Tony Pierce is a local sheep farmer who lives in Rye Harbour. When I asked him how long he had been involved with farming he replied: “Far too long – about forty-six years. It’s in my DNA.” His daughter Faye has followed in his footsteps, and it is wonderful to see them working together and collaborating.
The Annual Romney Sheep Breeder Society dinner was held late last year, at which the competition awards were presented. Helen Pierce, Tony’s wife said: “This was the perfect way to celebrate ten years of trading: two prizes in the competition, Tony receiving a first place for his Commercial Large Flock and second place for Small Pedigree Flock. I am so proud that he is rewarded for his dedication and hard work.”
Tony, what makes Romney Marsh sheep stand out from other breeds?
“They are large, resilient sheep with white faces, black noses and long wool. Interestingly, the conditions on Romney Marsh led to the development of specific characteristics such as tolerance to harsh and wet conditions; fleeces which withstand high rainfall; and black hooves which are resistant to foot-rot. Their main food source is grass and they are great grass converters, having a big rumen for efficient processing and turning it into wonderful wool and incredible meat. It is all about turning food you can’t eat, like grass, into food you can eat. The fleece is lustrous; it hangs in separate locks with minimal cross fibres.”
Has the wet weather affected your flock recently?
“No, our sheep are all looking very well at the moment. We suffer from the droughts in the hot summers but during these wet spells our land is quite free draining and so the sheep don’t suffer as much with flooding – in fact our grasses survive better in the wet times. It is remarkable how resilient our sheep are but then they are built for this area: they are Romney Marsh sheep.”
Are Romney sheep just found on the Marsh?
“There are probably more Romneys in the world than any other sheep. They populated New Zealand with Romneys and they can also be found in Australia, Canada and the United States.”
Congratulations to Tony. Rye News looks forward to hearing more about his sheep and his awards.
Image Credits: Tony Pierce , Helen Pierce , Emma Pierce .