NASSA Judges Packet

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TAble of CoNTeNTSIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 NASSA Judges Guide and Score Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Breed Characteristics, Conformation, Wool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Shetland Sheep Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Policy on Fitting and Trimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Shetland Sheep Breed Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

General character & appearance, Horns/polled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Face, Eyes, Ears, Tail, Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Body, Neck, Shoulders, Chest, Back, Ribs, Rump, Legs of mutton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Skin, Carriage, Wool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Wool Judging of Shetlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Staple Strength, Breed Characteristics, Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Fleece Competition Score Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Wool Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Shetland Fleece samples from the Shetland Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Shetland Ram/Ewe Assessment Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Appendix A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13NASSA Judges Certification Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13NASSA Judges Certification Information Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

INTroduCTIoNThis is the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association (NASSA) judge’s packet on the Shetland sheep. It is provided for your information to aid you in the correct assessment and selection of breed type Shetland sheep in the show ring. This packet includes the following: the Shetland breed standard, Appendix A, the clarification of the Standard as accepted by the Shetland Sheep Society and NASSA, breed specific descriptions, correct fitting of Shetlands for the show ring, and a Shetland ram/ewe assessment form to aid in judging Shetlands. This document should be studied with the intent of learning what constitutes a quality breed type Shetland Sheep.

There are many photos showing breed type Shetland sheep and their unique characteristics included in this packet. Thank you for your desire to learn more about this wonderful breed of sheep!

The NASSA Board of Directors 2010 extends great appreciation to the Education Committee for all their hard work in the research and development of this Judge's Packet. December 2010

Shetland sheep classes may include fine and Medium grades of wool, never coarse.

Fine: above 60’s (24.94 μm or less)

Medium: 50’s−58’s (24.95−30.99 μm)

Coarse 38’s−48’s (31.00−38.09 μm)

Very Coarse: less than 36’s (over 40.20 μm)

Shetland Sheep are exhibited in many different colors including white, and patterns, solid or variegated, pale or dark, and all should be considered equal. Use of artificial coloring must be grounds for disqualification.

Sheep may not be trimmed, tipped, combed, or blocked, or anything that disturbs the lock structure.

breed Characteristics−40% 41 pts GeNerAl APPeArANCe−9pts Shetland sheep are small, balanced in ration of height to length, not tubular, with the legs set squarely.

Rams should be masculine 80−150 lbs,

Ewes should be feminine 60−115 lbs.

Horns should have adequate spacing away from the head. Horned or hornless or scurs are acceptable

CArrIAGe−2pts alert and nimble, with a smart active gait

HeAd−9 pts medium length of face from eyes to muzzle, medium hollow between cheeks & nose, small mouth

fACe−5 pts Straight,not roman

eYeS−3 pts well apart, bright,slightly bulbous

eArS−4pts medium slightly above midline,

TAIl−9 pts 3"−6" long fluke−shaped 2/3 wool−1/3 hair or hair tip, held tight against body. Long, broad, wooly tails are to be heavily penalized.

Conformation−40% 39ptsNeCK−4pts full tapering into fairly broad chest

SHoulderS−6pts Shoulders to be well set, not too narrow, showing a slight hump

bACK – 4pts Back should be strong, straight−level, parallel to the ground

ruMP−5pts Rump to have good width and well turned rounded hips.

rIbS & CHeST−9pts Chest medium width and deep, Ribs well sprung and well ribbed

leGS−4pts Shetland sheep should be light and fine, allowing for agility. Straight, well set legs and proper hock angulation perpendicular from hock to pastern and should be wider apart than front leg. Leg of mutton to be light and fine in quality.

SKIN−2pts Skin should vary according to color of wool, no black or blue skin in white wool.

SCroTuM or udder−Rams must have two well developed testicles, ewes must have two teats, with the udder well balanced. Animals deficient in these traits should be disqualified.

The following should be penalized from lightly to harshly, according to the severity of the problem:

1. Poorly formed testicles or teats and udder.

2. Malformation of the feet and legs such as: weak pasterns, crooked feet or legs, bad hock angulations, or too narrow placement of feet.

3. Overbites or under bites.

4. Inverted eyelids.

5. Weak or swayed back.

6. Untrimmed hooves, broken hooves, or sore feet.

7. Undersized or oversized animals.

8. Long heavy tail, broad to point.

Wool−20% for Hand Spinning Quality−20pts Shetland wool should be fine and of a soft texture. May range between single and dual−coated.

fINeNeSS−the micron range is between 20−31 μm, this is the fine to medium range, not coarse. Shetlands can have a very uniform fleece or may have a fleece that changes down one grade from front to rear but is never coarse or rough.

deNSITY−Well closed − medium density. Open/sparse fleece should be downgraded.

HANdle−Wool that is soft, with elasticity.

STAPle STreNGTH−Fleece should be free of tenderness, breaks or excessive weather damage and cotting, be easily opened, and have proper strength of fiber for the grade of fleece.

