Enterprising Downham Market shepherd lands £8k farming prize

Tom Martin, 23 - an enterprising self-employed farmer - has won is the coveted Chis Lewis Award for his efforts.

"It's brilliant. It was a bit of a shock really - it was against some very good people," he said. "It's fantastic."

He added: "It’s a great competition to be involved with and the money will be a great help. I’ve worked with many of the previous winners so I know what a difference it can make."

Tom is one of three brothers and is from a farming family based about 15 minutes away at Hilgay. His father has always kept cattle and sheep and he and his younger brother, Joe, got the farming bug early on.

Their parents bought them a Texel sheep for Christmas when Tom was 11 and the pair built it into a 40-strong pedigree flock.

They still keep the sheep there, but Tom - who attended Easton College - realised that it was only a small farm, and he needed to branch out. 

"I soon realised it was only a small farm," he said. "My younger brother and dad were working on the farm and there wasn't room enough for us all.

"It was the same for Joe really - there's only really enough on the farm for dad. Joe goes and works for other people and comes shearing with us."

He added: "I wanted a farm in my own right and make something happen myself."

He and girlfriend Hannah - who works for McCains supporting potato growers - moved to Norfolk County Council's Mendhams Farm - a 115-acre holding at Outwell, near Downham Market - last year.

They have been living in a caravan while the house is renovated and can't wait to move in ready to start a 300-head commercial flock on site.

They will be buying the animals in the autumn. Tom started his own shepherding business five years ago and also works as a shearing contractor across East Anglia.

Tom will use the money to invest in an electronic mobile sheep weigh crate, complete with equipment that will record data that can be analysed to help increase the performance of his flock. 

The award was launched following the death of Chris Lewis in September 2007 and is open to Norfolk livestock farmers aged 30 years or under.

This year, the Norfolk Farmers Trust joined with the Clan Trust to offer a prize pot of £12,000, but the standard was so high each trust added £500 to award £13,000 in total.

The presentation evening was hosted by Richard Hirst and family at Mill Farm, Ormesby St Margaret.

Chris's widow, Jane presented the awards after a tractor and trailer tour around the farm.

She praised the energy and enthusiasm of the entrants and urged them to follow their dreams.

“The competition was extremely strong and the finalists all had excellent parts in their presentations. The committee had long and difficult discussions before deciding on the winner," she said.

“What would Chris Lewis have thought? He didn’t come from a farming background - his father was an impoverished country parson - so he knew very well how hard it was to get established.

"This is perhaps why he was always so keen to help and encourage young people whenever he could and why this award is made in his name.”

Meg Atkins of Briston was second, winning £2,000 and in equal third place, receiving £1,500 each, was Daniel Starkings from Clippesby and Holly Lutkin from Norwich.

The other finalists were William Reeve from Wymondham, William Pope from Raveningham near Beccles, Amy Kinge of Wilby near Norwich and Bethany Chapman of Carbrooke.