I couldn't resist clicking these two Suffolk's who were all dolled up, trimmed, combed, polished and dyed for the sheep show at the Northumberland County Show.
A real contrast to the paddock condition in which alpacas are shown. I love the sheep lines at the agricultural shows. I can genuinely stand for hours watching the sheep being judged. It's a mystery I am dying to understand but each time I come away a little more mystified than when I arrived.
There the judge is, is in the ring, with his or her stick poking and prodding and touching as the sheep run hither and thither. The handlers kind of wait at the fence side until he or she taps their sheep with the stick at which point the handlers dive in and grab their entries and put them in a semblance of order which only they seem to understand.
The judge then grabs the rosettes, slaps them on the sheep in the order he sees fit and the then they all nod or shake their head and move on to the next class. No explanation or justification of the decision making is deemed necessary and much muttering and speculation amongst the watching sheep men as to what the poor judge is thinking.
This in contrast to the alpaca judging where all is concentrated and orderly. Animals are placed and the the judge must reason down to sixth placing their decisions and rationale for their placements.
The result? The public flock to the alpaca judging in droves and love the glimpse they get into the judges brain as opposed to walking away from the sheep judging as mystified as when they arrived.
And for the alpaca breeders? Well they were told in public why they were standing where they were. It won't stop the disgruntled moaning about the judges mental capabilities but they can't add any speculation about the judges reasons into the mix!
I for one would love to hear the sheep judges reasoning. They are all experienced sheep men and women who obviously know what they are doing I just wish they would share this knowledge with the rest of us. 'Twas ever thus!
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