Blue Sires - Bleu Du Maine S.R.S

The Burford flock was started in 1989 with the purchase of seven ewe lambs from the Grahams, Lakeland, Thorstone, Knock, Wight and De Busli flocks.The noted ram Emslie Fanfare HEF2 was used as well as Coningwick Hamish, De Busli Hector, Edenhall Kiwi and a Caddoo ram EKH16.

The first homebred ram to be used widely in the flock was Burford Kingston JUBK2 s.EKH16 d.RRH88ET. He was my first successful show sheep winning many prizes from a lamb to an aged ram. He left offspring with good loin deep gigots and tight wool, he was also correct on his legs.

On a trip to France, three ewe lambs were purchased from Didier Juigne [2] and Freres Roxel [1] These were mated with De Busli Melchior DBM29. One of these French ewes, Pretty Girl 72205083.950045 bred Burford Spice Girl JUBS2 and Serena JUBS7. .Spice Girl was very successful in the show ring but Serena has been the matriarch of my present show team especially on the female side.

On a trip to Eire a ram lamb FOBV17 and two shearling ewes were purchased from Anne Murphy from Gorey, Co.Wexford. "Murphy" has been very successfully shown, winning many championships.

Since joining Blue Sires SRS in 1998,a marked improvement in the male side of the flock has been seen, with the use of Inveresk Masterpiece SHAM2, Hastings Senator JHS24, Hastings Viper JHV537, Winholme Template APT5 and Rumwell Yanni JERY33.

The Supreme Champion at the Society Premier Sale, Carlisle in August 2003 was Burford Zac JUBZ28 s.JHV537 d.JUBV24 an ARR/ARR shearling ram with a SI 200 in the top 10% of recorded stock.

Burford Zac JUB Z28

The 2005 show season started at Suffolk with success for Churchbridge Agamemnon, 1st Senior ram and Champion. Reserve Champion was HB AA28 a very correct showy ewe bought at the Cheeyney flock dispersal sale as a ewe lamb.
Championships followed at Lincoln and Norfolk for Agamemnon. He was also Champion Male and Reserve Champion at The Royal Show.

Churchbridge Agamemnon

The show team kept winning all season ending at The Royal Berkshire at Newbury in September with my shearling ewe Bo Peep, JUB AB01 being Champion and a ram lamb bought from the Churchbridge flock, Churchill CHB 05.42, Reserve Champion.

Stock Rams used in 2005:
Churchbridge Warrior
Churchbridge Agamemnon - put to Warrior's daughters with great success
Churchbridge Churchill
Haydon Gerard - an imported Dutch ram from Marjorie Vile
Astley Zurich AST Z16

2006 was a good lambing with three daughters out of Burford Venus rearing triplets themselves.

Burford Venus JUB V6

Bo Peep had 2 ram lambs and one ewe lamb. One of these ram lambs Defender JUB 06.13 was part of the show team, winning his class at Suffolk, placed 2nd several times and was 3rd in the RASE MLC performance ram lamb class.
Aphrodite JUB AA51 had 2 ewe lambs and a ram lamb, Diamond JUB 06.24. He was very successful
at Suffolk and Lincoln (placed 2nd twice), and at Norfolk and Bucks County (AOB) where he took the 1st position twice. At RASE he won the MLC performance ram lamb class.

Burford Diamond JUB 06.24

Yasmin JUB Y4 (another daughter of JUB V6) also had 3 lovely ewe lambs.

The lambs born in 2006 were easily the best I have bred since starting with Bleus in 1989. They grew well. At scanning they were much heavier than normal, with a large number measuring over 30mms of eye muscle.

The Show Season began well with Agamemnon winning the Reserve Championship at Suffolk. As an aged ram he was 1st at Lincoln, 2nd at Norfolk and 3rd at the Royal Show. He aslo took wool on the hoof at Lincoln.

Churchill had an excellent season taking the 1st shearling ram class at Lincoln, Norfolk, Kent, Bucks County and Thame Shows.He was part of the winning group of 3 at Kent. He was also selected as the best Shearling ram at the Blue Sires Assessment Day, Worcester.

Churchbridge Churchill CHB AC.542

Cheyney Amber HB AA07 was 2nd several times in the aged ewe class this year and came 1st at
the Royal Show

Cheyney Amber HB AA07

Her daughter Divinity JUB 06.025 was also 1st prize ewe lamb at the Royal Show, Norfolk and Bucks County. She came 2nd at Suffolk, Thame (AOB) and in the pairs at Lincoln.

Burford Divinity JUB 06.025

Although I did fewer shows this year, with the points gained from the late shows in 2005, I was very thrilled to win the lovely carved Society Show Flock Trophy for 2006

Sale of rams has gone reasonably well with many buyers willing to give a Bleu ram a chance, especially for breeding xbred females. 18 rams have been purchased for use within a 25 mile radius.
I await their lambing results with interest!
Millennium Blues, both male and female sold easily early on.
Pure Bleu females were in great demand with many more wanted than I had to sell.

Stock rams used in 2006:
Churchbridge Warrior
Churchbridge Agamemnon
Churchbridge Churchill
Haydon Gerard
Haydon Alfie - Dutch import from Marjorie Vile's flock
Burford Diamond
Burford Defender
Churchbridge Duke