MANISTIQUE, Mich. (WZMQ) – This weekend marks the third annual North American Hill Sheep Show.
The North American Hill Sheep Show brings some of the top sheep farming experts from the U.K. to the U.P.
“I am from Scotland, a small island called the Isle of Lewis,” said show judge Ally Williamson. “I get the privilege of judging the sheep that I love.”
The sheep are judged on almost everything, including their faces, their teeth, their wool, and their muscles.
“It’s great to see in the States that the hill breed is thriving,” Williamson said. “The example of sheep here is tremendous. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m actually blown away by the amount of effort, for one, and the standard of the sheep is tremendous.”
According to Williamson, there are differences between sheep in the U.S. and sheep in the U.K.
“Although it’s a small land mass, we have a lot more sheep—and a lot more hill sheep,” he explained. “Our sheep, there would be a slightly different look to some of them, but you can see some of these genetics have been taken from the U.K. and taken over here. It’s remarkable that even within the year, the standard has just gone up. It’s only been three years of this show, so it can only get better. It won’t be long before they’ll be on par, if not taking over, the U.K.”
He says that is especially true given the industry’s recent growth in North America.
“It’s not been a big thing to show hill sheep in America,” said Williamson. “It’s something that we try to encourage because, at the end of the day, we’re both trying to do the same thing, just at different sides of the sea.”
In addition to judgings, the show features agricultural competitions, vendors selling products made with real wool, stock dog trainings, food, and other activities. Williamson says it is all part of the authentic U.K. sheep show experience.
“It’s about educating people in America about what we try and do with our hill sheep,” he said. “If you’ve got nothing to do with sheep, that’s fine. You’ll come along; you’ll learn something. We want everybody to enjoy it. Come out, have a look, and get yourself a couple of sheep! Why not try it?”
North American Hill Sheep Show continues Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, at the Schoolcraft County Fairgrounds. Click here to see the full schedule of events, and visit nahillsheepshow for more information.
