The 2025 Whiteface Dartmoor Dinner
This year our annual dinner was held on 31st October at Lavender House in Buckfastleigh. The venue was perfect for our annual award presentation and the annual Flock Competition results. Numbers were down on attendance for this year maybe due to us choosing Halloween as our night to hold the event.
Arthur Wrayford with his wins in the flock competition and our show and sale nearly broke his table with the amount of cups he was presented with. A very well deserved winner as Murray Garrett enthused and was enthralled with visiting Arthur’s flock, for the flock competition.
Cups presented at the 2025 Dinner
John Savery Cup for the champion Ram at our own show and sale – Arthur Wrayford
R Coaker Cup for the Best Ram Hogg at our own Show and Sale – Arthur Wrayford
Eileen Abel Memorial Cup for the Best Older Ram at our own Show and Sale – Phil Abel
White Face Sheep Asoc. Cup for the Best Coated Ram at our own Show and Sale – Arthur Wrayford
Mann Bros. Challenge Cup for the Best Pair of Ram Hoggs at our own Show and Sale – C E Caunter
Terry Phipps Cup for the best pen of 5 – 10 Shearling ewes at our own Show and Sale – Alan Johns
Cup for the best pen 2-4 Shearling ewe at our own Show and Sale – Arthur Wrayford
Richard Coaker Cup for the best pen of 5 – 10 older ewes at our own Show and Sale – P&W Coaker
Cup for the most points won at our own Show and Sale – Arthur Wrayford
Cup for the Best Shearling Ram at the Devon County Show – Phil Abel
Crook for Best Wool of the Hoof at Devon County Show – Phil Abel
Cup for the most points accumulated at all the Shows – Phil Abel
The Roy Lugger Memorial Cup for the Best Young Handler of the Year – Annabel Hawker
Ollie Mortimore and Clare Butcher presenting Arthur with one of his flock competition rosette. Photo credit Charlotte Abel
Results for 2025 Show Season
2025 was the year for the Abel family with numerous championship wins to include the interbreed champion at Devon County with their shearling ewe. The judge commenting that the fleece on the Whiteface has improved. Picture below of Deborah White presenting Phil Abel with his award for the most points gained in the 2025 Showing season. Photo credit to Charlotte Abel.
| Devon County Show Judge – Hilary Bond | Breed champion |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Phil Abel |
| Royal Cornwall Show Judge – Grace Baker | |
| champion | Kevin Wreyford |
| reserve champion | Oliver and Amanda Mortimore |
| Totnes Show Judge – James Caunter | |
| champion | Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford |
| reserve champion | Geoffrey Sharam |
| Yealmpton Show Judge – Paul Pearse | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Phil Abel |
| Mid-Devon Show Judge – Marguerite Ashman | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford |
| Okehampton Show Judge – Rob Phipps | |
| champion | Clare Butcher |
| reserve champion | Phil Abel |
| Chagford Show Judge – H. Bond | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Mat Cole |
| Kingsbridge Show Judge – Pete Mann | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Geoffrey Sharam |
| Widecombe Fair Judge – Clare Butcher | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Clyde Coaker |
| Devon County Show Judge – Hilary Bond | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Phil Abel |
| Royal Cornwall Show Judge – Grace Baker | |
| champion | Kevin Wreyford |
| reserve champion | Oliver and Amanda Mortimore |
| Totnes Show Judge – James Caunter | |
| champion | Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford |
| reserve champion | Geoffrey Sharam |
| Yealmpton Show Judge – Paul Pearse | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Phil Abel |
| Mid-Devon Show Judge – Marguerite Ashman | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford |
| Okehampton Show Judge – Rob Phipps | |
| champion | Clare Butcher |
| reserve champion | Phil Abel |
| Chagford Show Judge – H. Bond | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Mat Cole |
| Kingsbridge Show Judge – Pete Mann | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Geoffrey Sharam |
| Widecombe Fair Judge – Clare Butcher | |
| champion | Phil Abel |
| reserve champion | Clyde Coaker |
The December 2024 Newsletter is now available here
The 2024 Whiteface Dartmoor Dinner
If you weren’t there then you probably missed out on the best Whiteface Dartmoor Dinner meals we’ve had. The roast lamb, and there was a large helping of it, was cooked superbly by the chef. The large plates were full of roast potatoes (my plate had 6 on it!) and plenty of freshly cooked vegetables. Would definitely recommend the Buckfast Conference Centre to anyone looking for a large venue. We had 80 booked in and they could easily accommodated a lot more.
And so onto the results for the night.
