The pictures show the same ram from February to July
Starting Out
When you see those fantastic sheep parading in the show ring at the summer shows it is easy to think that the skill and time required to reach such a level would be too much for a novice. But in reality with a little work done often and in plenty of time, anyone should be able to turn out a reasonable animal and with practice you could soon be challenging for championships!
Basic Kit & Caboodle
Thick halter, wire brush, medium sized carder, patting board, trimming shears, water sprayer.
As you progress you may invest in a trimming yoke or stand, several sizes of carder, angle and straight shears.
Autumn
To show sheep at the summer shows you must start to think about it towards mid-October. For yearling ewes it is best to pick out 2 or 3 ewe lambs, which are well grown, correct on their feet and mouth, bright eyed and firmed fleeced. By the following May there will be quite a bit of difference in size so it is important you have a choice prior to the show.They need half a pound of high protein feed up to Christmas and offered ad-lib hay. The ram lambs are treated in exactly the same way but they are kept separate from the ewe lambs throughout the winter, only being run together in the spring, so as to avoid any unwanted pregnancies!
New Year
Sometime between mid-January and mid -February they will need to be shorn and will have to be housed for a time, with or without a hessian jacket, depending on the weather. They can then be ‘hardened’ off for a couple of weeks by running out during the day and being housed at night. At all times, look after their feet. This exercise will also help keep your sheep sharp and alert. At the time of being shorn they are usually in good condition and the main task is to see that they maintain this condition. I have always found that soaked beet pulp is an excellent feed for housed sheep, but care must be taken to soak for 24 hours prior to feeding and ensure that it is introduced slowly so as to avoid scouring. Try to feed the sheep twice a day to establish a routine.
Spring
By now the sheep will need more feed, this is where your judgement comes in. To have them in coming along to be at their peak for your chosen show. The sheep should now be tied up each day and taught to lead. Initially I just tie them up for a few minutes but I gradually increase this until they are manageable and quiet. I always use a good thick rope to start with as it will not chafe or mark the jaw of a sheep if it struggles, which it will. It is therefore important never to leave a sheep unattended when tied up for risk of harming the animal. A sheep that will lead going into the show ring, is much more likely to catch the judges eye than one that is being dragged along. About 2 months after shearing and once there is enough wool grown, 'cut' the sheep into shape, i.e. back them down and square up the front, jaw and tail. This will help to create a good square shape to your animal. If you are thinking of showing lambs you can start to pick out potential prospect early on when your feeding your ewes post lambing. You can then move those prospects and their mothers to a smaller group and give them a little more feed and attention. The same principles of leading and trimming apply to lambs as they do to shearlings.
Trimming
Preparing the wool is a craft, which can be perfected by trial and error, but the only way to learn is to have a go. What I do is wash them thoroughly about a month before the first show with a good white soap and warm water and then let then dry naturally.
About 10 days before the show I card them 'hard' all over, that is card out every curl and fibre. Then damp them with a water spray and lightly card them again, by this time you should have enough fluffy material to cut off. When trimming, press the shears down on to firm wool to keep to the shape you finally want. The aim of trimming is to make the sheep as wide and broad as possible. The key is not how much you trim off, but how much you leave on!
Carry out this operation two or three times until you have a good ‘face’ on the wool. After the final trim you should spray the wool with a dilute solution of dettol and pat firmly with a board or heavy carder can also help with the final 'face' of the trimmed fleece. When you have finished, cover them with a light cotton sheet to set the wool and keep them clean. I always trim the back first, then the sides and the head and neck last.
Shows
With the shows of more than one days duration, the sheep should be there at least one day before so that they can rest. Feed then exactly the same as at home. Whatever you do, do not overfeed them at shows, and if at all possible give them some exercise. Make sure that your pens are sheeted and have plenty of straw bedding. On the morning of the judging, clean their face with a damp cloth and then spray the fleece lightly with water, then pat over with a heavy carder or board, this makes them look a little fresher. Just before entering the ring, wipe the face over with an oily cloth and give the hips and boss a final carding. Always be ready to go into the ring when the steward calls and in the bigger shows make sure you have your correct number pinned to your white coat. When you take then in front of the judge, see that the clean white cotton halter fits properly and all the bits of straw and dirt are brushed off. Walk into the ring and keep your eye on your sheep, so that it stands and walks to the best of its ability, remembering not to get to close to other exhibitors. When parading your animal walk level with the shoulders on the opposite side of the judge thus showing the sheep to its best advantage. Always keep an eye on the judge and when they are inspecting the front - you stand to the side and when they are inspecting the rear - you stand in front.
Conclusion
Always watch and listen to the successful shepherd and you will learn a lot about showmanship and flock management. When the showing season is over, don't just turn out your sheep and forget about them, gradually reduce their feed and they will breed better for longer. If this article has helped to help, inspire or inform one person then that has made the effort of sharing these tips worthwhile.
And finally, always go out and try to win, but never expect to win, and enjoy yourself – it's meant to be fun and not life or death....so keep it in perspective!!
