Sunday 20 July 2008

Wear a yellow ribbon

We're back from our very first show! The sky managed to stay relatively bright for the Cumberland Show this weekend. Sadly only there were only three Shetland breeders, including us, present, but there were some lovely animals present.

David and Joy Trotter took the red rosette with their handsome tup and then it was our turn in the ring for the ewe class. I'd made a last minute decision to take Ruby and Gruna. Rosy still had marks on her from the antiseptic spray which was used when she got a couple of nicks being sheared (not by me I might add!). She had also decided to use my car as a scratching post the day before the show and had big black streaks right down her side! Since Lenice was the judge I couldn't take Robina.

Ruby has lost condition since being clipped, probably because it has been so cold and wet: none of the girls look at their absolute best, I have to say. She is still pretty though so I decided on her and Gruna because Gruna is quite easy to handle and I'm chuffed with the way her fleece has turned out after I rood and clipped her: it looks rather like a lamb fleece again :o)

They weren't keen on going in the ring but we persuaded them, and I was relieved that mine weren't the worst behaved in the show! I roped my friend and work colleague Cat in to handle Gruna. Thanks Cat!
It was stiff competition since the Rivendell and Fosterfield flock both have some super animals and in the end the Foster's grey katmoget ewe was a very deserving winner. She has excellent confirmation and her katmoget markings are super.

We didn't go home completely empty handed though: Gruna was given 4th place and I got the Novice Handler rosette :o)

Below is the interbreed competition. I simply loved the Greyfaced Dartmoor sheep and they were in the pen next to my girls. I very nearly bought some of these before I got my Shetlands... and still might in the future...!

8 comments:

Michelle said...

Good for you for showing! "Chuffed" is a new word for me; I gather it's a good thing. :-)

Jenny Holden said...

Aye, it's a good thing. It means "rather pleased!" Next show in two weeks time. Lots of cake for the girls 'til then!

Michelle said...

Well, at least I know what "cake" means when it comes to animal feed! Funny to see such short fleeces in the ring there; here, it seems, the bigger/longer the better! My single-coated ram with his shorter fleece (and button scurs) was quite out of place in the ring this June....

Tammy W. said...

Congratulations Jenny - I would be chuffed as well. Your girls looked pretty good. It sounds like it was a lot of fun. I enjoy going to the shows - to watch these days.
We don't have many nearby with shetland class, so I have to be happy to just look at the meat breeds.

Jenny Holden said...

In the pens across from us there were Beltex and they're simply the ugliest, pig faced sheep! They've a leg at each corner and look like bulldogs!

In England the sheep have all just been sheared recently so they all have short fleeces at the moment! The Trotters hadn't clipped their tup yet, but it has been such a cold wet summer. I'm actually going to be breeding for an older fashioned longer staple length in my flock since they have gone quite short down some bloodlines.

Nancy K. said...

What fun! Congratulations on your first showing. Is that Robin McEwen in the "Interbreed" Class, with the white ram?

Alaska Shetland Shepherd said...

Congratulation on your show! What fun and a great learning experience - glad you had a great time. See you hopefully this late fall!

Jenny Holden said...

Hello,

No, not Mr McEwan, this chap is a Greyface Dartmoor breeder... what beautiful sheep they are :o)

Keep me posted with the dates on coming over and I'll find a trial to go to.