Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In sheep-show lingo, “fi tting” is the name given to preshow preparation: trim-
ming feet, shearing, washing, and carding. Fitting doesn't start the day before
the show — like training, it starts months before with early shearings, which
result in the fl eece's being an optimum length for the show.
When early shearings should begin depends on the class of sheep and,
to a certain extent, on the region of the country. But here are some rules of
thumb: For meat and dual-purpose breeding animals, shearing is typically
done the fi rst time between 2 and 3 months before the show; market lambs
are “slick-sheared” (completely sheared) about 2 weeks before the show. Wool
breeds are shown “in fl eece,” so they are slick-sheared 3 to 4 months prior to
the show to ensure that their fl eece is nicely grown out by show time. Putting
a blanket or a coat on the sheep after shearing helps keep the fl eece cleaner,
especially for the wool breeds, and makes your later work a little easier, but it
isn't absolutely necessary.
The fi tting work that takes place just before the show is most easily accom-
plished with the aid of a fi tting stand, a wood-and-metal contraption that
holds the sheep still in a standing position while you work on it. Occasionally,
you have to lean over a sheep in a fi tting stand, but most of your work can be
done from a standing position. If you don't have a fi tting stand, you can tie off
your sheep with a halter and work on the ground, but it becomes backbreak-
ing work if you are doing more than one or two sheep! Animals should never
be left unattended in a fi tting stand (or when tied off) because they may hurt
themselves. Have the supplies you'll need at hand before you start, or have a
helper who can retrieve that forgotten currycomb!
The shading indicates wool
that is typically trimmed off
when fi tting a sheep for show.
The goal in fi tting is to have a
nice consistent fl eece length
over the animal's whole body.