When you see those fantastic sheep parading in the show ring at the summer shows it is easy to think that the skill and time required to reach such a level would be too much for a novice. But in reality with a little work done often and in plenty of time, anyone should be able to turn out a reasonable animal and with practice you could soon be challenging for championships!
Basic Kit & Caboodle
Thick halter, wire brush, medium sized carder, patting board, trimming shears, water sprayer.
As you progress you may invest in a trimming yoke or stand, several sizes of carder, angle and straight shears.
Autumn
To show sheep at the summer shows you must start to think about it towards mid-October. For yearling ewes it is best to pick out 2 or 3 ewe lambs, which are well grown, correct on their feet and mouth, bright eyed and firmed fleeced. By the following May there will be quite a bit of difference in size so it is important you have a choice prior to the show.They need half a pound of high protein feed up to Christmas and offered ad-lib hay. The ram lambs are treated in exactly the same way but they are kept separate from the ewe lambs throughout the winter, only being run together in the spring, so as to avoid any unwanted pregnancies!
New Year
Sometime between mid-January and mid -February they will need to be shorn and will have to be housed for a time, with or without a hessian jacket, depending on the weather. They can then be ‘hardened’ off for a couple of weeks by running out during the day and being housed at night. At all times, look after their feet. This exercise will also help keep your sheep sharp and alert. At the time of being shorn they are usually in good condition and the main task is to see that they maintain this condition. I have always found that soaked beet pulp is an excellent feed for housed sheep, but care must be taken to soak for 24 hours prior to feeding and ensure that it is introduced slowly so as to avoid scouring. Try to feed the sheep twice a day to establish a routine.
Spring
By now the sheep will need more feed, this is where your judgement comes in. To have them in coming along to be at their peak for your chosen show. The sheep should now be tied up each day and taught to lead. Initially I just tie them up for a few minutes but I gradually increase this until they are manageable and quiet. I always use a good thick rope to start with as it will not chafe or mark the jaw of a sheep if it struggles, which it will. It is therefore important never to leave a sheep unattended when tied up for risk of harming the animal. A sheep that will lead going into the show ring, is much more likely to catch the judges eye than one that is being dragged along. About 2 months after shearing and once there is enough wool grown, 'cut' the sheep into shape, i.e. back them down and square up the front, jaw and tail. This will help to create a good square shape to your animal. If you are thinking of showing lambs you can start to pick out potential prospect early on when your feeding your ewes post lambing. You can then move those prospects and their mothers to a smaller group and give them a little more feed and attention. The same principles of leading and trimming apply to lambs as they do to shearlings.
Trimming
Preparing the wool is a craft, which can be perfected by trial and error, but the only way to learn is to have a go. What I do is wash them thoroughly about a month before the first show with a good white soap and warm water and then let then dry naturally.
About 10 days before the show I card them 'hard' all over, that is card out every curl and fibre. Then damp them with a water spray and lightly card them again, by this time you should have enough fluffy material to cut off. When trimming, press the shears down on to firm wool to keep to the shape you finally want. The aim of trimming is to make the sheep as wide and broad as possible. The key is not how much you trim off, but how much you leave on!
Carry out this operation two or three times until you have a good ‘face’ on the wool. After the final trim you should spray the wool with a dilute solution of dettol and pat firmly with a board or heavy carder can also help with the final 'face' of the trimmed fleece. When you have finished, cover them with a light cotton sheet to set the wool and keep them clean. I always trim the back first, then the sides and the head and neck last.
Shows
With the shows of more than one days duration, the sheep should be there at least one day before so that they can rest. Feed then exactly the same as at home. Whatever you do, do not overfeed them at shows, and if at all possible give them some exercise. Make sure that your pens are sheeted and have plenty of straw bedding. On the morning of the judging, clean their face with a damp cloth and then spray the fleece lightly with water, then pat over with a heavy carder or board, this makes them look a little fresher. Just before entering the ring, wipe the face over with an oily cloth and give the hips and boss a final carding. Always be ready to go into the ring when the steward calls and in the bigger shows make sure you have your correct number pinned to your white coat. When you take then in front of the judge, see that the clean white cotton halter fits properly and all the bits of straw and dirt are brushed off. Walk into the ring and keep your eye on your sheep, so that it stands and walks to the best of its ability, remembering not to get to close to other exhibitors. When parading your animal walk level with the shoulders on the opposite side of the judge thus showing the sheep to its best advantage. Always keep an eye on the judge and when they are inspecting the front - you stand to the side and when they are inspecting the rear - you stand in front.
Conclusion
Always watch and listen to the successful shepherd and you will learn a lot about showmanship and flock management. When the showing season is over, don't just turn out your sheep and forget about them, gradually reduce their feed and they will breed better for longer. If this article has helped to help, inspire or inform one person then that has made the effort of sharing these tips worthwhile.
And finally, always go out and try to win, but never expect to win, and enjoy yourself – it's meant to be fun and not life or death....so keep it in perspective!!