We started with the presentation of cups from our own Show and Sale
The cup for the Champion ram was won by Peter Mann
Cup for the best Ram Hogg was won by Peter Mann
Cup for the best older ram was won by Chris and Clare Butcher
Cup for the best pair of ram hoggs was won by the Abel Family
Cup for the best coated ram was won by Ollie Mortimore
Cup for the best shearling ewe was won by Kevin Wreyford
Cup for the best pen of shearling ewes was won by Grace Gillard
Cup for the best pen of older ewes was won by the Abel Family
Cup for the most points won at our own Show and Sale was won by the Abel Family
We then moved onto the other Shows.
Cup for the best shearling ram at the Devon County Show was won by the Abel Family
The Sheep Crook for the best wool on the hoof was won by Mat Cole
Cash prizes were then awarded for all the Champions and Reserve Champions at all the Shows
Devon County Show – Champion – Abel Family Reserve Champion – Abel Family
Royal Cornwall – Champion – Ollie Mortimore Reserve Champion – Kevin Wreyford
Mid Devon Show – Champion – Mark Dufall Reserve Champion – Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford
Yealmpton Show- Champion – Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford Reserve Champion – Abel Family
Totnes Show – Champion – Abel Family Reserve Champion – Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford
Okehampton Show – Champion – Abel Family Reserve Champion – Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford
Chagford Show – Champion – Abel Family Reserve Champion – Grace Gillard
Kingsbridge Show – Champion – Abel Family Reserve Champion – Penny Shepherd
Widecombe Fair – Champion – Abel Family Reserve Champion – Arthur and Rosemary Wrayford
The cup for the most points accumulated at all the Shows was awarded to the Abel Family
The Roy Lugger memorial cup for the best young handler was won by Grace Bakers young helper Alex
Second place in the best young handler section was won by Mat Coles children
Third place in the best young handler section was won by Clyde Coakers children
We then moved on to the prizes for the Flock Competition
We started with the Best ewe lambs from a flock of under 20 ewes
1st place – Julianne Brown
2nd place – Ollie and Amanda Mortimore
3rd place – Rob and Janet Phipps
Best ewe lambs from a lock of 21 – 50 ewes
1st – Chris and Clare Butcher
2nd – Simon Smaridge
3rd – Hazel Pearce
Best ewe lambs from a flock of over 50 ewes
1st – Murray Garrett
2nd – Penny Shepherd
3rd – Mat Cole
Best small flock of under 20 ewes
1st – Ollie and Amanda Mortimore
2nd – Dave Gibbings
3rd – Belinda Owen
Best flock of 21 – 50 ewes
1st – Chris and Clare Butcher
2nd – Simon Smaridge
3rd – Hazel Pearce
Best flock of over 50 ewes
1st – Murray Garrett
2nd – Mat Cole
3rd – Penny Shepherd
Best stock ram
1st – Murray Garrett
2nd – Chris and Clare Butcher
3rd – Mat Cole
The cup for the best overall flock was won by Murray Garrett
The Annual Whiteface Dartmoor Dinner is taking place at the Buckfast Conference Centre this year on Wednesday 23rd October 2024. Please book your place by 4th October 2024. Book form with menu choices available here
The 2024 Show and Sale Results are in.
Ram Judge – Arthur Wrayford
Class 1. Older Ram
1st Butcher
2nd Baker
3rd Abel
Class 2. Ram Hogg
1st Mann
2nd Abel
3rd Mortimore
Class 3. Pair of Ram Hoggs
1st Abel
2nd Butcher
3rd P & C Caunter
Class 4. Best Coated Ram
1st Mortimore
2nd Abel
3rd P & C Caunter
Champion Ram 2024
Mann
Reserve Champion Ram 2024
Butcher
Ewe Judge – Ben Parr
Class 5. Pen of 5 – 10 Ewes (4t and over)
1st Abel
2nd P & R Coaker
3rd Pearce
Class 6. Pen of 2 – 4 Ewes (4t and over)
1st P & R Coaker
2nd Abel
3rd Ashman
Class 7. Pen of 5 – 10 2T Ewes
1st Gillard
2nd Endacott
Class 8. Best Shearling Ewe
1st K Wrayford
2nd K Wrayford
3rd Endacott
Class 9. 5 – 10 Ewe Lambs
1st Butcher
Class 10. 2 – 4 Ewe Lambs
1st Wrayford
2nd Butcher
Class 11. Pen of 5 – 10 Crossbred Ewes
1st Gillard
2nd Ashman
3rd Lobb
Class 12. Pen of 5 – 10 Crossbred Ewe Lambs
1st Shepherd
The May 2024 Newsletter is now available here
The December 2023 Newsletter is now available here