NEMSA – the North of England Mule Sheep Association – has appointed a new president, Northumberland livestock farmer Peter Lee, a true stalwart and champion of the well-known breed.

Unanimously elected at the recent annual meeting at Hexham Auction Mart, Mr Lee succeeds retiring president, Geoff Taylor, of Swathburn Farm, Great Asby, who was warmly thanked by national chairman Chris Harrison for all his hard work during his role and previously as a “fabulous ambassador for the breed.”

A past chairman of NEMSA Lazonby Branch and Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association D District, Mr Lee was born and bred, and still farms at Morley Hill, Whitfield, near Allendale, with his wife, Jennifer, and two sons, Jonathan and Charles.

He is a founder member of NEMSA, which was first established in 1980 and remains one of the UK’s biggest sheep breed associations in terms of numbers, maintaining a membership around the 1,000 mark, and has worked tirelessly to promote the breed at shows and other events across the country.

His in-depth knowledge of both Swaledale and Blue Faced Leicester bloodlines - the dam and sire of the North of England Mule - has resulted in Morley Hill stock winning multiple prizes over the years at shows staged at both livestock auctions throughout the North of England and nationally.

Mr Lee was instrumental in initiating the North of England Mule classes at The Royal Highland Show, also presenting the J Lee & Son Perpetual Challenge Cup awarded annually to the supreme champion. In addition, he has supported and encouraged new breed classes at the RHS Winter Fair.

In 2014. Mr Lee, a dyed-in-the-wool stalwart of NEMSA and lifelong Mule breeder, received a lifetime achievement award from the National Sheep Association’s Northern region .The citation for the T I Allinson Memorial Award said: “Peter's enthusiasm for the North of England Mule is unparalleled. He has worked tirelessly to promote the breed, is held in high regard and has great respect from all NEMSA members, and is seen as an ambassador for the Mule sheep breed.”

In accepting the presidency, Mr Lee said he would seek to continue and build on the work of his predecessors in further promoting the North of England Mule, Britain’s most prolific sheep breed in terms of numbers, and help maintain the Mule ewe’s position the UK’s most popular commercial sheep for crossing purposes.