Psalm23Farm: First Shearing Contest!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

First Shearing Contest!

I entered my first sheep shearing contest and competed in August! There were shearers from Canada, Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa between the blade and machine shearers.

The contest was at the Genesee County Fair near Flint, MI. There were 12 professional machine shearers, 2 beginner machine shearers, and 5 who entered in the blade shearing (3 of whom are professional machine shearers.) There are not enough blade shearers to have more than one division. I was competing against Kevin Ford, shearer of more than 30 years; Doug Rathke; Sy Caryl; and Alex Moser. All of these guys have been shearing for way longer than me!

I placed fourth out of five. Doug Rathke placed first; Kevin Ford, second (by 4 points); Sy Caryl, third; Alex Moser was fifth. (I believe was also on the US team for the World shearing competitions last year) placed first in the professional machine shearing division and would have done better with better blades (the ones he had were some that were given to him and were dull), he was the fastest! We are judged on quality and time. The judges have a clicker and click for any second cuts, and flesh cuts, and tags left on. I was second for quality in the first heat. Kevin was 33 and I 39 for quality in the fist heat. I was the slowest though. I didn't do as well in the second heat as I got really nervous and cut a few (minor nicks.) Overall I am happy with how I did. There was also prize money which helped pay for the trip and everyone who entered got a free shearing singlet, I didn't take one as I could have worn it for a dress! They had X large and XX large only!

Kevin was also kind enough to help me grind my blades before the competition. Doug and Kevin showed me a slightly different (more correct) way to go up the neck.

This was my list of breeds that I had sheared from spring:

Now my list includes Rambouillet, CVM Romaldale, Teeswater, BFLs, Suffolk X Hampshire (big heavy sheep), Cotswold, Romney, Tunis, Suffolk (that was an amazing job! I got up to 3 1/2 sheep an hour and they sheared beautifully), East Friesian (dairy sheep.)

1 comment:

AnonymousSeptember 14, 2013 at 4:35 AM
Awesome! It was nice to meet you at Jefferson:)
-Erica
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Welcome to Psalm 23 Farm

I'm breeding my NASSA registered Shetland sheep for fine and med. fine lustrous single coated fleeces in both the crimpy and the locky, wavy fleece styles. I have a wide range of colors and makings as well as the bright pure whites. I'm emphasizing on production, mothering ability and sound conformation. I have both horned and naturally polled Shetland rams and a few horned Shetland ewes.

I also produce fast growing grass-fed market lambs and commercial ewes with excellent fleece. (Shetland x Coopworth and Shetland x Australian Corriedale.) These F1 (first generation cross) ewes are great maternal ewes to put under a terminal sire for the ultimate grass fed market lamb.

Angora goats are my other love. I'm selecting for fine yearling grade mohair in adult animals. All of my goats are CAGBA (colored) or AAGBA (white) registered. I'm also selecting for sound healthy goats.

Posts will be about the Shetlands and Angoras with an occasional post about the other animals on the farm. Posts will also be about wool, spinning and a variety of other topics.

Psalm 23 Farm sells raw "jacketed" wool and mohair fleeces, mohair locks, dyed and natural Shetland and Shetland/mohair roving. Also sheepskins, quilt batts, handspun yarn, mohair lock yarn, and mill spun yarn.

From the Shetland Sheep Society

"Shetland sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and patterns. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognized markings.

By selecting from coloured fleeces a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.

Shetland wool fibres are of a simple construction witha central cortex covered by a thin scaly cuticle, and have an average diameter of about 23 microns. However there is a range from 10-20 microns for neck and shoulder wool to 25 to 35 microns for britch wool. the average staple length is 3.5 inches. The amount of crimp varies, and is most important in providing the 'bounce' required for knitwear. There is a positive correlation between fineness and crimp, with wool of the finest quality being crimped at between 8 and 12 to the inch. Wool from Shetland sheep is used to produce gossamer lace, the famous 'Fair Isle' knitwear, and fine tweeds. Pure bred Shetland sheep tend to shed their fleece in spring. The growth of new fleece can cause a rise or weak point and where this is present the fleece can sometimes be plucked or 'rooed' by hand. The timing of this can be different in each sheep, however, it is worth taking the care to get it right as rooed fleece can be amongst the softest because the fibers have no harsh cut ends as occurs with a sheared fleece.

Shetland fleece can be handspun straight from the fleece or made into rolags and then woollen spun. It can also be worsted spun by hand, used on a peg loom or handwoven. It also felts well using either dry or wet methods. When processed commercially the wool can be made into the finest lightweight worsted cloth or heavier weight, harder wearing fabrics and tweeds."

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Thursday, September 12, 2013

First Shearing Contest!

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