Black Sheep Gathering

FLEECE SHOW AND SALE

HELD IN THE EAST BUILDING OF THE ANIMAL EXPO HALL
Click here for entry forms.
  • Entry fee: $6 for each fleece for show or for sale.
  • All entries must be postmarked by June 2, 2017. For entries post-marked after June 2, 2017, the fee will be $12 for each fleece for show or for sale. No refunds.
  • All fleece must be entered in the name of the producer. An agent may enter and retrieve fleece with a letter from the grower. The show clerk will not accept mailed fleece.
  • Intake will begin at 1pm, Thursday, June 22. Fleece will be accepted for entry on Thursday and Friday at the clerk's discretion. All entries must be in place by 9am Friday.
  • Judging begins 10am Friday. The wool sale for Class 00 also begins at 10am Friday.
  • Awards: ribbons will be awarded through 6th place.
  • Prizes will be awarded for Champion and Reserve Champion Natural Colored and White Fleeces. The perennial Black Sheep Cup, sponsored by the Black Sheep Newsletter, will be awarded to the winner of the Five Most Valuable Fleeces for Handspinning from a Single Producer. To be considered, growers must enter Class 32 and pay a separate entry fee of $10 (one fee, not per fleece).
  • A 10% handling fee will be collected on all fleeces sold at the wool and mohair sale.
  • All unsold fleece must be claimed by the producer or agent between 3:30–5pm Sunday, June 25, 2017. All fleece left behind will be destroyed.

FLEECE SHOW RULES:

  1. All show fleeces will be judged on the basis of handspinning quality and character, stressing cleanliness, strength and uniformity.
  2. A fleece for show and sale must be properly rolled and placed in a clear plastic bag to be presented for show. No tied fleeces. Mohair fleeces do not have to be rolled.
  3. No fleeces with mothballs will be allowed in the show. Please air your fleeces extensively, as some people are extremely sensitive to these chemicals. The show chair reserves the right to eliminate these fleeces from the sale and show. The BSG Wool Show is a handspinners' show. Handspinning characteristics of the fleece are the primary judging criteria. Judges reserve the right to carefully unroll fleeces. Fine wool fleeces may be rolled with paper liners to prevent sticking.
  4. Each entry must be tagged with a Black Sheep Gathering tag available at the check-in table. Clear plastic bags will be avail- able for sale.
  5. Sellers will receive a signed original receipt.
  6. Participants are required to pick up unsold fleeces and must sign a release sheet at check out time on Sunday. If all fleeces have been sold, this may be done earlier as record-keeping allows. Participants will receive a check via mail for their fleece sales (less 10% handling fee), within 30 days of the BSG.
  7. Wool show judging is limited by time and space on a first-come, first-served basis. Please send entry form in as early as possible.
  8. Number of entries: Producers may enter up to 20 fleeces in the FLEECE SHOW except for Class 00 which has no limit on entries. Entries Per Class: Producers may enter 4 (four) fleeces per class.
  9. Wool, Mohair and Alpaca will be accepted for table sale (Class 00: FOR SALE ONLY). Class 00: the rule is "Buyer Beware" because they are not judged. However, many nice fleeces are entered in this class, and the BSG would like to continue to offer this marketing opportunity for producers. The committee chair, to maintain the standard of the show, will pull fleeces with wool rot or other extensive problems. Class 00: For Sale Only Fleeces – sale will begin on Friday at 10am.
  10. Promotional materials may be inserted in fleeces only after judging except for Class 00 which may be included at the beginning of the sale.
  11. BSG Wool Show Committee Chair reserves the right to pull fleeces from the Wool, Mohair and Alpaca Show and Sale upon the recommendation of the judge in order to maintain the recognized high standards of quality handspinning fleeces. Fleeces with wool rot, abnormal "vegetation" or other disqualifying issues will be pulled with a note provided as to the cause. Please see the chairperson at the registration table with fleeces that are questionable.

WOOL FLEECE SHOW

Wool Fleece Judge: Judith MacKenzie • Forks, Washington

Judith MacKenzie has worked as a textile artist for many years. As a spinner, dyer and weaver, she has traveled and worked throughout North America and abroad. Judith brings a depth of knowledge honed by years of practice, scientific and historical knowledge, patience, humor, and hands-on expertise to judging that is unmatched. Whether she is assessing raw fiber, spun fiber, woven items, felting, knitting or other fiber creation, she teaches and inspires.

