Sheepvention

I'd been looking forward to attending Sheepvention, the biggest event in the Hamilton calendar!

It's like the Ekka, but minus Sideshow Alley, minus the Showbag Pavillion, minus the horses, cats, dogs, pigs, cows, couple of hundred thousand people..... leaving sheep and tractors, and the obligatory stalls selling woolen socks, clothing and other useful items!

It was fun to wander around though. Would have liked to see more of the farm dog trials, but we still had a few pavillions to go through.



I liked the Alpaca pavillion (really just a marquee housing a few pens). They were conducting the alpaca fleece judging when we walked in... heard over the loudspeaker "The sun has just come out, we should be judging the blacks now" (Wouldn't hear that at the Ekka!!!!!) So, Mum and Dad, can I put my Christmas present order in now? I want an Alpaca (no, make that two):)




Michael reckons this one looks like Ringo Starr.

We caught up with Dr Jayant briefly before going separate ways. Dr J bought himself an Akubra hat, as he walked out of the tent, Michael said "Oh, look, the Indian is dressing up as a cowboy". Dr J saw the humour in that.

Caitlin met a friend just inside the front gate, as soon as she could scab some money off us, she deserted us for the rest of the day.

lunch

Mim wanted to see sheep, so we wandered into the Sheep pavillion. and saw plenty of sheep. They had Merinos and Leicesters, black sheep and grey sheep, wool sheep and meat sheep, rams, ewes and lambs......



one very ugly sheep!

I taught Mim how to tell the difference between a boy sheep and a girl sheep. It was funny to see her wandering around, bending over and looking between the sheep's legs and calling out "this one's got a ball, it's a boy", "this one doesn't, it's a girl".


For those not familiar with sheep sexing, the male is the one on the right!

Mim has decided that she would like one of these for Christmas:


She asked me what the silver things on the handles were..... "brakes, darling"!


I think these blokes will audition for the next "Farmer Wants a Wife" series?

All in all, it was a fun day. I'll definitely go back next year, they are thinking of including dairy in it as well!