Valued industry contributions were honoured with awards at the National Sheep Association (NSA) Sheep Event dinner last night (Monday, July 29).
More than 450 prople celebrated the UK sheep sector at the function, which was used to recognise years of tireless work from industry contributors, the NSA said.
The 2024 NSA Sheep Event will take place at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, today (Tuesday, July 30).
At the dinner, sheep vet Fiona Lovatt was formally presented with the NSA George Hedley Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sheep Sector.
She was announced as the 2023 winner in January this year.
The NSA said Lovatt is well known for her passion for enthusing farm vets to actively engage with sheep farmers through good practice principles that embrace preventative measures and responsible medicine use.
She is also the founder of the Flock Health Club concept and runs the sheep veterinary consultancy business, Flock Health Ltd, which works with vets, sheep farmers, processors, retailers and pharmaceutical companies in UK and abroad.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker presented the award to Lovatt, a alongside NSA chair Peter Delbridge, and said: “Fiona has undoubtedly helped to revolutionise sheep farmer and vet engagement.
“This work as well as her many associations with vets, retailers and pharmaceutical companies in the UK and her research work in many areas of sheep disease have collectively helped to promote sustainable sheep health within the UK sheep sector.
“Fiona is absolutely deserving of this accolade.”
Unsung hero
The NSA Bob Payne Memorial Award for Unsung Hero was also presented on the evening.
The NSA said the prize went to an “integral part” of its senior management team for approaching ten years, NSA treasurer Dave Gregory.
Gregory is a sheep farmer from North Devon who has been involved with NSA for more than 20 years.
He has led activity in NSA South West Region as regional chair for six years before taking the role of treasurer.
Stocker said: “Dave is a much valued member of the NSA team and as such is very deserving of this award.
“He is unassuming and always places the work and future of NSA at the heart of all decisions made within the association.
“All at NSA are so very pleased that he is the recipient of the 2023 NSA Bob Payne Unsung Hero Award. Congratulations Dave.”
The evening culminated with a charity raffle for the Addington Fund and time for guests to network ahead of NSA Sheep 2024 the next day.