CrIMP−Shetland fleece can range from wavy to ideally 8–12 crimps/inch.

leNGTH−Wool length ideally between 2" and 6".

The following should be penalized from lightly to harshly, according to the severity of the problem:

1. Wool under 1"−except recently shorn/rooed animals or young lambs, or over 7" in length. Wool must be the current years clip.

2. Wool trimmed, blocked, combed, or anything that disturbed the lock structure.

3. Excessive contamination of wool with feed, bedding, burrs, dirt, paint, manure, etc.

4. Wool with permanent stains, wool rot, or cotting.

5. Hairy and kempy fibers in the fleece.

6. Wool fibers excessively tender or break.

7. Bad wool, coarse and open.

8. White hairs in moorit and black, an dark hairs in white wool.

NASSA Judges Guide and Score Card

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General character and appearance

head

Face

eYeS

earS

necK

ShOUlderS

cheSt

BacK

rIBS

rUMp

taIl

leGS OF MUttOn

SKIn

WOOl

carrIaGe

9

9

5

3

4

4

6

5

9

4

5

9

4

2

20

2

Horned or Hornless

Good width between ears, tapering rapidly to base of nose, which should be broad and with little taper to the muzzle, hollow between cheeks and nose well marked

Medium length of face from eyes to muzzle, nose prominent but not Roman, small mouth

Full, bright, and active look

Fine, medium size, set well back, carried slightly above the horizontal

Full, tapers into a fairly broad chest

Well set, top level with back

Medium width and deep

Level, with as much width as possible

Well sprung and well ribbed up

Good width, with well tuned rounded hips

Fluke tail. Wool at root forming the broad rounded part, and tapering suddenly to barely covered fine point. This is a strong character, and any crossing is easily made out by it. Length varies according to the size of sheep, rarely exceeds six inches, or thereby

Light, but very fine in quality

Varies according to colour of wool. In white no blue or black colouring

Extra fine and soft texture, longish, wavy, and well closed. Wool on forehead and poll tapering into neck, likewise wool on cheeks. Colours: white, black or brown , moorit (from reddish to fawn). Greys (including Sheila). Other known colours − Mirkface (brownish spots on face); Catmogit (dark under parts from muzzle to tail and legs), Burrit (light underparts); also Blaegit, Fleckit, and Sholmit

Alert and nimble, with a smart active gait

SHeTlANd SHeeP STANdArd

Description and Scale of Points Score − 100Reproduced from the Shetland Flock Book SocietyBy−Laws & RegulationsObjects & Standard of the Society 1927Adopted by NASSA 03/2000

NASSA Disclaimer:* Note: The 1927 Shetland Flock Book Society standard was developed for the original inspection of sheep for registration by the Society. The standard includes seven specific faults that were considered serious enough to disqualify sheep from registrations. While these disqualifications are still part of the Standard, NASSA does not have an inspection system and does not disqualify pruebred Shetland sheep from registration. However, NASSA recommends that breeders take into consideration these disqualification faults when evaluating Shetland sheep for breeding purposes and for registration. Note also that the Shetland Flock Book Society no longer exists have been succeeded by the Shetland Flock Book Trust.

100 pts

dISQuAlIfICATIoNS(a) Long heavy tail, broad to point

(b) Bad wool, coarse and open

(c) Very coarse wool on breeches

(d) Deformities of jaws

(e) Undersized animals

(f) Defective coloured or badly shaped animals as sires

(g) White hairs in moorit and black, and dark hairs in white wool

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Policy on fitting and Trimmingdefinition of Preparation for Showing your Shetland

Shetland Sheep should be shown clean and neat.1.

They should be shown in full fleece from the show year's shearing or rooing . Ideally the fleece should be at least 1" long to be 2. evaluated.

Lock structure of the wool is of great importance and must be intact.3.

Dung tags, vegetable matter and burrs should be removed.4.

Dirty sheep maybe rinsed at the owners discretion, but all care should be given to not disturb the lock structure. Wool that cannot 5. be evaluated can be penalized up to 20pts.

Therefore: Shetland sheep may not be fitted or trimmed or blocked.

definitions: These definitions are for market lambs and commercial breeding sheep and prohibited in Shetland sheep.

fitting−“Cleaning and shaping the wool on a lamb to give the proper body shape is called ‘fitting.’ You want to have a clean animal that looks very muscular but not fat. Shaping the wool properly can cause the muscling to look better than it really is.” 4H Manual 145

Trimming−Cutting away unwanted wool to better present your sheep for show.

blocking−“Spot−Shearing, Blocking, or Cutting−Out: Some exhibitors ‘spot−shear,’ ‘block−out’ or ‘cut−out,’ leaving wool longer on the rump and/or back to make the lamb appear taller or more muscled. If you are going to do this, be sure to blend the longer wool avoiding a ‘bloomer’ or ‘square box’ look. A GOOD FIT JOB IS the enhancement of the lamb’s positive attributes without the judge ‘knowing’ those enhancements have been done−keep your fit job ‘natural looking.’” Smith fS1011−WSu

