More of the Country Show

Views across Gloucestershire towards the Severn

This was a beautiful, quiet place where a few local people had gathered and brought along their old cars, their tractors, lorries and sheep. 

There was a sheep shearing demonstration and while it doesn't look a particulary pleasant experience for the sheep, it's over quickly and they do look so much more comfortable afterwards. 

Zwartbles ewe after shearing

This Zwartbles ewe was clearly suffering from the heat more than most, simply because of her dark colour.  It must have been wonderful to have had all that heavy fleece removed.  She was very friendly and apparently that is a characteristic of the Zwartbles. 

Her Fleece

 

Her lamb



Her closeup

'Zwartbles' is Dutch for 'black with a white blaze'.  The Zwartbles originates from Friesland and was bred early in the last century.  As farming changed the breed nearly became extinct, but was saved by the Dutch Rare Breeds Survival Trust and now you can see them all over England and Wales.