The Blue Texel

Debbie Kingsley talks to sheep keepers Steven and Hannah Payne about their Tordown flock

- Debbie Kingsley

Steven Ley, partner Hannah and children Zoe, 9, Zac, 15, and Chloe, 19, live near Bridestowe in Devon, where Steven works on a 400 acre farm, looking after sheep and cattle. But in their spare time they keep an interesting range of sheep of their own, on various fields dotted about Dartmoor. Both Hannah and Steven are from farming families who loved showing their livestock, although in Steven’s case it missed the previous generation which might explain why he’s making up for it now. They keep Badgerface Welsh Mountain sheep, Bluefaced Leicesters, Badgerface mules, Nelson Welsh Mountain, Whiteface Dartmoors, Texels and Blue Texels.

Steven is always interested in something a little bit different. “Eighteen years ago I bought a few Blue Texel ewes but there was no UK society for them at that point and very little interest which made them difficult to sell, so I got rid of them. But a couple of years later they took off, and then the society was formed in 2003. They aren’t a cheap breed – it costs at least £500 for a Blue Texel ewe. Last year we went to the Llandovery Coloured Sheep Sale with £1,000 to buy a couple of ewes and came home with nothing, the prices ranging from £700 - £1,200, and we didn’t want any of the ones that went for the lower price. Rams were a more reasonable £500. But we’ve managed to build up to 20 Blue Texel ewes now.