ONE Dorset shepherd is in the running for a prestigious award after revolutionising his farm's treatment of ewes and lambs.

Gareth Beynon, who farms at Rampisham Manor Farms in West Dorset, has made it to the final three in the Sheep Farmer of the Year category at the 2018 Farmers Weekly Awards.

Since becoming head shepherd at Rampisham, Mr Beynon has overhauled the sheep enterprise, switching breeds, moving to outdoor lambing and revitalising grassland management to cement the enterprise as a key player in the estate.

One of the first things Mr Beynon did when he joined the farm four years ago was to cost the sheep enterprise separately so he could prove it was profitable in its own right.

“The figures were hidden across the whole business," he said. "They had sheep for the ground they couldn’t sell or put into arable.”

Now the sheep enterprise forms a vital part of the business.

Replacement ewe lambs are sourced from a nearby estate, but to make up numbers, Mr Beynon is also breeding his own using NZ Texel-cross and Lleyn rams.

Mr Beynon is also working closely with his vet, Emily Gascoigne of Synergy Farm Health, to improve flock health.

This, along with changes to use of grassland and the feed given to lambs, has enabled the sheep farmer to finish a higher proportion of lambs.

More recently, Mr Beynon has taken on winter grazing on a nearby dairy farm, which allows him to cost-effectively overwinter ewes.

The Farmers Weekly Awards, now in their 14th year, are judged by an expert panel made up of industry specialists and previous award winners.

Sheep Farmer of the Year is one of 15 categories in the awards, which are sponsored by McDonalds and global agriculture firm Corteva Agriscience.

If Mr Beynon comes out top of the Sheep Farmer of the Year category, he will be in the running for the overall Farmer of the Year Award given to the farmer judged to the 'winner of winners'.

The award winners will be announced on October 4 at a glittering ceremony in London's Grosvenor House, in front of an audience of more than 1,000 farmers and industry leaders.

The other award categories are: Beef Farmer, Dairy Farmer, Sheep Farmer, Pig Farmer, Poultry Farmer, Mixed Farmer, Young Farmer, Farm Manager, Farm Worker, Diversification Farmer, Farm Contractor, Farm Adviser, Agricultural Student, Lifetime Achievement and Farming Champion.