This time last year, I decided I’d like some “cute, good looking” sheep! So to decide which ones, because I didn’t just want “bog standard” sheep (!), I went to the shows to decide. What to look for – those that I thought looked cute and weren’t wild. So I visited the Yorkshire Show and Driffield Show to choose- if they had a “roof” on their pen (sheep bar) then they were out (no fence jumpers welcome at our house!); if the handler looked cheesed off with them….no; if I saw them jump and faff….definitely not….the outcome, the woolly teddy bears….Ryelands. On the society website, they are perfect…we shall see, read on! Am I doing this for the children to be young handlers or for me, judge, I don’t mind!
My first trip to a sheep auction, I have expensive taste, I realised I was trying to buy “designer sheep” and came home with nothing. The only thing I achieved was to help the vendor by pushing the price up. It had been a family outing, me, Charlie, Henry, Eliza and my secret weapon Granny (she knows what a good sheep is meant to look like). I did however, befriend a local lady to buy from, so off I went to try and buy some. I came back with five. The excitement of collecting them! Henry was at school, but I took him to see them after school on a “magical mystery tour”….”mummy, will this be worth it?…anything in it for me?”. He was one happy camper when he saw Uma, Upstar and three unnamed W’s (year of birth dictates what their name begins with, imagine if that happened with children?! Immediately we acquired Wendy, Wilma and Winnie (we’re still not 100% sure which is which).
Winter came and went, they got woolly and they were friendly. I decided, we’ve got them, lets show them! That meant clipping, March was decided. Hardened show participants choose January but its cold on our hill in Westow and to be honest we don’t even know if we have a good one! The night of the clip, very exciting: Henry, Eliza and I got them in after school, Ed arrived and set up – lights, extension cables had been borrowed, we were game on! Sheep not so keen but all ok, only one smug lady at the end of the night, Uma (she wasn’t on the list….next time), they all snuggled into her that night!
Roll on one month, I decide, we’ll turn them out! They soon learnt to follow 
the bucket of food. Then I decided, we need to tame these dudes! Feed them more, and now they are out full time…eeek. I will not be beaten, they are woolly jumpers aren’t they?! So we fed them in the same place for a week. Then headcollar time….Wendy first up! We think she is our most likely catwalk model, but who knows. Gang in the pen, head collar on and off we go! Boy, does she jump! Henry is my assistant, Eliza an onlooker but in the field…mistake. Mummy decides, excellent we’ve cracked this one…well sort of so let’s put it in the pen and have a go with Wilma. Hmm the gang had other ideas, barged past chief shepherd Henry, making a bee line for Eliza – Uma put her head down and shoulder barged. Well, that went down a stormer with her previously biggest fan….the tears….wowsers… but no injuries (clearly a result)! Mummy battled on, lets lead Wendy a bit further, I’ll carry Eliza, Henry you push…. He pushed, occasionally Wendy did move and he went flying, face first!
Uma is now renamed, the Woolly Bully by Eliza and Henry!
Day 2, head collar training.
The Woolly Bully and Wendy are now best friends and determined to be non-compliant, with no venturing near the pen. Wilma and Winnie are sort of on my wave length, they run in, eat and exit as soon as I try to shut the gate. This only happens 6 times…. Seriously why did I want sheep, they are annoying! Text Charlie to tell him the sheep are taking the mickey out of me! Then I managed to shut the gate, No 75, Wilma, I will get the head collar on you! Those who know me are aware I’m reluctant to give up! The head collar was on, I’ll lead it. Henry, my chaser, was “tired” so couldn’t possibly help (see photo), “Mummy, you are on your own”. Great…survived and the outcome was positive but I did question “do I have to do everything?!”
Day 3…will it be Wendy or Wilma? I hear you ask, not Winnie? It’s been decided Winnie is not so beautiful so she’s my model where I try out the hair styles! Annoyingly she is the tamest! I captured Wilma. Got her out the pen, going well. Shout from Eliza, “I need a pooh”, “are you sure”, “mummy I need a pooh and I need one now”…Wilma tied to the fence. Henry watched over. Eliza did her business and I returned to Winnie trying to chew the rope to let Wilma free…seriously sheep aren’t that intelligent?! Wilma led, she was ok….but I feel we have a lot to do before North Yorkshire County!
So the training has continued and progress is being made. 
They are definitely behaving better, however, it is dependent on actually being able to catch them. That is not guaranteed! Henry is getting going leading them on his own (doubtful who is in charge though?!) but that is not without amusement. Henry has only ever had one instruction; “Don’t let go”. Now sadly this hasn’t quite been adhered too. Wendy tripped him up, bit unfortunate but a giggle did creep out and then Wilma rudely took him into some nettles….”Daddy, I thought you’d killed the nettles?” On both occasions, it meant at least 10 minutes chasing them round the field, the rope trailing behind them! Henry on both occasions did phenomenally well to “grab” them then said “Mummy, I’ve got her and I promise I won’t let go this time”. Bless him, he is doing so well once he is on board for that night’s sheep training. If he was a racehorse, he might need blinkers.
Now, I am not a sheep expert so choosing which one we are going to show is tricky. We also have a ram lamb called XO, born in February, the day I met Sally, Chief Mumbler! The time has come to make the entries….now at £3 an entry, I have decided to hedge my bets! I’ve entered both Wilma and Wendy as catching them is still proving tricky. XO is entered too, he hasn’t even seen a halter yet…..watch this space.
Bank holiday weekend proved sunny so we washed Wendy
…she loved it. The others have been voluntarily coming into the pen ever since and standing in position, clearly jealous. Warning, when washing a sheep, boy do they shake – Henry and I were soaked!!
North Yorkshire County is the first show on the 18th June, Malton Show on 2nd July with probably the main aim is Driffield Show, given this is my “home” show, lets hope we’re a bit more clued up by then. Ryedale Show is Tuesday 25th July and is always a great show for families with lots going on. Click on the Driffield Show Banner to enter the launch competition and come and see us in the sheep lines!
North Yorkshire County is now getting frighteningly close….XO and Wendy seem to be going well. “Sheep Suds” used and now I’ve bought some 
“Fleece Fix”. I think this is basically hair spray for sheep?! Bit concerned I may have got a bit over excited washing them, as they do look a little like fluffy clouds and they may be a little “white”. These are not supposed to be “Daz” sheep! However, we are doing this for fun and the experience. None of us have ever shown a sheep before so if all else, we will have fun and its taking part that counts…..right?!
What a lovely day we had, sheep and children behaved ok! It was boiling – both humans and sheep
were feeling it. By no means did we set the showing world on fire but we had a really nice day. Shows are a fun place for kids with loads to do and see! There are always plenty of animals to see, bouncy castles (in fact at one stage, Henry and Wendy were heading in a great hurry towards the bouncy castles), hook a duck and at North Yorkshire, jumping motorbikes.
Wendy was really good and looked the part. XO got a bit of stage fright and he needs to spend more time in the “salon” and do more eating before the next show! It is Malton Show next weekend but sadly we have to give it a miss, so Driffield Show is hopefully the next outing! Don’t forget you have the chance to win a free family ticket to Driffield Show by clicking on the above flyer to enter the launch competition.
