Black Sheep Gathering 2010

We're back - a long rainy trip home from Eugene Oregon - 400 & some miles - The Shepherd does all the driving (I do offer, but he'd rather drive - so part of the time I crochet, part of the time, I sleep) -

Anyone who attended will tell you that this picture (from 2006) was NOT taken at this year's BSG - it was cloudy and cool this year and, on Saturday, rainy. I forgot to take my camera with me when I went through the vendors - heavenly fiber heaven - three barns full plus over-runs to the outside -
I got some wool/bison/angora blend that a friend is brave enough to have me spin up for her, some beautiful targhee dyed in pretty ocean colors with a four ounce bag of locks, silk and firestar dyed in the same colors - (I'll figure out some way to combine them - maybe something three ply) - but, I really couldn't justify buying too much because I still haven't spun up the stuff that I got LAST year! And since I was holding the line on The Shepherd not bringing anything "four footed" in the back of the car, the least I could do was cut back on my own spending.

This little lady came perilously close to having a new home with us - isn't she just the cutest little thing? But someone else beat The Shepherd to her.










The Sheep Judging was Friday morning - there were sheep, shepherds & shepherdesses of all ages and sizes.










The judge seemed (to me) to be fair and balanced. This year BSG was the home of the was the North American Shetland Sheep Association's Annual General Meeting - so there were a few more participants and entrants than usual - in fact the lamb class was huge - almost 40 entries - I don't know how he could choose...
(if you click on the picture to biggafy it, you'll get an idea of some of the sheep he had to choose from.)



Saturday morning was the wool/fleece judging. Judith MacKenzie was the wool judge this year. It was also the biggest Shetland wool class they had ever had - there were over 30 fleeces up for the best adult fleece. The Shepherd took Violet's fleece from this year - when it was placed on the table, it was second to the last - so she had 28 fleeces to go through before she got to ours. Luck of the draw, I guess. She really liked the fleece and it only placed 10th (just 6 fleeces get ribbons) But he was very excited to get that high - there were only 4 other breeders ahead of us - (several of the breeders had multiple fleeces in the class)

There was a huge crowd to watch the fleece judging.










If you want to learn a lot about wool and fleece, just spend a bit of time watching and listening to Judith judge fleeces.









You will definitely never look at another fleece the same way again.

I have a few more pictures of our adventures to post - but they will have to wait - I need to get around and get busy - I have today and tomorrow off from work - can't spend them all on the computer!

For some more great pictures of Black Sheep, visit Donna's blog or Sharon's blog In Stitches!