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One of the best places to see Jacob sheep to their best advantage is at one of the many agricultural shows around the country with Jacob classes. If you want to find out more about the breed or the Society, you will be sure to find members willing to talk to you about the breed in general and their sheep in particular - just so long as its not before judging when they are frantically applying the finishing touches with comb or shears!

Why show?

For the pedigree breeder, the sheep taken to a show serve as an advertisement for the whole flock. A successful show record will improve the marketability of surplus quality stock. It is also provides a direct comparison of the qualities of your own sheep to those of other flocks, helping to assess the merits of your breeding policies.

These two aspects are how many breeders justify the time spent in preparing sheep for showing. For many, however, these are secondary to the pleasure they get from being involved to the utmost in their favourite pastime - Jacob Sheep.

Getting started with showing

Probably the first step is to go to a convenient show where there are Jacob classes. Watch what goes on in the show ring and in the preparation of the sheep before the classes. Talk to the handlers about their sheep, the preparation and the other aspects of showing and decide if you would like to have a go.

If you are not used to preparing sheep for show, there are a lot of skills to be mastered. If you visit book stalls at agricultural shows you will find some excellent books and videos on showing sheep, but remember, not all breeds have the same showing rules. Talk to local members or your Regional Council member, to see if there is someone close by who would be willing to help you take the first steps.

There is not the space here to go into the subject in depth, but the following tips may be of help to the novice:

• Selecting sheep to show
  • Handle your sheep - remember, except for the bits with no fleece (head and legs), you can't judge a sheep by looking at it. The fleece hides a multitude of sins.
  • The judge will always come round to your pens after classes are finished and discuss your sheep with you. This is your chance to improve your selection skills.
• Halter training
  • Often daunting to the novice, with a bit of practice you will wonder why you were worried.
  • The general rule is the younger the sheep the easier it is to train. Ram lambs are much easier than ewe lambs. Typical males, they haven't got the intelligence to try to escape!
  • Don't be tempted to assume 'it'll be all right on the night'. It often is, but as a novice you won't need an extra worry as you struggle to get your sheep into the show ring.
• Washing
  • You will need to wash your sheep at least once, and if it is the first show of the season, twice before the show. It must be dry before you attempt to groom it.
  • Pick a sunny day with a breeze if possible and do your shampooing early to give a good chance of drying.
  • If the weather is in doubt you will want to house your sheep after washing until show day. Remember damp sheep will pick up grime from everything they touch.
  • Many exhibitors swear by the special shampoos available, but many have found no substitute for pure soap flakes. Don't use detergents, treat the sheep as if it were your favourite jumper.
• Grooming lambs
  • Lambs are normally shown untrimmed, with the fleece carded out.
  • This is much easier when the fleece is reasonably short so, even if your planned show is not until later in the season, an early bath and carding will make the second much easier.
• Grooming and trimming older sheep
  • The fleece of older sheep is carded out and then trimmed to enhance their appearance. You can read books, you can learn the techniques from watching others, but there is no substitute for practice.
  • For a first attempt, it may be sensible to practice on a sheep you do not intend to show. That way a disaster will not matter.
  • A pair of properly set and sharpened shears is essential, so learn how to sharpen and look after your shears.
• Start small and be organised
  • Don't make your first foray into the show ring with a full complement of entries at a Royal show. You will have enough to worry about without the added pressure.
  • Choose a convenient show and contact the secretary for a schedule of sheep classes.
  • Make your entry in good time. Most one day shows have closing dates around six weeks before the show date.
  • Make sure you understand the rules. Classes will be held under Jacob Society rules, but there will also be rules imposed by the particular agricultural society organising the show.
  • Make sure you have all the required kit; grooming tools; clean halters; white coats (for you, not the sheep).
  • Make sure you arrive on the showground in good time, you may have to park some distance from the sheep lines after unloading. Identify yourself to the steward looking after your classes. He will direct you to your pens and give you numbers for your entries if these have not been mailed to you in advance.

After reading this you may feel that showing is far too daunting a prospect. It is not really like that, and you shouldn't be put off from taking that first step into the show ring. You are sure to find plenty of help and encouragement from your fellow competitors and there is nothing so satisfying as winning that first rosette.