If you've been to one of our Mayfields Farm open days in the last two years, you will have seen the big character that is Barley -  Mayfields tenant farmer, Sarah Jenkins' granddaughter. 

She has become an internet sensation after a video of Barley handling her Border Leicester sheep Ethel was posted online on Thursday James Rebanks, who posted the video, was judging the under 8 sheep category at the greatest online agricultural show and, of course, Barley was his favourite. 

Not only did Barley win the under 8 sheep category, she has also capture the heart of the national and become an online star! 

The video was filmed by Cailtin Jenkins (Mayfields tenant farmer's daughter), Barley's mother, who entered her into the sheep handling competition.

Barley shows her composure and confidence with sheep by taking excitable Ethel for a walk before commanding the sheep to stand. In the video, Caitlin asks a series of questions to Barley and one clearly had the best answer! Caitlin asks her daughter what type of sheep is Ethel? To which Barley innocently responds: "White!"

Since the posting on twitter, Barley has been on many national newspaper pages and even interviewed by Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning. It was this interview where yet again she stole the hearts of the nation with an adorable reply to Phillip's question, "what is you favourite thing about Ethel?" and Barley replies with "I love her!" 

Barley lives with her mother and father on a nearby farm, but often spends the day at Mayfields Farm with CRT's Sarah Jenkins. Following in her mother, and grandmother's footsteps, Barley is very confident  with all animals, especially sheep and dogs. As Caitlin describes, "Barley loves nothing more than to be outside with us farming. She's very hands on and gets stuck in come rain or shine."

Despite only being three-years-old, shepherdessing runs in her family's blood. Her sheep-handling prowess began when she was gifted a flock of sheep on her first birthday by her parents. Barley's Border Leicester sheep often have 'holidays' to Mayfields to graze on the grass there. 

Sheep and sheepdogs have been a natural way of life for Barley's grandmother Sarah. She has been involved in farming for many years, particularly with regard to sheep production; from shepherding large commercial flocks, to smaller pedigree flocks, being responsible for day-to-day management as well as contract work and lambing. 

Running in sheepdog trials for as long as she has been shepherding sheep, Sarah has competed at the highest levels, having twice represented England at the International Sheepdog Trials and qualifying with two dogs in the 2002 Bala World Trials. She has also judged many trials in England and Wales, and in 2005 was invited to judge a series of trials in the USA. In 2012 she was also invited to judge at the Dutch Open Sheepdog Trials.

Alongside shepherding and trialling Sarah teaches those interested how to handle the working sheepdog.

We look forward to seeing Barley grow up under the guidance of her very knowledgeable mother and grandmother and maybe become a award winning sheepdog and sheep handler herself? 

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