I started with Bleus in 2002 with a handful of ewes from the Aintree flock and the following year with my one tup lamb ,Maximum Ace from one of those ewes was lucky enough to win at Carlisle .That lamb sired the renowned Maunby Butch and so my obsession with the breed started   We added females from the Diranean flock and over the next few years won show championships at the Royal , The Highland ,Three Counties Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh shows  culminating in winning interbreed pairs championships at both The Royal  and The Royal Welsh . Over the last decade Maximum lambs and sired stock have won and fetched the top prices every year .However we take as much pride in our rams siring commercial finished lamb auction toppers in local markets   I will honestly admit that I’m addicted to Bleus and talk quite a lot .I’m married to a very patient dairy farmer and both my sons help with the sheep and Finlay in particular is exhibiting similar obsessive tendencies . My aim as your Chair is to promote the breed extensively so all of us can sell more sheep for more money and for our fantastic breed to continue to punch above its weight.

The Ernford Flock started in 1992 when Jonathan was given some Bleu du Maines by his grandmother to add to the small flock of Bleu x ewes already on the farm. As a family of staunch believers in pedigree stock, Jonathan & Grannie were to undertaken shopping trips and stock was purchased from top flocks with particular attention to skins and conformation. Showing has always been an important to the family so as the flock grew the showing commenced.  Through the years the Ernford flock has produced and bred many champions and helped promote the breed, always with an eye on fleshing, good sized sheep, legs and sound locomotion, sheep which ultimately suit both the pedigree & commercial market. Attention has been paid to carcase conformation as the breed must be able to improve whatever commercial animal it is crossed with, passing on its maternal attributes, lean flesh and prolificacy. Some 6 years ago it was felt the gene pool was shrinking so invested in some new French blood which carcase, to enhance the eye muscle and produce bigger loins. A ram has since been exported to France.   In 2017 we started to breed Millennium Bleus which have proved very successful, both in the showring and commercially. We run a mixed farm and use our Bleu du Maine rams on pure breds, Cheviots, Cheviot x Texel and Bleu x ewes. They are all farmed commercially and have topped the market at all weights. The cull ewes are also keenly sought after.