about the Society

The Soay Sheep Society was founded at the beginning of the millennium by a group of Soay owners realising the need for a representative body to speak and act on behalf of Soay sheep. Previously a newsletter was enthusiastically produced by David and Sandra Bailey but it was realised that Soay owners needed more recognition as a breed society. Our second meeting was adjourned on the day Foot & Mouth 2001 broke out and it took many months and sometimes strained nerves before confidence was gained to have our next meeting. Thank goodness for email communications during that difficult period. It is also thanks to email that we are now in touch with like minded Soay owners internationally who have joined the Society.

 In 2002 it was suggested the Soay Sheep Society may wish to incorporate the interests of the much more critically rare Boreray sheep. We subsequently agreed to include Boreray sheep and support Boreray owners who number so few at present, until such time as the breed numbers warrant their own society. Boreray sheep are the descendents of the old Hebridean x Scottish Blackface sheep that were kept on the St.Kilda islands. The Boreray are in danger of extinction and we also aim to encourage new owners and breeding programmes to take them off the critical list.

Each year we aim to attend as many agricultural shows as possible with a stand giving information plus items for sale to promote both Soay and Boreray sheep.

We publish a regular Newsletter, distributed to Members 3 or 4 times a year.  

We welcome members from around the world, and the Society includes a number of RBST registered flocks in the USA.