All farmers, particularly pedigree breeders, are passionate about their animals and when it comes to Ryelands there are few who will know more than Susan and Robin Bryden, who have been breeding this increasingly popular sheep for more than 40 years.
As owners of the oldest Ryeland flock in Scotland, their Broomwell flock, based at Lochmaben, Lockerbie, was established in 1983 in partnership with Susan’s late father, Drew Taylor.
Initially, Drew and Susan decided they wanted to get sheep of their own for their smallholding so they ventured to the Royal Highland Show to see what Ryelands were all about.
“Ryelands are easy to look after and are a very docile breed. We wanted a native breed and Ryelands are just that – being one of the oldest British breeds,” said Susan, who purchased four foundation ewes from the late Richard Wear of the Ruslin flock, Bristol, as foundation stock.
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She added: “It was very much the encouragement from dad, supported by mum Grace, that got us where we are today. Dad died in 2015 but I’d like to think he would happy with what we have achieved with the flock since then.”
Very much a family affair, daughter Lucy is also involved in the show circuit and grandson, Ted, at 18 months old, will hopefully be next in the family to have an interest.
“Ryelands are so easy to handle which is the beauty of the breed when trying to get the kids involved,” she added.
Their first major success came in 1990 when the flock produced the male champion – Broomwell Fulke – at the breed’s national show and sale at Leominster.
“That was the real turning point, when we managed to accomplish something big with our relatively small flock, and it really spurred us on,” said Susan, adding that over the years the team have increased the number of shows they exhibit at to include the Royal Highland, the Great Yorkshire, Cumberland, Dumfries, Lesmahagow, and Penrith.
They also exhibit at the Scottish National Ryeland Show which switches between Dumfries, Kinross and Turriff.
They have been hugely successful, too, having bagged the championship at the Royal Highland Show on no fewer than six occasions and the Great Yorkshire four times.
The Broomwell flock also made up part of the reserve inter-breed pairs at the Highland in 2016, alongside Kinross breeders Eddie and Janice Henderson.
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In fact, it was Drew and Susan who donated the trophy for the champion winner at the Royal Highland – the Broomwell Herald Trophy, in memory of the flock which was culled in a 2km contiguous foot-and-mouth cull in March 2001.
When the time came to look to the future, Susan was determined to carry on breeding Ryelands and was fortunate to have many offers of animals bred from Broomwell stock. The first two ewe lambs from Pat Maddock, Aberdeen, arrived at Broomwell as restocking got under way.
“It was a horrible experience, but we were so grateful for the support from fellow breeders and friends. It’s also one of the reasons why we decided to donate a trophy to the Ryeland section at the Highland Show as a lasting tribute to the sheep we lost,” she said.
Fittingly, the Broomwell flock had won the breed honours at Ingliston the three years prior to foot and mouth, when there wasn’t a trophy in this section.
“In 2002 and 2003, we were back in the show ring with our new fledgling flock and it was a great thrill when one of those two ewe lambs from Pat took the female championship at the Highland the first year while the following year, the first lamb born after foot and mouth on the farm did the same.
“The best thing about going round the shows again is enjoying the camaraderie of all our friends with Ryelands.
“We will never forget the help and encouragement they gave us to see us through and help us recover from the horrors of 2001,” she said.
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Susan is now on the A list of judges of the Ryeland Flock Book Society which has taken her all over the country. She has judged the Three Counties twice, the National show and sale at Ludlow, the Royal Welsh twice, and has been nominated to judge the Great Yorkshire Show next year.
“Showing is a great shop window, especially when we only sell stock privately either through word or mouth or with the help of social media,” said Susan.
Tup lambs not for breeding are nevertheless sold through Lockerbie.
Lambing takes place in January and February.
Over the years, Susan has been fortunate to have bred three standout tups: Broomwell Trojan, which was champion at the Highland in 1998; Broomwell Johnny Depp, the Great Yorkshire and Highland Show champions in 2010 and 2011 respectively; and, most recently, Broomwell Wallander, a two-times Highland Show champion and Scottish National champion in 2018. Wallander amassed 10 breed championships in his career.
Commenting on the type of sheep Susan looks to breed, she said: “I am not looking for something huge, just something with the necessary basics and which shows great breed characteristics. I am quite fussy with my heads and folk can see I have a definite type of sheep.
“Although wool is now less valuable, in days gone by it was a very valuable commodity. The modern Ryeland does still excel in wool.
“The dense fleece covering, including over the face, helps prevent fly strike and the compact, strong feet are noted for their ability to resist foot rot,” added Susan.
“The breed does produce high-quality wool, which is very popular for hand spinning.
“Ryelands are becoming more popular in Scotland. South of the Border, the breed is used as a terminal sire on smaller sheep and hill breeds for their ease of lambing.
“Lambs are vigorous with good wool cover and have good growth rates, with their meat being slower to mature, making it more flavoursome.
“But we are focusing on the pedigree world and enjoy our hobby to be in the show ring,” concluded Susan.
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Farm facts
Involvement: Susan and Robin Bryden
History: The Ryeland flock was founded in 1983, and is now the oldest flock in Scotland
Livestock: Around 30 head of Ryelands (including a small number of Coloured Ryelands), with 14 breeding ewes
Location: Lochmaben, Lockerbie
Acreage: 10 acres
On the spot questions
Biggest achievement: Managing to produce championship stock from a very small flock
Best advice: Always listen to your other half when working with sheep – even if they are wrong!
Best investment: A sheep cradle to help tip sheep up to do their feet!
Favourite quote: (From my Dad) I chose Ryelands as they were the only breed of sheep I could catch!
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