EDEN farmer Alan Alderson has stepped down from his role as chairman of the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association after 18 successful years as the figurehead for the breed.
Mr Alderson, of Barras Farm in Kirkby Stephen, was succeeded by Will Cockbain, of Rakefoot Farm, Keswick, at the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association AGM, held in the Eden town.
Mr Alderson was presented with a painting of himself showing a ram by vice chairman Maurice Oxley.
He started out with the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association at the age of 18 when he became a district secretary whose job was to recruit more breeders to the organisation. He continued with this until the age of 23.
As a breeder, he says his stand out achievement is producing two record breaking tups in 1979/1980.
And he finished his 18 years as the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association chairman on a high.
“I’m extremely proud that the association brokered a deal to supply Dawn Meats Carnaby in Bridlington who put our lamb onto M&S shelves around the country,” he said.
New chairman Will Cockbain, who was the NFU’s national uplands spokesman for eight years, said: "Alan has done a fantastic job for a long time, he is very well known and respected throughout the sheep industry and he will be a hard act to follow."
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