A TEENAGE shepherdess has come out above seasoned flockmasters to take a prestigious award in the Moreton Show Society Farms and Crops competitions.

Poppy Godwin, aged 17, of Fosseway Farm, Moreton, who has been keeping Zwartbles since the age of 10, has won the best pedigree flock award at her first attempt and as the society’s youngest entrant.

She said: “I thoroughly enjoy keeping sheep and am absolutely delighted to have won the pedigree flock competition.

“I have had my Zwartbles sheep since the age of 10 and over the years have added new bloodlines to improve the quality of the flock.”

Poppy has been showing her sheep for the past six years which has taken her all over the country, meeting other breeders and forming new friendships.

Currently enjoying her most successful season to date, she recently returned from a very windswept Royal Cornwall Show where her shearling ram was breed champion and her aged ewe reserve champion and then went to the Three Counties Show where she won the Young Sheep Handler competition.

Her next objectives are the Great Yorkshire Show and the Royal Welsh Show.

“I hope to be able to expand my flock in the future and maybe import some new blood lines from their native country of Holland.”

Poppy is getting involved with Moreton Show on September 1 this year by running an exhibition in the secretary’s tent as part of her Duke of Edinburgh award.

Runner-up in the Moreton pedigree flock competition was Mrs J Whitehouse, of Western Park Farm, Chipping Campden, with S Keswick, Rockcliffe Estate, Upper Slaughter, third.

The judge and steward were Mr P Houldey and Mrs C Houldey.