More than 50 young Texel enthusiasts from across the UK and Ireland gathered in Scotland last weekend for the biennial Five Nations Event.

The event, which took place from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 June, included flock visits and competitions.

Coming together on Friday afternoon, visits included the Gray family’s Scrogtonhead flock and the Clark family’s Garngour, Teiglum and Clarks flocks. The youngsters were shown excellent stock at both farms, including progeny of a number of noted stock rams.

The weekend’s competitive element also kicked off during these visits with "guess the weight" competitions.

Attendees were also challenged to name previous Scottish National Sale top priced animals from photographs on display.

On Saturday the fun continued at Craig Wilson Ltd’s Ayr market with a Highland Games event including welly wanging, toss the caber, tug of war and a relay race. This competition was separate from the remainder of the weekend’s events, with a combined Irish team taking first spot with 10,950 points and England second with 10,075.

Wales were third 9525 and Scotland fourth on a score of 9200.

This was followed on Saturday afternoon with a flock visit to the Auldhouseburn flock of the Blackwood family. This visited included lambs by the 125,000gns Lanark topper Rhaeadr Best of the Best and the 130,000gns Lanark leader Sportsmans A Star.

A stock judging competition also took place at Auldhouseburn, with Gordon Gray of the Ettrick flock acting as master judge. Competitors had to place four classes; aged ewes, two pens of shearling ewes and ewe lambs.

The prize for winning the stock judging was two doses of Rhaeadr Best of the Best semen. With this semen not being made available on the open market, this was once in a lifetime opportunity for the young breeders weekend.

It was tight at the top, but Ryan Greene, Southern Ireland, came out on top with 190 points with James McKerrow second and David McKerrow third.

There was an open class as well as a Five Nations, which was won by Kerr Jarvie, of the Duncryne flock.

The Drumgooland Shield presentation took place at Auldhouseburn with the points calculated over all the competitions on the weekend.

Texel Society YDP coordinator Ailish Ross said the weekend had been a huge success, allowing young Texel enthusiasts to come together in an informal, fun environment. She said: “This event was a great chance for those attending to meet up and network and make new contacts among fellow enthusiasts for the breed.

“Without a doubt everyone attending will have gone away with new friendships and knowledge and the Society’s thanks go to all the families which welcomed the attendees to their farms over the weekend."