The World's Cutest Sheep

The annual Berwick Show is held at Akoonah Park in Berwick (an outer suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) and has had a complicated history dating back about 170 years. With its English country feel, this small agricultural and horticultural show could be the setting of a Miss Marple mystery. 

Despite its small size, the cattle exhibit is one of the largest outside of the Royal Melbourne Show. I arrived at the cattle judging rings just before lunch break and only caught one round of judging – of some large white cows. 

During judging, the handlers led their animals past the judges. When standing still, they continually scratched the bellies of the animals with a prod. This prod looked something like a golf club (and as was explained to me) the scratching keeps them quiet. The prod has a pointy tip to also prod the feet of the animals to make them stand "correctly" for judging. The scratchy bit is a curved prong and apparently some prods have a brush as well! 

The sheep shed was packed with people watching the judging area and the rest of the shed was filled with pens of different breeds of sheep. Here's a few being judged. 

What a challenge to sketch a large spirited long haired black faced sheep with spiral horns. He wouldn't keep still and the struggling handler had to be rescued by a stronger handler. Meeting its handler Darren and learning about its amazing personal story and history of the breed was the highlight of my day! 

This sheep (aptly named Ace) is a Valais Blacknose. Ace is nearly 2 and lives on Malakai Farm in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia with a flock of mates (plus some happy Mediterranean miniature donkeys and alpacas). He arrived as a frozen embryo as it is illegal to bring live sheep into Australia. He had an Australian ewe as a surrogate mother!

Here's a couple of 3 month olds. They sell for $25,000 each!!

 They might look so soft but their wool is mainly carpet grade (although it can be blended with finer wools for a softer fibre). 

Known as "the world's cutest sheep" this breed from the Swiss Alps dates back to the 1400's. Originally bred for meat and wool, today it is mainly sold as pets for hobby farms. A few pockets of this breed are now spread across the world but it was and remains today a rare breed. 

I didn't get round to seeing the alpaca, goat and poultry exhibits at the show (plus all the art and hobby craft sheds). That will have to keep for another year.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #SeawhiteTravelJournal 5.5" x 5.5", #BerwickShow2024, #ValaisBlacknose.