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🍂 Autumn & Tupping Season! 🐑

With tupping season well underway and autumn in full swing, we thought it would be a good time to get everyone out with their cameras! 📸

 

The Society will soon be launching an Autumn & Tupping Photography Competition over on our Facebook page!

 

Whether it's your tups out with the ewes, the flock out grazing or just a nice autumn photo of your Balwens, we'd love to see them!

 

So while you're out checking the sheep over the next few weeks, don't forget to take a few photos! 🐑

 

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details on how to enter.

 

We look forward to seeing everyone's photos, and wish all our members a successful tupping season!

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Photo by The Howells Family (Flock Shadog)

Balwen Society Annual Awards Dinner

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Royal Welsh Winter Fair 2025

Albert Williams Challenge Cup

  • Winner: Mr Paul Hancox, AURIC Flock

Royal Welsh Show 2026

Maesteilo Challenge Cup | Aged Ram

  • Winner: Teulu Howells, SHADOG Flock

Enock Challenge Cup | Yearling Ram

  • Winner: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock

Hebog Challenge Cup | Ram Lamb

  • Winner: Adam Lynch & Katie Mander, HOLTHALL Flock

Swffryd Challenge Cup | Aged Ewe

  • Winner: Goronwy Jones, GOROF Flock

Llwni Challenge Cup | Yearling Ewe

  • Winner: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock

C.O. Price Challenge Cup | Ewe Lamb

  • Winner: Jac Thomas, TY-TWYN Flock

Brianne Challenge Tankard | Best Group of Three

  • Winner: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock

Glynglas Challenge Cup | Opposite Sex Breed Champion

  • Winner: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock

Dolyfardin Challenge Cup | Overall Breed Champion

  • Winner: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock

National Show 2026

Rhys Jones & Family Award | Reserve Champion

  • Winner: Carys Morgan, ENOCK Flock

Rhys Jones & Family Challenge Cup | Supreme Champion

  • Winner: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock

Official Show & Sale 2026

Gethin Morgan Challenge Cup | Show & Sale Champion

  • Winner: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock

Show Points Competitions 2026

Brickiln English Points Trophy

  • 1st: Adam Lynch & Katie Mander, HOLTHALL Flock | 48 points

  • 2nd: Emma Darby, QUANTOCK Flock | 42 points

Pencefn Challenge Cup | Highest Show Points

  • 1st: Mr Steve Newman, EBBW Flock | 132 points

Tyderi Challenge Cup | Second Highest Show Points

  • 2nd: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock | 101 points

  • 3rd: Helen Arnold, PENARTHBROOK Flock

  • 4th: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock

Highest-Point Show Animal 2026

Alun & Mair Williams Shield

  • 1st: Rhory Whitney, LLANFOIST Flock | 36 points

  • 2nd: Dylan Jones, HYDDOD Flock | 33 points

  • Joint 3rd: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock | 22 points

  • Joint 3rd: Adam Lynch & Katie Mander, HOLTHALL Flock | 22 points

  • 5th: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock | 12 points

Young Handlers Award 2026

Vic Bowman Young Handlers Award

  • Winner: Betsan Jones, COTHI Flock

New Awards for 2026

Two new awards were introduced this year.

Cadwrn Challenge Cup

Awarded for the highest combined points at the Royal Welsh Show, National Show and Official Show & Sale.

  • 1st: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock

  • 2nd: Alun & Lowri Davies, RHYDDWEN Flock

  • 3rd: Goronwy Jones, GOROF Flock

Shadog Flock Video Competition Award

  • 1st: Cari Haf Harries, FFINANT Flock

  • 2nd: Zahvia Paewai Jones, ZAV Flock

  • 3rd: Teulu Howells, SHADOG Flock

  • 4th: Edward Jeynes, EIN PRAIDD Flock

Congratulations to all our winners and everyone who has taken part in the shows and competitions throughout the year.

Thank you to all our members for their continued support of the Society and the Balwen breed.

About The Breed

​

The British Isles are home to many breeds of sheep — some introduced in recent years, while others have grazed these lands for centuries.​ Among them, the Welsh Mountain Sheep serves as an umbrella term for several breeds native to Wales. Through generations of careful breeding and selection, these sheep have developed into distinct types — one of which is the Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep.

​

🌿 Origin: The Balwen comes from a small area of Wales, the Tywi Valley.

❄️ Near Extinction: In the harsh winter of 1947, the breed was almost wiped out, with just one ram surviving.

📈 Recovery: Numbers slowly increased through the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1970s, interest in the breed spread beyond the valley.

