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Showing our sheep

When the Foot and Mouth outbreak occurred in 2001 all shows were cancelled for the year and last year (2002) we never got going again after the enforced break.

This year (2003) we decided to enter just a couple to keep our hands in. On July 23rd we went to Chulmleigh Show in Devon. This was show we had never entered before but as it had been held since 1253 and this was the 750th we could not resist it.

Shows tend to fall into two types. The smaller town or village shows, often held on temporary show grounds usually fields or the larger County level shows, usually on permanent show grounds with indoor housing for the stock. Chulmleigh is in the first category.

Below is a typical run-up and day out at a show.

You don't just turn up on the day! Showing sheep properly takes a lot of work and preparation. This section may be expanded but very briefly you have to select your stock some time in advance having decided which classes you want to enter. This could be lambs male and female, adult stock, sometimes shearling classes, sometimes teams of three or pairs plus wool on the hoof and other combinations. Pairs and threes have to match.

All the sheep have to trained to walk on a halter and to stand properly in a line of sheep.

Some breeds allow trimming and washing but not Portlands, although for some reason untidy wool and grubby fleeces are rarely seen!

We well remember a judge commenting on the fact that Portlands should not have any wool on the legs. Despite the fact that you are supposed to show the sheep as in the field. Amazingly, all the sheep in the next and subsequent classes had lost any trace of wool on the legs!! Had all the wool fallen off or had a little tweaking gone on.  Surely not.

Halter training each sheep is a long process requiring enormous patience but is worth the effort. They never forget and it does make them easier to handle in later years. Just out of interest we put a halter on a sheep that had been shown about four years ago and she walked along without any protest at all.

The day of the Chulmleigh Show!

The weather forecast was not good (it rarely is in Devon!) however the day dawned dull but dry. A very late start by Show standards, 11.00am judging. So up at 6.00am (it will be 3.30am for something like the New Forest Show) and we load everyone and the gear and set off at 8.30am.

Arrive at the showground having only got slightly lost with tempers in the cab still intact!

Install everyone in their pens and have a last fiddle with the sheep which really just involves brushing the fleeces to make sure they all look tidy. We also oil the horns which doesn't really make any difference but makes us feel better.

Most of the sheep at the show were large commercial breeds such as Suffolk and Texel but in our rare  and minority breed classes we did pretty well, winning the Ram Lamb, Shearling Ram, Ram, Team of Three, Reserve Minority and Rare Breed Champion. We came home with some impressive rosettes and a very nice cup so not a bad day. In the Overall Show Championship the Judge said he was very impressed with our ram but he just could not compete on bulk and weight with the big commercial sheep. This is a problem when competing in a show dominated by commercial breeds but you have to try. Sometimes a judge is brave and goes against the trend but not often.

One of favorite wins was at a show in Dorset several years ago when our Team of Three won the overall Team of Three Show Championship against some very good commercial opposition. Sometimes a win like that is better than an Overall Show Championship at a Rare Breeds Show.

At Chulmleigh there was also a Dog Show and Woody our Springer Spaniel was thrust into the ring for the first time. To our surprise he won second place in the best Dog Class! Along with two fourth places in other classes. If all else fails we may go into Dog Showing!!

The weather held off right until the end when we got absolutely soaked packing up. The new four wheel drive vehicle came into its own when leaving.  This is one of the minor irritants of the smaller shows in that the access and exit can be 'interesting' on the wet grass if you only have a two wheel drive vehicle.

The end of the day and everyone safely home.