SPINNER'S LEAD
The Spinner's Lead takes place in the Cascade Livestock Pavilion in the Sheep Show Ring, after the picnic dinner on Saturday night of the Gathering. Entrants wear their handspun garments or creations while leading a sheep, goat or alpaca.
The event is open to all producers and spinners of wool, mohair, alpaca. If you wish to enter, please read the rules carefully.
Complete the Entry Form and mail it to the address on the form.
Mail-in entries will be accepted until June 21; however, forms will be available at the Information Table until noon Friday. Onsite forms can ONLY be submitted at the Information Booth in the Willamette Events Center until 6pm on Friday, June 28, 2024. Any entry received after this time will not be accepted.
If you don’t have livestock entered in the Black Sheep Gathering animal shows, we can arrange for you to borrow an animal. However, these arrangements must be made in advance so we can find a match for you.
Spinner’s Lead Rules
- Articles must be 100% handspun or felted, (commercial warp or canvas OK)
- Entries may be hand or machine knit, hooked, woven, crocheted or felted.
- The articles may have been completed at any time; it is not limited to items made in the past year.
- Someone other than the entrant may make the article, although the maker of entered article must be identified in the entry form.
- Articles must be at least 80% wool, mohair, alpaca, or rabbit.
- Garments should represent the breed of the animal being led.
- Entrant doesn’t have to own the animal used in the lead.
- Only animals entered in the Gathering are eligible for the Spinner’s Lead.
Judging Criteria for Spinner’s Lead
Originality and difficulty of design | 30 points | |
Color, fit and style | 25 points | |
Suitability of garment to use of fiber | 20 points | |
Handspun by entrant | 5 points | |
Knit, woven, etc., by entrant | 5 points | |
Overall appearance of entrant and animal | 10 points | |
Animal owned by entrant | 5 points |
NOTE: In case of a tie, judges will award bonus points on the basis of originality.
ALL PARTICIPANTS MEET AT THE SHEEP SHOW RING BLEACHERS AT 7:30PM ON SATURDAY, JUNE 29 IN THE CASCADE LIVESTOCK PAVILION PRIOR TO THE EVENT.