30 May 2024
On 23 May 2024 we attended Keswick Tup Fair. This historic sheep show takes place in Keswick for local farmers to bring and show their male Herdwick sheep, or ‘tups’. The tups are split according to their age and judged in groups, from which the best sheep will be chosen. All these individual class winners are then judged against each other, to determine the overall champion tup of the fair. A winning tup will have a large head, good teeth, big sturdy legs, a good coat, great body condition and the right proportion of white to grey colouring.
Keswick Tup Fair is held each year on the first Thursday after the third Wednesday in May. Traditionally, the fair was for farmers to return tups they’d borrowed for breeding, whereas now it is more of a chance for farmers to catch up and show their tups.
Sadly this year the weather wasn’t on our side but the fair’s atmosphere was still lively with expectation. Our farming officers Claire Foster and Eliza Hodgson attended the event as it is a great opportunity to meet and talk with farmers about lambing season, their successes, how they can support them and to also admire their tups.
Events such as Keswick Tup Fair are important to the Lake District and it’s farmers. Agricultural shows have a long history in the UK being recorded as far back as 1768. Being a key part of rural life, continuing shows like these keeps tradition alive in the farming community of working hard all year and proudly displaying the produce and livestock they put their everything into.
Learn more about farming in the Lake District here: Farming : Lake District National Park
