Greyface sheep go head to head in the county shows

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/30/country-diary-somerset-sheep-county-show

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The rivalry between two Somerset flocks of Greyface Dartmoor sheep – the Vespasian flock (so named because of Roman remains at its home, high up at Green Ore in the Mendips), and the Hearne flock from Horsington Marsh, down in Blackmoor Vale – is a friendly one; indeed, a Vespasian ram called Nero is father to some of the Hearne lambs.

When I went out to the marsh to find out how the Hearne flock’s lambing season had gone and how the newcomers were likely to fare in the shows, the news was that in February, seven ram lambs were born, and four ewe lambs. The births were easy and there had been no mishaps.

Related: Country diary: Horsington, Somerset: Out on the marsh the lambing has gone well for the greyface Dartmoors

But the requirements for success in the county shows are strict, and most of this year’s lambs had either too few black spots or too many, or spots in the wrong place. Then one that looked promising was injured when an adult ewe trod on its foot and broke a bone. (There is hope of a complete recovery.)

Already, at the early North Somerset show, Hearne sheep had taken some second and third places. The top prizes had however gone to the Vespasians, the key to whose success is that sheep living in harsh conditions on high ground tend to develop strong fleeces, appropriate to a hardy breed. Sheep that enjoy the relative ease of our lowland life down in balmy Blackmoor Vale tend to have softer fleeces, so it was a matter of particular pride that a Hearne ram had, at last year’s Dorset county show, won the trophy for best fleece.

Getting ready for a show is hard work. You need to pack bales of hay and bags of sheep nuts, buckets for water, white coats to wear in the show ring, foot shears and shears for tidying tails and faces. It is also wise to pack some spray to counteract “blowfly strike”, the condition that occurs when flies lay eggs in the fleece and maggots feed on the sheep. The trophies are hard won.