A sheep farmer who entered the sector just a decade ago has expressed delight after being chosen to represent it at regional level.

Robert Spink - who farms at Hepworth, between Bury St Edmunds and Diss - has been elected National Sheep Association (NSA) Eastern Region Chairman.

He took on Dunhill Farm - then a small 70-acre arable operation - 10 years ago following the death of his father, Brian Spink.

Meanwhile Robert's brother Graham headed up another family business, AWM, a weighing scales operation in Bury St Edmunds.

Robert started up two livestock businesses from scratch - a sheep operation and a pig fattening unit for BQP.

He said he was inspired to take up sheep farming by sheep farmer Jim Cresswell of Wattisfield, who came to the farm one day to pick up hay - sparking a conversation about it - and eventually became his mentor, sharing his knowledge and experience.

"He convinced me to lamb the sheep and helped me with that and it snowballed from there," he said. 

Now Robert keeps 600 New Zealand Romney breeding ewes and finishes around 2,000 to 3,000 store lambs. Through a separate enterprise he also finishes about 4,400 pigs a year for BQP.

"It's a very fulfilling and satisfying job. We enjoy doing it. We take a lot of price in what we do," he said.

"There's a lot of sheep in the region - more than people probably realise. I think there's a positive outlook for us."

One of the attractions was that he could start the business with very little working capital compared to running an arable operation, he said.

He was "honoured" to have been chosen to head up the NSA in the region, he added.

He takes over from Dan Phipps of Newmarket, who has also been national chairman for the NSA for the past three years.

Robert previously served as vice chairman of the regional committee - which represents Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk.

Before that, in 2016, he was an NSA Next Generation Ambassador.

“I gained so much from my association with NSA that I feel it is important for me now to give something back and so I’m very happy to take on the chairmanship for the region," he said.
 
“I owe a lot to previous chair Dan Phipps and am now honoured to take the role on from him after he has done a fantastic job.

East Anglian Daily Times:

"It’s an exciting region to be part of with lots of sheep and good people here working hard. Our NSA committee is strong with people looking forward to delivering things for the members.” 

Robert is married to Becca and and has a daughter, Florence, and son, Henry.