Wool Classes

(please note that some class numbers have changed)
  1. Solid colored common and braid (44s and coarser)
  2. Solid colored longwool (46-50s)
  3. Solid colored medium (52-58s)
  4. Solid colored fine (60s and higher)
  5. Variegated common and braid (44s and coarser)
  6. Variegated longwool (46-50s)
  7. Variegated medium (52-58s)
  8. Variegated fine (60s and higher)
  9. Purebred colored Romney
  10. Purebred colored Lincoln
  11. Purebred Jacob
  12. Purebred colored Corriedale
  13. Purebred colored common and braid (44s and coarser)
  14. Purebred colored longwool (46-50s)
  15. Purebred colored medium (52-58s)
  16. Purebred colored fine (60s and higher)
  17. White common and braid wool (44s and coarser)
  18. White long wool (46-50s)
  19. White medium (52-58s)
  20. White fine (60s and higher)
  21. White Romney
  22. White Lincoln
    • 22TL. Teeswater lamb (under 1 year age)
    • 22TH. Teeswater hogget (between 1-2 years age)
    • 22TA Teeswater adult (greater than 2 years)
  23. White Corriedale
  24. White Cormo
  25. White Merino
  26. Purebred white common and braid (44s and coarser)
  27. Purebred white longwool (46-50s)
  28. Purebred white medium (52-58s)
  29. Purebred white fine (60s and higher)
  30. Shetland yearling and younger
  31. Shetland mature
  32. Primitive
  33. Purebred Icelandic
  34. Five Most Valuable Fleeces for Handspinning from a Single Producer. Each fleece will be judged on strength, elasticity, uniformity, breed characteristics, cleanliness and spinning quality. The exhibitor must preselect and indicate by an * in the class column, the five fleece to be judged. A $10 one-time fee is required.
  35. 00. For Sale Only. This class is not judged and there is no limit on the number of entries. Fleeces with wool rot or other extensive problems will be pulled by the committee chair.

MOHAIR FLEECE JUDGING

Wool Fleece Judge: Judith MacKenzie • Forks, Washington

See bio above.

Classes

    WHITE MOHAIR FLEECES
  1. White fall doe kid.
  2. White fall buck kid.
  3. White spring doe kid.
  4. White spring buck kid.
  5. White yearling doe.
  6. White yearling buck.
  7. White aged doe.
  8. White wether.

  9. COLORED MOHAIR FLEECES
  10. Colored fall doe kid.
  11. Colored fall buck kid.
  12. Colored spring doe kid.
  13. Colored spring buck kid.
  14. Colored yearling doe.
  15. Colored yearling buck.
  16. Colored aged doe.
  17. Colored wether.

ALPACA FLEECE JUDGING

Alpacas and alpaca products will be located in Expo Hall #3. Alpaca fleeces may be entered in the show and sale. All entries will follow the Wool, Mohair and Alpaca Show rules and be judged on the basis of handspinning quality and character, luster/ brightness, stressing cleanliness, strength and uniformity.

The Alpaca Association of Western Oregon alpacafarmsoregon.org will provide specialty awards for Judge’s Choice for Best hand and for Luster/ Brightness for each breed. Alpacas may also be entered in Class 00: For Sale Only Fleeces and Class 32: Five Most Valuable Fleeces for Handspinning.

Wool Fleece Judge: Judith MacKenzie • Forks, Washington

See bio above.

Alpacas

Classes

  1. Suri Juvenile (6 months to 365 days) white
  2. Suri Juvenile light to medium fawn
  3. Suri Juvenile dark
  4. Suri Yearling (1 year old) white
  5. Suri Yearling light to medium fawn
  6. Suri Yearling dark
  7. Suri 2+ years white
  8. Suri 2+ years light to medium fawn
  9. Suri 2+ years dark

  10. Huacaya Juvenile (6 months to 365 days) white
  11. Huacaya Juvenile light to medium fawn
  12. Huacaya Juvenile dark
  13. Huacaya Yearling white
  14. Huacaya Yearling light to medium fawn
  15. Huacaya Yearling dark
  16. Huacaya 2+ years white
  17. Huacaya 2+ years light to medium fawn
  18. Huacaya 2+ years dark

SHEEP SHOW

Judge: Richard Jacobsen
Le Grand, California

I am a 4th generation sheep producer, primarily as a seed-stock producer. My grandfathers and dad raised competitive sheep here in California, going back to the 1940s.Read More.

ANGORA GOAT SHOW

Judge: Allen Mesick
Huntington Beach, California

Allen Mesick of Eureka! Mohair Farm, has bred and showed white and natural colored Angora goats for over 20 years. His Angora goats have brought home many Champion and overall Grand Champion awards. Read More.

FLEECE SHOW

Wool and Alpaca Judge: Dr. Geof Ruppert
Fairfield, Pennsylvania

Geof Ruppert has been judging sheep and fleeces since he was fresh out of veterinary school. Inspired in part by his mother's love of fiber arts, Dr. Ruppert began raising Corriedales in the 1970s.  Read More.

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FIBER ARTS AND YARN SHOW

Judge: Laura Todd
Neotsu, Oregon

Laura has judged fiber arts for county fairs, taught knitting since 2007, and has been awarded ribbons and multiple best-in-show awards for fiber arts at numerous festivals and fairs nationwide, including three Black Sheep Cups at BSG.Read More.