🏛️ Breed Society: In 1985, the Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep Society was founded. While the population has continued to grow, the Balwen remains on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s Watchlist today.

KEY QUALITIES

GREAT MOTHERS

BALWENS - BEST MOTHERS

Balwen ewes are widely recognised for their exceptional maternal qualities, making them a highly valued breed for both pedigree and commercial flocks. They are naturally attentive mothers with strong bonding instincts, good milk production, and an easy lambing ability that helps produce vigorous, healthy lambs. Their hardy nature and calm temperament allow them to thrive in a range of environments, particularly in challenging upland conditions where resilience and self-sufficiency are essential. These qualities make the Balwen a practical, low-input breed capable of rearing strong lambs with minimal intervention.

CARCASS AND MEAT

BALWEN MEAT CARCASSES

The Balwen Welsh Mountain is also respected for the quality of its carcass, producing lean, well-shaped lamb with excellent flavour. The breed develops naturally muscular carcasses without excessive fat cover, making it attractive to both traditional and modern markets. Balwen lamb is known for its fine texture and distinctive taste, reflecting the breed’s ability to efficiently convert forage into high-quality meat. Their manageable size and efficient growth make them an increasingly popular choice for breeders looking to combine hardiness, performance, and premium carcass characteristics.

MARKINGS

One of the most recognisable features of the Balwen Welsh Mountain is its striking and unique appearance. The breed is traditionally black or dark brown in colour with a distinctive white blaze running down the face, white socks on the legs, and a white tip to the tail. These markings give the Balwen its unmistakable character and strong visual identity among native sheep breeds. Combined with their compact build and alert expression, Balwens are admired not only for their practicality and performance, but also for their beauty and heritage significance within Welsh farming history.

BALWEN - PERFECT MARKINGS

Judges List

Please find below the contact list of judges for the year ahead.
We encourage all members to reach out to judges in their area — not only to discuss upcoming shows, but also to share ideas, experiences, and advice. Building strong connections within our community helps us all promote the Balwen Sheep and ensure high standards across the breed.

Members are especially encouraged to support and encourage Balwen Sheep classes at local agricultural shows. Many of our breeders are also able to judge Badger Face, Black Welsh Mountain, and other native breeds, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the ring.

If you’re planning to enter or organise a local show, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the judges listed — they’re always happy to offer guidance and support. 

THE BRICKLIN SHIELD

For the highest points in show classes outside of Wales.

Presented in 2025 by Brian and Elizabeth Eagles long time breeders and supporters of the society who kept Balwens in England for many years. This award will be presented at our awards dinner in October

This award is different to the Welsh show points system as it does not require a Balwen list judge. Record all your results for any other native, rare breed and hill and heath classes.

To enter, forward details of your show results for the 2026 season to Chairman Adam Lynch - cows@hotmail.co.uk

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BALWEN SHOW POINTS SYSTEM / SYSTEM PWYNTAU SIOEAU BALWEN

The Balwen Show Points Competition is back!

Points can only be awarded in Balwen classes judged by a Balwen-listed judge.

1st – 6 points

2nd – 5 points

3rd – 4 points

4th – 3 points

5th – 2 points

6th – 1 point

To be eligible for the award you will nominate your 6 best results from these shows, your entries must include the number of animals forwards in each class.

The Royal Welsh and the National show are to be excluded this year.

Please note: Where only one exhibitor in each class, no points will be awarded.

Good luck to everyone competing this season!

⸻

SYSTEM PWYNTAU SIOEAU BALWEN

Mae Cystadleuaeth Pwyntiau Sioeau Balwen yn ôl!

Dim ond mewn dosbarthiadau Balwen a feirnir gan feirniad sydd ar restr swyddogol Balwen y caiff pwyntiau eu dyfarnu.

1af – 6 phwynt

2il – 5 pwynt

3ydd – 4 pwynt

4ydd – 3 phwynt

5ed – 2 bwynt

6ed – 1 pwynt

I fod yn gymwys ar gyfer y wobr, bydd angen i chi enwebu eich 6 chanlyniad gorau o’r sioeau hyn. Rhaid i’ch ceisiadau gynnwys nifer yr anifeiliaid oedd ymlaen ym mhob dosbarth.

Ni fydd y Sioe Frenhinol Cymru na’r Sioe Genedlaethol yn cyfrif tuag at y gystadleuaeth eleni.

Sylwer: Os mai dim ond un arddangoswr sydd mewn dosbarth, ni ddyfernir unrhyw bwyntiau.

Pob lwc i bawb sy’n cystadlu’r tymor hwn!

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​Upcoming Events 2026

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