A Canterbury boy has become the youngest registered South Suffolk sheep breeder in the country at the age of 11.
Ryan Sagar has his own stud in Oxford - named Misty Creek – and is already on the official show circuit, with a flock of 24 animals in his care.
It all started three years ago when he came home and told his mum about a new career plan.
"I just came up to Mum and said, 'Mum, I want to be a sheep farmer'," the young man explained in an interview.
"She said, 'OK'."
Ryan hand-feeds many of the lambs from home, mixing up their milk every morning.
"You just spend time with them, you can pat them and they're not like dogs and try to attack you," he said.
Some are known by numbers, but a few have been given names after forming a close bond with their carer.
"His name's Tiny," Ryan said of one, pointing to a very small lamb, "and well, how I came up with his name was when he was little, he was very tiny."
His mum Tamara Home even managed to find a mentor – who, as luck would have it, was just over the back fence.
Experienced breeder Doug Croy grazes the paddocks next door, and immediately took a liking to the young fellow.
"He was keen to come and help at various times, at tailing time, and at tagging time, drenching, anything like that," Croy explained.
"If he was over this side of the fence, he was over my side of the fence, and it sort of grew from there."
The farmer – who was also breeding sheep at the age of 11 – gifted Ryan six purebred ewe hoggets, and introduced him to the South Suffolk Sheep Breeders Association. They now regularly head to competitions together.
"He certainly knows what a good sheep looks like, he knows the basic points of what to look for," the older breeder said.
"He's like a sponge, he'll absorb as much as you throw at him."
Ryan has even won praise from the judges marking his animals at contests.
He was introduced to the oldest registered South Suffolk sheep breeder – 80-year-old Trevor McCall – at a recent showing day in Ashburton.
"I'd say he's more than a prospect; I'd say he'd get there," McCall said after a conversation with the competition hopeful.
"I was quite surprised at how much he knew."
His flock is quickly multiplying thanks to a good lambing season, leaving a bright future ahead.
But when asked which one was his favourite, it was too close to call.
"All of them," he said.
His hard work setting an example for all 11 year olds out there: with the right mentor and a lot of dedication, anything is possible.
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