“When fitting or blocking a card is a tool that has the same use as a brush in grooming human hair−it pulls the fibers in one direction. If you are carding a dry sheep, lightly spray some water from a bottle or use a damp cloth to wet the wool a little. For carding and clipping, you may want to build a fitting stand that restricts the animal's movement. In carding, try to pull all the wool fibers out straight from the body so the wool will look and feel firm and dense. Also, by pulling the fibers outward, you can begin to trim and shape the leg area into whatever shape you desire.” 4H Manual 145

Shetland Sheep breed CharacteristicsBreed characteristics of the Shetland sheep are obvious in the following: head, face, eyes, ears, and tail. These characteristics total almost 40% of the breed standard in points so special attention should be paid to the head and facial features, coupled with the tail, as they set the breed apart from other sheep breeds. Sheep lacking in breed characteristics should be de−emphasized in the ring. Fine, light bone structure is also a breed characteristic and heavy bone should be downgraded in the ring. *Notes from Appendix A will appear in italics.

General character and appearance (9 points) See the Shetland Ram/Ewe assessment form for more details. Is it a Shetland sheep?

Horns/polledShetland rams can be either horned or polled. The horns on a ram rise in a curve above the head and then spiral around. They are not swept back like Scottish Blackface horns. Most ewes are polled but some have horns that are much lighter in weight and dainty in appearance. Ewe horns should be similar to the photos. Rams and ewes can also be scurred. Horns should not be curved so they end up fatally injuring a ram by going into his neck or head.breed Standard: Horned or hornless

* HORNS. Should state that both ‘round in section’ and angular are acceptable. REASON: For clarification. The Standard does not indicate a preference and early photographs of Shetland Sheep examined by the Committee show both. SHOULD ALSO STATE that polled rams and horned females are acceptable. REASON: For clarification. There are early−recorded observations which refer to both, i.e. ‘Shetland Sheep’ as published in ‘The Field’ on 10/3/1927 and a very good photograph of a polled ram published in the book ‘Farm Livestock of Great Britain’ before 1927. SHOULD ALSO STATE that the horns of a ram should rise in a curve above the head and then spiral round according to age. REASON: The rise of the horn is an important distinguishing feature of the Shetland Sheep. Described in ‘The Field’ on 10/3/1927.

polled ram scurred ram lamb horned ewe lamb horned ewe 4

Head (9 points)The head and the face, excepting the overall conformation, are worth more points in the breed standard than even the wool. The head of the Shetland should immediately capture your attention with its bright expression. The ideal head has a sculpted look, with a hollow between the cheeks and nose. The wedge shape, straight profile, small mouth, bright eyes, and well set ears denote good breed character for the head. The Shetland head should taper from a broad poll down to a small, but strong mouth. Wool on the poll and cheeks is desirable, unless it extends down onto the nose and around the eyes. A clean head with no wool is also common and not discriminated against for breeding stock.breed Standard: Good width between ears, tapering rapidly to base of nose, which should be broad and with little taper to the muzzle, hollow between cheeks and nose well marked.

* Basically clear as written, but the sub−committee highlighted that the reference to ‘well marked’ referred to the hollow between the ‘cheeks and nose’ being clearly distinguishable. ‘Wool on forehead and poll, likewise wool on cheeks’ to be clarified as ‘not in excess’, Reference to early photographs illustrates this clearly. There should be no frill. ‘The Field’ 10/3/1927.

This ewe (front and side) shows strong breed characteristics in both frontal view and side view. Note wool on poll and forehead, straight profile, small mouth, and well marked hollow. Eyes are set correctly, as are the ears. Wool coverage is correct and not excessive.

On the ewe below, scadder is seen on the back of the neck. Scadder, also called frill, is actually hair and not wool. It is a very primitive breed characteristic and is discouraged in breeding.

Some examples of Shetland ram horns with good form.

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face (5 points)breed Standard: Medium length of face from eyes to muzzle, nose prominent but not Roman, small mouth

* Reference to a ‘small mouth’ means not large lipped, droopy or pouty lipped, with a mouth in proportion to the size and shape of the face, with a proper taper reducing down to a small mouth. REASON: For clarification. If ‘small’ mouths were bred for as a Shetland characteristic, it would result in overshot mouths. Probably originally highlighted to distinguish this feature from other breeds such as the Cheviot or Suffolk.

disqualification (penalized): (d) Deformities of jaw. Bottom teeth should rest on pad.

eyes (3 points)breed Standard: Full, bright, and active look

* Clear as written but should be expanded to say ‘ideally slightly bulbous‘.

ears (4 points)breed Standard: Fine, medium size, set well back, carried slightly above the horizontal

The photos on the right show excellent, very well conformed, small fluke−like tails. The photo on the left depicts a serious fault in the Shetland breed. There is no hair tip and the tail is very long.

