All the winners so far in this year’s NSA prize draw have expressed surprise on being told they are the lucky recipient of a free Shearwell EID stick reader kit – but none more so than Tom Clarke, who did not even know he was in with a chance of winning!

Mr Clarke has a self-confessed ‘aversion to administration’ and keeps very busy running his sheep flock and family haulage firm from Coalbrooke, Crediton, Devon. Upon deciding he wanted to join NSA, he delegated the form-filling and was unaware of the 2015 membership recruitment initiative, offering a free stick reader each month to either a new member or an existing member who makes a referral.

“I asked my mum to sort the application out, which she did over the internet, so I didn’t even know I was in the draw,” he says. “I wanted to join NSA for the great work it does and the information it provides to members. I also wanted to be able to get into the NSA events for free, although I didn’t get to NSA Sheep South West this year as my wife Donna was giving birth to our second child. Members also have the option of selling at NSA ram sales, which might be useful in the future, although I’ve already sold all by breeding stock this year.”

Mr Clarke’s career followed in in his grandfather’s dairy farming footsteps initially, taking a job as a herdsman after college. He then joined the haulage business his father set up around 30 years ago, but having enjoyed helping on a neighbouring sheep farm as a child and having access to 10 acres of land, he started his own flock. He began with 30 pedigree Poll Dorsets ‘to keep the grass down’ but has built up to 90 ewes and has plans for 150 within the next three years. He has facilitated this by renting 30 acres of land locally and over-wintering the flock on nearby dairy farms.

“The aim of the flock is solely to produce breeding animals,” Mr Clarke explains, adding that the stock has been registered since 2003. “The ewes are AIed to lamb from 1st September, with thinner ewes and those who don’t hold covered by a ram and lambing in December. I find five top rams to AI with and generally get an 85% hold and 1.8 lambs per head over four days.

“We have plenty of grass so the ewes aren’t supplemented at all, but I creep feed the lambs from a month old, as I like to sell both males and females as lambs. I do, however, occasionally keep a good one to show and then sell as a shearling. Most of my ram lambs go to repeat buyers, some from as far away as Ireland. I have pedigree customers who like a bit more wool on them, and commercial buyers who prefer less. Many are sold off the farm but I sell ram and ewe lambs at breed sales too.”

Mr Clarke says he is very happy to have won a Shearwell reader, as his friend has one and praised its ease of use. The timing of the win is also good, as the flock size is on the up and he is interesting in getting back into performance recording now that demand from customers for figures is increasing.

NSA is giving away a total of 12 readers between 1st December 2014 and 30th November 2015 – and there are still five left to win. Full terms and conditions and membership application forms at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/draw.