ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – This week, a brand new event is bringing people from the United Kingdom to Escanaba.
The inaugural North American Hill Sheep Show began Thursday at the U.P. State Fairgrounds.
“It’s just knowledge sharing about what we do in the UK, how we select for breeding and the things we do for showing and just trying to develop this whole thing and develop it into a bigger event,” said judge Cameron Wilson of Scotland.
Some of the UK’s top experts flew to the Upper Peninsula to judge local sheep.
“It’s like if you were trying to pick a wife or if you were looking for a husband,” said Gareth Wyn Jones, a judge from Wales. “You look for that je ne sais quoi, that uniqueness, or that star quality. You’re looking for good teeth, good conformation, good shoulders, flat back, good hind, and making sure that the wool’s good.”
Judges are also looking for certain characteristics in each breed.
“I’m amazed at how similar they are to UK breeds,” Wilson said. “I was expecting them to be vastly different just because we’ve had such an issue getting genetics over for so many years, but the sheep are great.”
“It’s about hopefully educating people and giving them a bit of a boost to start to think about these breeds they’ve got here, help them develop a better breed line,” said Jones.
The show itinerary includes demonstrations, presentations, activities, live music, and vendors from the U.P. and abroad.
“The United States is not a sheep country, whereas back with us, arguably, it’s the main thing,” said Wilson. “It’s really just trying to put that idea of sheep into people’s minds, that actually they’re a fantastic animal, they produce a fantastic quality product, and it’s just encouraging maybe more people to get into it.”
The judges hope the public will take this unique opportunity to see a UK-style sheep show right here in the Upper Peninsula
“This is the biggest sheep show that’s ever been put on here, so please come and support it.” Jones said. “People have flown even 25 hours to get here. I think what they’ve done for the first time is absolutely amazing. It’s really, really important that we are showing off these animals to everybody within the local community.”
The North American Hill Sheep Show continues Friday, September 27, and Saturday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $20 per day, $10 for active military and veterans, and free for children 10 and younger.
For more information on the North American Hill Sheep Show, visit the show’s website or Facebook page. To learn more about Cameron Wilson, follow The Sheep Game Facebook page. Click here to view Gareth Wyn Jones’ Facebook page.