Tail (9 points)The Shetland tail is extremely distinct in the sheep world and indicative of a purebred sheep. It is fluke shaped, small, held flat against the body, and comprised of 2/3 wool, on the top, and 1/3 hair, on the tip. The length is between 3−6”, and varies according to the size of the sheep. The Shetland falls into the Northern Short−Tailed breeds of sheep and the number of tail vertebra equals 13 whereas a long tailed sheep has 20 or more. Long, broad, woolly tails are to be penalized.breed Standard: Fluke tail. Wool at root forming the broad rounded part, and tapering suddenly to barely covered fine point. This is a strong character, and any crossing is easily made out by it. Length varies according to the size of sheep, rarely exceeds six inches, or thereby.

* Clear as written, but ‘thereby’ should be replaced by ‘thereabouts’, and the description expanded by stating that the tip of the tail should be covered with hair, not wool, and should preferably be flat, not round or plump. A good tail seems to fit tight into the fleece on the rump as compared with the fat long tail of many breeds.

disqualification (penalized): (a) Long heavy tail, broad to point; woolly, not hairy tip (loss of up to 9 pts.)

SizeIt is the intent of NASSA to strongly emphasize the correct size of Shetland sheep. Shetlands are a small breed with a fine bone structure, very unlike most sheep breeds. It is highly important that a judge be aware of NASSA’s intent to keep this breed within the average stated parameters and not drift into a larger breed that is indistinguishable from other breeds, such as the Icelandic.

The size of the Shetland sheep is addressed in many of the bibliography citations, though not specifically in the standard or the appendix. Because of different climatic and feeding conditions, weights range from 50 lbs for ewes outwintered as lambs on the hills of Shetland to ewes that average 99 lbs in the south of England. Generally, most citations list ewe weights from 70 to 100 lbs. Rams weights are listed as ranging from 90 to 125 lbs, though Dr. S. H. U. Bowie indicates that rams can weigh up to 143 lbs in peak condition. Here in North America, there seems to be a wide range of weights but severely undersized or oversized animals should be discouraged. So, taking into consideration the above information the following guidelines should be observed. For adult ewes, the range of 60−115 lbs is acceptable. For adult rams, the range would be from 80−150 lbs. Animals that fall in the middle of this range should be given preference over animals that fall in the outer limits. Since Shetlands are a slow growing primitive breed, care should be observed in placing lambs and yearlings as they will not reach maturity until age three or older.

What is most important is the size of the bones of Shetlands. They should be light and fine, not coarse or heavy like a commercial breed of sheep. Fine bones will mean that the sheep will be agile and have a good meat to bone ratio, which is indicative of the slow−growing nature of the Shetland sheep. Shetlands are also prized for their excellent meat quality and the slow growth allows for this.disqualification (penalized): (e) Undersized animals

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bodyThe Shetland sheep is a primitive breed, but this is no excuse for poor conformation. Sheep must be square both in front and rear and not too narrow. Sheep should be long but not be overly long in body. Medium width of chest and a good depth is needed for good capacity. The body depth to leg height should be approximately a 1.4:1 to 1.8:1 ratio. They should not have a tubular body like a commercial market lamb nor should they have a ratio approaching 3:1. Well developed rumens are indicative of a primitive breed. The backbone is normally felt as this also is a primitive characteristic. Shetlands normally score one half point lower than other breeds of sheep because of more internal fat deposition. Toplines should be straight and level with well sprung ribs and good width of back. See the neck through the legs of mutton for further clarification.disqualification (penalized): (f) Defective coloured or badly shaped animals as sires

These Shetlands all show good conformation, including the two shorn pregnant ewes below.

Neck (4 points)breed Standard: Full, tapers into a fairly broad chest

* Should state that a Shetland has to have a clearly defined neck. REASON: See below in conjunction with shoulders.

Shoulders (6 points)breed Standard: Well set, top level with back

* Needs considerable clarification. REASON: A sheep must have withers to enable it to move freely. 'Well set' means not too narrow, but set properly between neck and back, showing a promontory (slight hump) thus defining the neck which would otherwise be lost in the back. It also means that the shoulder blades should slope from the front towards the back, not straight up.

