THE National Sheep Association's prestigious North Sheep event is to be held in Cumbria next year.

The biennial event, which attracted 10,000 visitors and 200 trade stands in 2003, will be held at Whinfell Park near Penrith on June 1 next year.

Regional NSA chairman Carl Stephenson said: "UK sheep producers have demonstrated on countless occasions that they have the ability to adapt. North Sheep 2005 will provide a timely opportunity to stop and consider how the mid term review and the new single farm payments are influencing their enterprises and offer information and advice on how to fine tune their operations ."