The Great Yorkshire Show

I spent two days at the Great Yorkshire Show during my 2024 "Sheep Safari" to the Yorkshire Dales. It was my second time visiting the show. I went for the first time in 2019 and knew I wanted to go back. The 2024 show sold out. It was even more crowded than in 2019. It's probably where I got Covid (that's another story).

There were 3000 sheep at the show. The sheep were housed and shown according to their health status. Accredited breeds were tested as free from Maeda Visna (MVA). Non-accredited breeds were not. In the US, Maeda Visna is called ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP). The sheep from the different groups never had contact with each other, as lateral transfer is possible with OPP/MVA.

The breed shows took place simultaneously. Judging took place outside (rain or shine). There were two large rings (for accredited and non-accredited). There were multiple shows going on at the same time in each ring. It was hard to decide which show(s) to watch.  Exhibitors wore white coats to show their animals. Some people used halters; some didn't. The sheep were not led around the ring or set up in a side view. Class sizes were large.  The best animals in the class were let loose so they could be observed on the move (though they don't let them move much). The judges did not give reasons for their placings. There was no 4-H competition, but there was competition for young handlers (age 5-16). 

A class of Hampshire ewes

Texels let loose for judging

The breed with the most competition was the Texel. In additional to "regular" Texels, there are Blue and Badger Faced Texels. Not sure what their purpose is. The Beltex is another off-shoot of the Texel. It is double muscled and quite peculiar looking (in my opinon). In the 2019 show, the Dutch Spotted (another heavy muscled breed) was Best in Show. It is a relatively new breed to the UK and has recently been imported into the US. According to one UK breeder, they are mostly a show breed. Charollais is another popular terminal sire. There were shows for many, many breeds. If breeds did not have enough animals or exhibitors, they could compete in "other" breeds, according to type:  down, longwool, primitive, hill (or heath), or continental (or native).

The Dutch Spot is an attractive breed.

It is common to dye some breeds for judging. For example, all the Suffolk sheep were dyed yellow.  UK sheep show with much longer tail docks than their US counterparts. In fact, short-tail docks are a reason for disqualification at the Great Yorkshire Show. Tail docks must be long enough to cover the ewe's vulva and ram's anus. 

Charollais are another heavy muscled breed.

Selection of the interbreed champions was on the second day we visited the show. There was competition in two rings. Best in Show in the accredited show was a Kerry Hill ewe. A Teeswater was reserve. In the accredited show, a Suffolk ewe was named Best. The Border Leicester was Reserve. The overall Best in Show was the Kerry Hill. The reserve was the Suffolk. The Champion Crossbred sheep was a North of England Mule.

Best in Show:  Kerry Hill

Kerry Hill sheep aren't an especially popular breed in the US. They originated in Wales. They are an attractive breed with white hair and black markings on their noses, ears, eyes, knees, and pasterns. The breed was imported into the US (via semen) relatively recently. There is a breed association. The ewe that won the Yorkshire Show had won prior shows. She was not very cooperative for the photographers. They take livestock photography very seriously in the UK. Not one leg can be out of place. One of the hosts for our "sheep safari" was a well-known UK livestock photographer Wayne Hutchinson.

Reserve Best in Show:  Suffolk

The Reserve Suffolk looked nothing like a Suffolk in the US. In fact, most of the "down" breeds in the UK look nothing like their US counterparts, even though they share a common heritage. Compared to the long-legged sheep in the US, UK sheep have a smaller frame, heavier bones, and heavier muscling. They look "old-style."  Frame size is less important (in the UK) as lambs are marketed at much lighter weights, only about 90 lbs. I was told that the Suffolk was making a comeback as a terminal sire in the UK. Currently, the most popular terminal sire breed is the Texel. In the US, the Suffolk is still the most common terminal sire, while the Texel is increasing in popularity.

Next Best:  Teeswater (L) and Border Leicester (R)

Champion Crossbred: Mule

It was nice to see crossbred sheep recognized in the show. In England, a "Mule" is a cross between a Bluefaced Leicester ram and purebred hill (or mountain) ewe. The North of England Mule is a cross with the Swaledale. The Scotch Mule is a cross with the Scottish Blackface. The Welsh Mule is a cross with Welsh Mountain. There are other Mules in different parts of the country. Mules are then crossed with meat-type rams (terminal sires) to produce market lambs. The hill ewes are usually moved to the lowlands after several years to produce Mules.

One of my favorite attractions at the Great Yorkshire is the "Sheep Show."  The Sheep Show is an entertaining look at sheep breeds and wool in the UK. It is similar to the show that originated in the Agrodome in in New Zealand. I saw the same show in 2019. The 2024 version of the show includes Nobby, the Norfolk Horn; Mary, the Southdown; Sam, the Suffolk; Dougal, the Scottish Blackface; Lenny, the Lincoln Longwool, and Harry, the Herdwick.