Chest (5 points)breed Standard: Medium width and deep

* 'Medium' means medium in proportion to the size and conformation of the sheep.

back (9 points)breed Standard: Level, with as much width as possible

* Clear as written, but could be annoted that 'level' means parallel with the ground, and that the width of the pin bones determines the width of the sheep.

ribs (4 points)breed Standard: Well sprung and well ribbed up

* Should be clarified by changing to 'well sprung from back around side' with a simple illustration of the right and wrong shape. REASON: As written is saying the same thing twice, and not with much clarity.

rump (5 points)breed Standard: Good width, with well tuned rounded hips

legs of mutton (4 points)breed Standard: Light, but very fine in quality

* This term has nothing to do with the legs from the hock down, but is clear in the context of the quality of the 'leg of lamb' in modern terms. As far as the lower legs are concerned, in general terms they should be light boned and free from wool below the hock in the adult sheep. Viewed from behind, the rear legs should be perpendicular from the hock to the pastern, and should be wider apart than the fore legs. The pastern should have a medium slope, and show no signs of weakness. Feet should be well shaped and small in proportion to the size of the sheep. Reference to early photographs illustrate this latter point clearly.

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Skin (2 points)breed Standard: Varies according to colour of wool. In white no blue or black colouring

Carriage (2 points)breed Standard: Alert and nimble, with a smart active gait.

Wool (20 points)Shetland wool has been used for centuries by knitters, both in handspun and millspun yarn, and so it should be, above all else, extra fine and of a soft texture. An overly coarse fleece is a serious fault. Shetlands can either have a uniform fleece or a fleece that is a somewhat non−uniform as in it being wavier/crimpier and finer in the front half and slightly less wavy/crimpy in the rear. Neither type should be discriminated against, though britch (breeches) that extends to the thigh area should be heavily penalized and a very coarse britch (breeches) disqualified. It should also be noted that as a primitive breed many Shetland sheep roo their fleece in the spring (have a break where the wool stops growing and consequently the fleece comes off easily).

Shetland wool was originally known for several types of knitted garments such as very fine lace ring shawls and veils, underclothing, fine hosiery, everyday shawls, sweaters, and out of the britch (breeches), hard wearing socks. This denotes a fleece that falls within the 20−31 micron range, the range accepted for Shetland wool by international wool standards.

Shetland wool comes in one of the widest ranges of colors of any breed. Besides white, other colors include light grey, grey, emsket (dusky bluish−grey), shaela (dark steely−grey resembling black frost), musket (pale grayish−brown), fawn, mioget (pale to dark yellow or rose gold), moorit (shades between fawn and dark reddish−brown), dark brown, and pure black. There are these 11 main colors as well as 30 markings, many still bearing their Shetland dialect names. Shetland fleece can exhibit a variety of stylistic differences. At one end of the range the fleece will closely resemble a single coat with the inner and outer coats being of nearly the same fineness and length. At the other end of the spectrum it will have a distinct difference in length and fineness between the inner and outer coats. This is more definitive of the true dual coat. Both of these types and the range between them are acceptable Shetland fleeces. What must exist in all Shetland fleece regardless of style are density, luster and some degree of wave/crimp. Softness is the hallmark of the Shetland fleece and absolutely must be present to be considered an acceptable Shetland fleece.breed Standard: Extra fine and soft texture, longish, wavy, and well closed. Wool on forehead and poll tapering into neck, likewise wool on cheeks. Colours: white, black or brown , moorit (from reddish to fawn). Greys (including Sheila). Other known colours −Mirkface (brownish spots on face); Catmogit (dark under parts from muzzle to tail and legs), Burrit (light underparts); also Blaegit, Fleckit, and Sholmit.

* Should be clarified and expanded as follows: ‘Longish probably means 3” to 5” in full fleece. “Certainly no Shetland should have a staple of 7”. ‘The Field’ 10/3/1927.

‘Well closed’: of medium density.

‘Wool on forehead and poll, likewise wool on cheeks’ to be clarified as ‘not in excess’, Reference to early photographs illustrates this clearly. There should be no frill. ‘The Field’ 10/3/1927.

‘Wavy’ means what we now term as crimp. The Universal Dictionary defines crimp as ‘the natural curliness of wool fibres’. Shetland fleece can range from wavy to ideally 8-12 crimps/inch.

A good description could read as follows: Wool− Extra fine and soft above all else. Crimped, of medium density and (length) 3 to 5 inches in full fleece. Breeches having coarser/longer wool but not extending into thighs. Wool, not in excess, present on poll and cheeks. We should also note that the colours listed in the Standard are not exhaustive.

disqualification (penalized): (b) Bad wool, coarse and open, (c) Very coarse wool on breeches, (f) Defective coloured or badly shaped animals as sires, (g) White hairs in moorit and black, and dark hairs in white wool

Six month lamb fleece below with many deep crimps per inch indicating a fine fleece with good elasticity. This fleece microns at 23.0 AFD, 4.2 SD, and 18.1 CV. Staple length is 2.25 inches and a full growth potential of 4 ½” or more. As this is a lamb fleece, the crimp will get slightly larger as the lamb grows to adulthood and will end up less crimps/inch. According to Oliver Henry’s wool standards, this fleece would fall under the superfine grade.

