Hannibal                                           Hamish                                              Horatio                                                       Hector

Here are the four lambs we are taking to the Royal Sydney Show this year.  This is a special year for Corriedales. It is one hundred years since Corriedales were first shown at a Royal Sydney Show. One fascinating thing is that the bloodlines of all the one hundred entries at the Show this year trace back to the forty entries of one hundred years ago.

The great story is that the RAS didn’t exactly know where to put this new breed in their first showing so they ended up down in the cattle pavillion next to the goats. This year they reside in the sheep pavillion in the dual purpose section alongside the British Breeds and they are the Feature Breed for this year. Corriedales are a breed of sheep developed in New Zealand and Australia round about the same time, late 1800’s , when brand new steamships suddenly enabled chilled meat to set sail for Europe. Now not only was our wool desirable but the meat as well.  So what could be more perfect than a dual purpose sheep that could do both?

Over one hundred years the fortunes of the Corriedale waxed and waned – at one stage they were the second biggest breed in the world. Ric has written a book exploring the history, for the occasion.

This year we want to thank the RAS for the opportunity to exhibit our sheep, providing the  competition in the judging ring and educating the thousands of visitors that can see and touch the animals that give them so much, meat and wool, lanoline and gelatine – I could go on for ever. You have no idea how many by products the sheep provides for you.

Billigaboo Frisco  will be there all the two weeks. He is a friendly chap and will love partaking in all the selfies we envisage happening.

On our stand you will see and touch our sheep’s wool, on Frisco’s back, the wool doona made by Valieris, an old rug made by Vicars Woollen Mils in the 1940’s, our etc throws, a beautiful garment made from Corriedale type wool, provided by the AWI, scarves, and our hats!

Walking down the main street of Narrandera we saw a beautiful millinery shop.  Yes, filled with hats, all sorts of hats, from the modern fascinators right through to the old bonnets of the 1800’s. All made by Jo-Anne of Vintage Designs.

“Can you make some hats, Carnaby style, out of one of our throws?”

“Of course,” said JoAnne.  And now we have truly beautiful hats.

So come and say Hi later this week at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. We’ll show you Corriedales and what they can do.