Rare Swiss breed gets first UK show

Being held at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle, the Blacknose Beauties National Show and Sale marks a major step forward, raising the profile of the breed in the UK.

With breeders travelling the length and breadth of the UK, this inaugural event will see in excess of 150 Valais Blacknose in show, with over 50 offered for sale.  Included are 13 classes for ewes and rams, as well as, a young handlers class and overall championships classes. 

As with the Swiss ‘Miss Visp’ competition, class winners will receive a traditional Swiss cow bell. The winners of each class will then battle it out to take home the title Champion of Champions.

Mainline sponsors Strutt & Parker are the UK’s largest independent property partnership which has carved an impeccable reputation for themselves across the property market. They operate one of the largest farming specialist teams in the UK, making them ideally placed to understand the challenges of rural life.

Prominent agriculture suppliers Carrs Billington and agricultural building specialists Roundhouse have also announced their support for the event, cementing the strong industry support for the show, which will bring together Valais breeders from across the country.

Showcasing the best of the breed, the event will be based on the annual ‘Miss Visp’ competition held in Switzerland, which is known to attract visitors in their thousands. Alongside the show and sale, as part of the ‘Blacknose Beauties’ event, there will be a grand parade of the Valais Blacknose sheep, and a variety of exhibitors providing the latest industry information on breeding and genetics, as well as, nutrition and up-to-date technical developments.

Ali Gray, Partner at Strutt & Parker explained why they chose to support this event, saying:“The arrival of Valais Blacknose sheep in the UK is an incredibly exciting development in the farming community and Strutt & Parker are delighted to be supporting their first national show. Agriculture is a hugely important part of our business and we are always looking to support the farming community on a local and national level as much as we possibly can. 

“The Valais Blacknose Society has placed a huge emphasis on retaining the cultural traditions associated with the breed and maintaining the high standards they are held to in their native country. This careful conservation of the breed is something we jumped at the chance to support and fits perfectly with our values as a business.”

The ten highly qualified judges will consist of the president and vice president of the Swiss Valais Blacknose Sheep Society together with eight of their fellow countrymen. The very technical judging process will be precise, with points allocated into each of the three categories; appearance, body and wool.

The UK Valais Blacknose Sheep Society was formed by Jenni McAllister, Raymond Irvine and Jamie Wood in January 2015 to protect and promote the breed here in the United Kingdom. 

Jamie Wood, Blacknose breeder and a president of the Valais Blacknose Society, said: “This is a fantastic step forward for the Valais Blacknose breed here in the UK with the show providing an opportunity for breeders to have their stock graded and learn from the Swiss judges.”

“This event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors.  Support like this from nationally recognised companies is integral to the success of our event and offers us a great platform to promote the Valais Blacknose in the UK.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Strutt & Parker, Carrs Billington and Roundhouse for their very generous support.”

Although rare in the UK, the Blacknose is a dual purpose breed used for their meat, and also their wool which can be spun, felted and used in various textiles.  Whether Valais Blacknose sheep end up as an alternative farmer’s four legged friend, or another breed of sheep to add to the huge following of rare breed sheep in the UK, it is destined to be a popular sight for some time to come.