Adult full growth comparison of a dual-coated fleece (top) & a single coated fleece (bottom), taken from the side. Notice there is not much difference in staple length, mainly crimp & tip length. Both show very good luster indicating a silky soft fleece. Also, the top sample is from a sheep with a more open and varied fleece (meaning less crimp and tippier towards the hindquarters and a bit more crimp towards the neck) and the bottom is from a dense, more uniform fleece so the two sheep look markedly different in appearance.

Note well closed tips on fleeces below

The three fleece samples below (with ruler) are taken from lambs in late summer/early fall

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This staple is from a very coarse Shetland fleece. It is to show what a Shetland fleece should not be. This sample is composed of very little inner short fleece (the darker emsket gray color that is around 6" in length) as opposed to the outer light hairy coat which is more than 12".

Many examples of the diversity of Shetland fleece are shown in the following pictures. Most show fleeces in mid−summer to mid−winter length. Fleece lengths range from 2.5" to 6+", with the average around 4". Full fleeced animals in earlier pictures have fleeces that average closer to 5"–6+". Density is easily seen as well. All are soft and fine and show wave or crimp. These samples fall under the superfine to good/heavy grade, by Oliver Henry’s standards.

Note various colors and various wave or crimp patterns displayed in the fleeces below.

The staple on the right is from this fine-fleeced dual-coated 3 yr. old Shetland ram. It has ≥85% undercoat and ≤15% outercoat, length is 6" and the Micron count is AFD: 25.7 SD: 7.0 CV: 27.4 This is what an ideal dual-coat should be.

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Wool Judging of ShetlandsWool Judging of Shetland fleeces in America is first and foresmost for the handspinner. Wool classes for handspinners compared to commercial wool are judged more on handle and character. The fleece with the most pounds of clean wool will certainly appeal to a judge, but character and handle may decide the class. Also all colored wool is equally considered in handspinning classes.

Staple Strength−15% =15ptsStrong, Tender and breaks− Ideally wool should be strong throughout the staple. Tenderness refers to wool fibers that are weak throughout the lock. If all wool fibers are weak in one specific region of a lock its referred to as a break. Breaks result from stress such as sickness, lambing difficulties, or severe storms, etc. You test for these conditions by pulling the lock from each end. (If you pull hard enough, you can break any sound fleece) If the wool fibers separate easily, leaving ragged ends, they are most likely tender. If a distinct separation occurs, the fleece has a break. In Shetlands sometimes the rise (natural break for new fleece growth) will show if the sheep was shorn after the rise may result in noils in the processed fleece as with any tender or broken fleece, and should be downgraded.

breed Characteristics−70%= 70ptsfineness−This term refers to fiber diameter. Shetlands should be 20−31 microns. This is in the fine to medium range, not coarse.

The most accurate way to determine fiber diameter is by micron counting, but this is unavailable to the judge. So how do you determine fineness? It must be a relative determination done on the spot, with the samples (exhibitors) at hand. Take the lock from the side and spread it apart between your fingers to get a good look and feel for the individual fibers. For dual−coated fleeces hold skin side tightly and remove the outer-coat to separate coats.

When you judge sheep or a fleece, look for uniformity of fiber diameter. Upon close inspection, you will find that the fineness of the wool fibers from the shoulder is different than that from the back. Wool from the breech (hind leg) is usually the coarsest. Degree of variation is the important factor. A wide variety of grades in the fleece results in lower quality yarn, and lower price paid for pound of raw wool.

It is difficult to give a general rule to follow in determining if a fleece is of average, good, or poor uniformity. In judging an animal, the wool should not drop more than one grade from the shoulder to the hind leg. (You should always check the wool on the shoulder, the side, and the hind leg) In judging a fleece, you would want to check as many as five different locks from different locations on the fleece.

Crimp−The natural waviness of the wool fiber; it varies with the diameter of the fiber. Shetland fleece can range from wavy to ideally 8–12 crimps/inch.

Softness and Handle−Shetland wool should be soft. Handle refers to the actual feel of the wool; a good Shetland handle has elasticity or bounce and softness, “it is alive”. Take the sample from the side and check for elasticity, stretch the sample and let go of one end, does it bounce back into position? How much?

density−The Shetland Standard says “well closed” of medium density. Open/sparse fleece should be downgraded. Example: Dense fleece=Merino, open fleece= Lincoln

Staple length−The length of a lock of wool (unstretched). The Shetland ideal staple length is 2−6" but can be up to 7" and should not be shorter than 2". The recommended practice is to determine the length your thumb joints and then use it to estimate the length of a wool lock. Uniformity of length is just as important as uniformity of grade. Therefore, you will want to examine the staple for length when you are looking for uniformity of grade from the different locks or staples which you have pulled from the fleece.

