Are your sheep ugly? Do you want new, pretty ones? We have just the sale for you.
It’s fine to admit that before reading this headline and, indeed, this sentence, you had never considered that there might be a world’s cutest sheep. You might, like my girlfriend, assume that all sheep are quite cute. And you might be right. But this is the real world, and we must always have winners. One type of sheep must be cuter than all the others.
Step forward the Valais Blacknose sheep, which is what pops up in Google if you type in ‘world’s cutest sheep’. You might be wondering why I was googling cute sheep. It’s because I received an email saying ‘world’s cutest sheep for sale’ and, as is my nature as a journalist of rigour, I had to check that no other sheep were also deemed cute. The fact that the top result on google for ‘cute sheep’ returns you the Valais Blacknose Sheep Society, who might have a conflict of interest in adjudicating such affairs. Regardless, I have looked at the sheep, and I have decided that they are indeed very cute. And that is as much research I intend on doing into the topic.
Anyway, as hinted at, you can buy them this weekend, specifically on Sunday, specifically at the Northern Stars Show & Sale at CCM Auction in Skipton. At the most recent sale of cute sheep, at H&H Auctions in Carlisle, records were broken with prices reaching 30,000 guineas (£31,500). Cute sheep are not cheap sheep.
The Valais Blacknose pictures in its home country of Switzerland. Majestic. Credit: Getty
The Valais Blacknose breed originates from Switzerland, where they are ‘dual purpose’ animals, meaning they are kept for both their meat and their wool. They can also be kept as pets and grass cutters, according to the Northern Valais Blacknose Club. More than 80 specimens will be for sale, with ‘something for all pockets’ available, and lots include castrated males (‘excellent pets’), lambs, aged animals that are ready to breed and two ‘Spitti’ lambs, which is Valais Blacknose sheep that have come out with their colours reversed.
‘We are so excited to hold this show and sale at Skipton for the second year,’ says Katie Collin of the Northern Valais Blacknose Club. ‘The popularity of the sheep keeps growing and growing. We have some fantastic breeders here in the UK who are keen to help and encourage people new to the breed.’
As well as a sale, there will be a show, with judging and spectators are very welcome. For more information, email Katie Collin at VBNNorthern@gmail.com
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