Leader in the limelight: Angus Nelless

Angus Nelless

Alongside his brother Duncan, Angus operates the thriving 700-hectare Thistleyhaugh Farm.

Angus and Duncan are the driving force behind the family-run enterprise that boasts a flock of 2,000 Signet-recorded Lleyn ewes and specialises in breeding and finishing around 260 Aberdeen Angus x Hereford suckler cattle.

Their dedication to sustainable farming and their focus on organic pasture have propelled their farm to excellence in red meat production.

Let’s get to know Angus a bit more

What’s the best advice you received?
Learn to have a delete button. It’s not easy, but you need to be able to move forward.

What was the best decision you ever made?
Getting involved in peer-to-peer learning groups.

Who do you admire most and why?
King Charles. For a long time, he’s championed the countryside and the people who work on the land. He highlighted the environmental problems facing us all long before it became popular to do so.

What is your biggest regret?
I think I could be a better friend. Life can send you in different directions, but staying connected should not be the problem it is to me sometimes.

What has been the highlight of the year to date?
Seeing close family members realising their dreams.

What keeps you awake at night?
Wind and rain bouncing off the windows.

What’s been the best AgriLeader activity you’ve participated in?
The AgriLeader conference (AgriLeader Forum).

What one item (other than a spouse, child or pet) would you rescue from the flames?
Wellies and leggings – they are good ones!

When or where do you get your best ideas?
Just spending time around positive and inspiring individuals. I come up with lots of bad ideas and sometimes a good one surfaces. I go for quantity rather than quality – it’s my family’s job to sort the wheat from the chaff.

What superpower would you choose?
To be able to clear the oceans of plastic.