Presentation−15%−15ptsAppearance−3pts The fleece should be rolled correctly and not tied

Cleanliness− 12pts Clean, free of vegetable matter, dung tags, and second cuts. No Kemp−chalky white, brittle weak fiber which may be mixed with normal fibers in a fleece: Kemp will not take dye and is objectionable. Part of having a clean fleece is the improved yield (finished product).

The typical in grease weight for a Shetland sheep is 2−4 pounds. The best method of estimating the yield is by lifting the fleece. If the fleece is extremely heavy for its size, it will have a low yield. If the fleece is extremely light for its size, it will have a high yield. You should look for helpful clues such as excessive grease content, depth of dirt penetration, type of dirt, and staple length. Soils are heavy and cause the fleece to shrink− more than corral dust which is mostly vegetable matter.

fleeCe CoMPeTITIoN at

date Class Competitor No.

Marks Guide CommentsStaple strength 15% breed Characteristics 70% −Fineness −Crimp −Softness and Handle −Density −Staple lengthPresentation 15% −Appearance −CleanlinessName (to be filled in after judging) Score Position

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Wool GradingBelow are the different wool grading systems used in the world today. Please note where Shetland fleeces fit in the world-wide structure.

Bradford Method micron counting Std Deviation Oliver Henry Grading Type of Wool Old Blood Gradenumerical count avg fiber diameter variability limit Shetland Based Merino Based

Finer than 80s under 17.10 3.59 Super fine Purebred Shetland Fine full

80s 17.70−19.14 4.09 Super fine Purebred Shetland Fine full

70s 19.15−20.59 4.59 Super fine Purebred Shetland Fine full

64s 20.60−22.04 5.19 Super fine Purebred Shetland Fine full

62s 2.05−23.49 5.89 Super fine Purebred Shetland Medium 1/2 blood

60s 23.50−24.94 6.49 Super fine Purebred Shetland Medium 1/2 blood

58s 24.95−26.39 7.09 Super fine Purebred Shetland Medium 3/8's

56s 26.40−27.84 7.59 Super fine Purebred Shetland Medium 3/8's

54s 27.85−29.29 8.19 Fine Purebred Shetland Medium 1/4's

50s 29.30−30.99 8.69 Fine Purebred Shetland Medium 1/4's

48s 31.00−32.69 9.09 Good Purebred & cross Coarse low 1/4

46s 32.70−34.39 9.59 Good Purebred & cross Coarse low 1/4

44s 34.40−36.19 10.09 Heavy Coarse common

40s 36.20−38.09 10.69 Rough Very Coarse braid

36s 38.10−40.20 11.19 Very Coarse braid

Coarser than 36s Over 40.20− Very Coarse braid

Shetland w/coarse guard hairs & cross

Crossbred & Blackface

Shetland fleece graded samples (Fleeces from Shetland Islands)From left to right, grade 4 Rough (carpet grade), grade 3 Heavy Shetland, grade 2 Good Shetland, grade 1 Fine Shetland, and the far right two samples are both Superfine grade with the farthest right from the Island of Yell and the next being a typical Shetland flock book type fleece sample.

Shetland fleece samples from the Shetland IslandsThe following fleece samples are from the Shetland Islands to give you more understanding of how Shetland wool is graded there. With commentaries by NASSA and Oliver Henry, Jamison & Smith Shetland Wool Classer, Lerwick, Shetland.

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OwnerAddressSheep’s name SexColor MarkingsDOB NASSA# Ear tag#

Shetland ram/ewe Assessment

disqualifications Long heavy tail, broad to point; bad wool, coarse and open; very coarse wool and breeches; deformities of jaws; undersized animals; defective colored or badly shaped animals as sires

Note: All characteristics that are within the correct type for Shetland sheep are in italics

General considerations Correct? Yes NO Incorrectness – described Square confirmationBiteRam—Testicles or Ewe—Udder/Teats

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Ram Horns Round D-shape In-between Polled scurs

Close set Well Apart Very wide Small Medium spiral above head Swept back

Ewe Horns Medium small Large Erect sloping back Sloping forward General character and appearance (Is it a Shetland sheep?) ⁄9

head Narrow between ears Medium width between ears Wide between ears Pointed faced Medium taper to base of nose No taper Deep hollow Medium hollow between cheeks No hollow and nose ⁄9Face Concave straight Convex, Roman ⁄5eYeS Narrow Set Well Apart Very Wide Bright Alert ⁄3earS Small Medium Large Drooped elevated above horizontal Erect ⁄4necK Narrow Full, tapers to fairly broad chest Thick ⁄4ShOUlderS Narrow Well set, top level with back – – ⁄6cheSt Narrow Medium width Very broad ⁄5BacK Concave straight – Level Arched Sloping forward Parallel to ground Sloping back ⁄9rIBS Weak Well sprung & well ribbed Heavy ⁄4rUMp Narrow Medium width Very broad Sloping Rounded Square ⁄5taIl Rat like Fluke shaped w/wool at root & Broad barely covered fine point Medium (5–6") short (3–5") Long (>7") ⁄9leGS • Length Short Medium Long • Bone Weak Fine Thick set ⁄4SKIn (same base color as wool) Yes No ⁄2WOOl Short (<2") Medium (2–6") Long (>7") Sparse Dense Very thick Straight Crimped (8–10 per inch) Wavy Fine Very fine and soft Coarse Some evenness even crimp front to back Very uneven crimp WOOl on forehead Absent Present Prolific WOOl on Cheeks Absent Present Prolific ⁄20 Alert & nimble with a smart active gait ⁄2 ToTAl PoINTS ⁄100

