Glenore Poll Dorset farm belongs to its award-winning sheep after they bagged major wins at this year’s biggest farming event.
Run by fifth-generation farmer and sheep breeder Peter Cain, the business has continued its winning streak at the annual Sheepvention Rural Expo — this time around scoring the Junior Champion Ram and Reserve Champion Ewe.
Hosted by the Hamilton Pastoral and Agricultural Society, the event has been a regular fixture for the Cain family.
“We’ve been showing [our sheep] at Hamilton for about 20 years,” Peter said.
“There’s a lot of good history there. We’ve had a pretty good run over recent years at the expo. We’ve been fairly successful so we’re pretty pleased to keep going back. It’s a pretty good hunting ground for us.
“It is still always hard though, you never know how you’re going to go at the end of the day so we’re still very stoked we won.”
Making the win even more special, Peter said, was having his daughter Charlotte next to him through the presentations.
“It’s always good when she’s the one holding the sheep rather than us now, the smile on her face makes it really worthwhile,” he said.
“We do aim for that, that some of the kids might be interested in the animals and building the future and its starting to show now that they are keen.
“Charlotte’s got a real interest in agriculture and so that’s good for the next generation to have an interest in what we’re doing.”
In the hands of the 19-year-old, who also has a strong agricultural sense, the future of the farm is certain.
“I started helping dad since I could barely walk — I would go to the shed and just sit there,” Charlotte said.
“As I got a bit older, I started going to the shows, helping dad hold the rams and eventually I started doing it all by myself, selecting and training them and everything else.
“I’m studying an Advanced Diploma of Ag Business Management and after I get some more experience, I’ll go back to our farm and bring that knowledge back to the farm.
“It’s just in my blood and it’s been a passion of mine since I was young.”
