Marking 120 years of Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association

Over those many decades, it's been a roller-coaster ride for the breed, not just as on its, but also the many travails that have befallen the sheep industry as a whole. Today, it is an industry very much at a cross-roads given the massive political push to replace trees, but it has a fine and noble history to see it through this 'crisis' – if it is one!

It all began in the second half of the 19th century, which saw an enormous increase in the reputation and numbers of the Blackface breed. After 1860, the number of Cheviot hill flocks in Scotland steadily declined, displaced by the hardier Blackfaces, which also became increasingly popular for crossing with lowground breeds such as the Border Leicester.

By the late 1880s, a writer could state that the breed was the most numerous and widely distributed in Britain and gave the opinion that it ‘may ultimately become the most extensively farmed breed in the world’, said the association's archives.

The photographer's art back in the early 1900s in a depiction of famous Woolfords sheep

Much of this was the result of the work of a small number of Blackface breeders whose work was improving the size and quality of the breed laid the basis for its growing popularity. It was these breeders who favoured the establishment of the Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association, partly to display their pride and confidence in the breed, but equally to promote the further development of the breed.

It was against this background that a group of prominent Blackface sheep breeders met on Tuesday, August 20, 1901, in the Clydesdale Hotel, in Lanark, to discuss the formation of an association to protect the general interest of Blackface breeders, ‘since theirs was the only important breed having no association to protect its interest’.

Presiding over this meeting, and a driving force behind the move to establish an association, was one of the most prominent figures in Scottish agriculture at that time, Charles Howatson, known as ‘The Laird of Glenbuck’.

Charles Howatson a founding father of the Blackface breed and The Scottish Farmer

He was a leading expert in raising the quality of livestock and of the need to adopt the best techniques and practises to that end – and this had already led to his involvement in the establishment of The Scottish Farmer in 1893.

He was also a breeder of Blackface sheep, attaining an almost legendary status in his own lifetime. In the year that the Blackface Sheep Breeders Association was established, he had won the prize for best shearling at the Highland Show for an unprecedented 10th year – and he was to continue to do so for another two years.

The committee that was formed to frame a constitution for the new Association was a Who’s Who of leading Blackface breeders at the start of the 20th Century.

Apart from Howatson, it included John Archibald, of Overshiels, whose family has played a role in the development of the breed since the 1850s which rivalled that of Howatson; together with James Hamilton, of Nether Wellwood; and James Cadzow, of Stonehill, members of families which were to play a dominant role in the development of the breed in the first decades of the 20th century.

At Perth ram sale in 1910, Matthew Hamilton (left), of Woolfords, and R McNaughton (right), Creegan, Strathyre – the buyer and seller of the highest-priced Blackface ram in Scotland in 1910 at £170. This was just a few years after the

Some of the earliest supporters of the establishment of the Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association had argued that the association should maintain and publish a flock, or stud book common to the breed.

However, the general consensus at the meeting seemed to be that it would be impractical to keep a flock book – a view supported by Howatson, even though he was reputed to be able to tell potential buyers the pedigree of any particular ram stretching back for six generations and the decision not to compile a flock book has, of course, remained unchanged to this day.

The other major topic of discussion concerned the ideal characteristic of the breed, the principal argument revolved around the merits of long wool, with ‘feeders’, such as William Anderson, of Cramalt, clearly opposed to '18 inches of wool trailing on the ground’ and arguing that the carcase, not the wool was the thing to work for.

Predictably, no clear consensus could be reached and similar arguments continue to excite breeders to this day. Although wool in those days would have paid a shepherd’s wage, nowadays the wool cheque does not even come close to covering the shearing costs!

The new association properly came into existence the following month. Howatson went on to become the first president of the association, a position that he held until 1912, when ill health forced him to stand down.

He was replaced by James Moffat, who had been vice-president since the establishment of the association. Thereafter, the association adopted the current practice of biennial presidencies, with the vice-president succeeding to the presidency, subject to the approval of membership at the annual general meeting.

A busy ringside at Abington Show in 1958 – it remains a fiercely contested Blackface championship on the show circuit

When formed, the new association immediately turned its attention to the issue of showing and judging sheep, since it was felt that greater consistency needed to be achieved in the interests of breed development. Howatson was, therefore, asked to represent their views on the matter to the Highland Agriculture Society.

The Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association was up and running and 120 years later has just over 1300 paid up members. The popularity of the Blackface ewe on the hill has never waned – it is still the most numerous pure breed in Britain, with the vast majority found in Scotland.

They are one of the hardiest sheep breeds in the country and remain the backbone of the Scottish sheep industry, being at the very top of our stratified sheep industry. As a maternal hill breed, the females have a strong mothering ability to rear lambs in extreme terrain.

The breed is easily hefted, making it ideal for large areas of hill country and can produce sheep for every climatic condition, thanks to the different distinct types within the breed, which have evolved over the years influenced by climate, environment and grazing quality.

Alec Telfer, the current president, said: “It is with great pride that I join the list of illustrious names who have headed the Blackface Sheep Breeders Association since its inception in 1901.

"Fashions change to suit the markets that the Blackies have worked hard to create and that's what maintains its place as the most numerous of all hill breeds. However, the enthusiasm and ability of current and future generations of breeders will carry the association forward into a very positive place for the future ... on that I have no doubt.”