APPENDIX ASHeTlANd floCK-booK SoCIeTYSHeTlANd SHeeP - Description and scale of points explanatory note

All sections in normal (non-italic) type constitute the 1927 Breed Standard.•

All sections in italic type comprise the Explanatory Notes provided as an aid to clarity for Breeders, Inspectors and Judges. These •Explanatory Notes were prepared by a sub-committee of the SSS set up with the approval of the 1999 AGM. Part of the sub-committee’s remit, recorded in the minutes of the May 2000 Committee Meeting, was to ‘look into the possibility of clarifying the 1927 Breed Standard’. The sub-committee produced a series of notes to be read in conjunction with the relevant points in the Breed Standard. These were unanimously accepted and endorsed by the full Committee.

This appendix was unanimously accepted by NASSA as a description & clarification of the 1927 Breed standard, on Nov. 9, 2009. •This is not a modification of said Standard.

Appendix A notes are shown throughout the packet in italics

bibliographyBelow are sources used by the NASSA education committee to put forth this document.

NASSA News articles: 1991−1994

NASSA News articles: 1994−2009

Bowie, D. S. (2005). Shetland’s Native Domestic Animals. Somerset, England: Stanley H.U. Bowie, Tanyard Farm.

Bowie, J. (1927, October 3). Shetland Sheep. The Field, p. 27.

Fryer, L. G. (1995). Knitting By The Fireside And On The Hillside; A History of the Shetland Handknitting Industry c. 1600−1950. Lerwick, Shetland: The Shetland Times, Ltd.

Holmes, J. (1999, March). The Shetland Breed. Unknown , p. unknown.

McKinley, M. (1929, March 8). Shetland Sheep and Shetland Hosiery, A Glimpse into an Interesting Industry. Town and Country News, p. unknown.

Shirreff, John, General view of the agriculture of the Orkney Islands (1814). Edinburgh, Scotland. London Board of Agriculture. p 43−49.

Starmore, Alice (1988). Book of Fair Isle Knitting, 2009 edition. Originally published by The Taunton Press, Newtown, Connecticut.

Tait, A. (1956, February 18). Type in Shetland Sheep. Farming News, p. unknown.

NASSA website: http://www.shetland−sheep.org/

Shetland Sheep Information website: http://www.shetlandsheepinfo.com/

Shetland Sheep Society: http://www.shetland−sheep.org.uk/

Shetland Sheep Then & Now (2004), NASSA 2004 AGM, NASSA, Mike Dilley, Producers Studio, Eugene, OR. DVD.

Celebrate Our Roots, NASSA 2005 AGM, NASSA and the Shetland Sheep Breeders of Ontario, DVD.

NASSA Judges Certification requirementsestablished Sheep/livestock Judges:

Recommended to NASSA Education Committee or contact NASSA Education Committee expressing interest in becoming a NASSA 1. Certified Shetland Sheep judge.

Read and keep on file the NASSA Judge’s Certification Packet with information regarding the Shetland Sheep, Breed Standard, etc.2.

Submit a Certification form to the NASSA Education Committee for review (covers training, experience, etc). After positive review, 3. name is placed on the NASSA Certified Judges List.

Individuals new to Sheep/livestock Judging and interested in NASSA Certification:Attend a NASSA Judges Training Seminar or Virtual Training Seminar at a regional event.1.

Have prior training or pursue sheep/livestock judging training outside of NASSA: University, Agricultural Extension, 4H, FFA, 2. mentoring with established judges, etc.

Read and keep on file the NASSA Judge’s Certification Packet.3.

Submit a letter of recommendation from a sheep/livestock judge, educator, member of the sheep industry, etc to the NASSA 4. Education Committee for review.

Submit a Certification form to the NASSA Education Committee for review (covers training, experience, etc). After positive review, 5. name is placed on the NASSA Certified Judges List. 13

NASSA Judges Certification Information form

Name

Address

Phone Cell

Email

Yes, I want to become a NASSA certified Shetland sheep judge

Yes, I want to teach educational seminars for breeders or future Shetland judges.

No, I am not interested in the NASSA Shetland sheep judge certification program. Please take my name off your mailing list.

Brief description of livestock judge’s training and education

Brief description of livestock judging experience

Please feel free to enclose additional pages if necessary. 14