Eugene, Oregon is a lovely town. It's streets are lined with lots of large trees and there are "rivers running through it" (the McKenzie and the Willamettte) creating beautiful green belts. Founden in 1846, Eugene is now the second largest city in Oregon. With neighboring Springfield, the metro area has a population of over 200,000.
Eugene is also home to the University of Oregon. This week, they are holding Olympic trials there - and there supposedly won't be a cubby to be found. Glad BSG was last weekend. It was predicted to be "crazy" this week. The Lane County Fairgrounds, where BSG is held, is right smack dab in the middle of the city.
Sorry these are so dark - guess I was trying to take too big an area with this picture.
The sights and sounds are just incredibly fun - like the Asian mom who was terrified that her children would "walk in it" and kept moving them from one side of the aisle to the other - what she didn't know was the "it" she was trying to keep her children out of was dried paint on the floor - or the gal with bright orange hair and black fishnet stockings...The Shepherd said she had a booth, but I don't know what she was selling...
Many of the lambs at BSG are being weaned at the time of the show - creating quite a ruckus - and you can recognize that plaintive little "bah" anywhere.
Many of the breeders have tables set up with beautiful examples of what can be made from Shetland wool.
I love these skeins of wool that Susie Sizemore has in her exhibit.
Moving the lambs from one end of the barn to the other is not always the easiest thing. Oops here's one pretending it's dead - "Maybe they will all go away and leave me alone"...
Lynne Deschler from Cedar Haven Farms is organizing her show ring pen.
One of the best parts of BSG is catching up with old freinds and making new ones.
NW Breeders Joyce Thomas from Thistledown Shetlandsof Edwall, WA, Michelle McMillan from Boulderneigh in Amity, OR, Franna Pitt from Everranch in Auburn, WA and Terry Niles from Windy Valley Sheep Ranch in Ellensburg, WA take a moment before the judging to chat.
And a few minutes later, Franna is exchanging ideas with Judy Colvin, from Bitterroot Ranch in Montana
All I will say about this judge is that he didn't really like Shetlands and didn't seem to be up on the breed standards. Very frustrating for many in the ring.
And of course, there are many, many breeds of sheep besides Shetland at the Gathering. I believe that this handsome fellow is the Wensleydale Longwool sheep who won best of show.
3 comments:
Oh man, how I do love that event. I hope hope hope that we'll be able to come next year. I haven't attended that many fiber events, but I think this as is the real deal - a one of a kinder. We used to make it a yearly event and I am filled with envy. No, I am just plain green and jealous.
Well, I'm jealous too and there's no way I'll get to go next year. *LOL*
How is it that I hardly saw you and yet you got several pictures of me? You must have been hiding behind your camera. :-)
That judge was certainly predicable; those who had shown under him before knew what to bring (if they had choices) to cater to his likes. Two words: BIG and WOOLY. Ah well, it was fun.
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