On the first Sunday in October we met friends at Masham, at the sheep fair, an annual event which fills the market square with pens, full of tups, ewes and lambs, all competing at one of the last competitions of the year. We had admired the Dorset prize winners, and after a chance conversation had bought a prize winning Poll Dorset tup, here wearing his red rosette and sash... We had arranged to collect him and drove down with a trailer filled with straw so that he would be comfortable on his journey back to his new home.....
After getting slightly lost we finally arrived and backed up ready for loading......... We walked round to the end of the barn where he was waiting,... and my goodness he is even more magnificent than I remembered. Now that there were fewer people around he was quite happy to have his nose stroked and his ears massaged while we talked.
After gleaning more information from Sheila, about how she came to keep the breed, where she had initially got her stock and how she came to show her animals, we completed the paperwork and then Sheila put a halter round his nose and led him up the ramp of our trailer saying, "this is your new mum"!!!... He was fine, showing no signs of being nervous or frightened and while Nigel went into the store to discuss food, I grabbed a hand full of lamb nuts from the back of the pick-up and offered them in... oh yes... they were very well received... I stroked him, quietly talking so he gets used to my voice, reassuring him so he knows how happy we are and what a lovely home he is about to have.... I'm convinced they understand the positive feelings that are given out by us.
After getting slightly lost we finally arrived and backed up ready for loading......... We walked round to the end of the barn where he was waiting,... and my goodness he is even more magnificent than I remembered. Now that there were fewer people around he was quite happy to have his nose stroked and his ears massaged while we talked.
After gleaning more information from Sheila, about how she came to keep the breed, where she had initially got her stock and how she came to show her animals, we completed the paperwork and then Sheila put a halter round his nose and led him up the ramp of our trailer saying, "this is your new mum"!!!... He was fine, showing no signs of being nervous or frightened and while Nigel went into the store to discuss food, I grabbed a hand full of lamb nuts from the back of the pick-up and offered them in... oh yes... they were very well received... I stroked him, quietly talking so he gets used to my voice, reassuring him so he knows how happy we are and what a lovely home he is about to have.... I'm convinced they understand the positive feelings that are given out by us.
As he looked into my eyes... chewing... he just charmed me.. I softly whispered what a beautiful boy he was and as I smiled at him a name popped into my mind.... don't know why?... Hmmm... yes that did suit him.... Douglas it is!
Douglas is an enormous shearling, we thought it might be nice to put him with our shearlings.... they might like him and what a good idea for his first season. It will make him happy, give him something to do and some practice as he's probably fairly inexperienced.. and of course give us a good idea of what a Dorset cross is like?
We removed the hamster twins, Curley and Dot, Peewee, Lupin and the others that have been in Buster's group, they haven't come into season yet. We introduced them to Douglas in the barn.... the girls in one end and he in the middle, separated by a rail or two so they could see each other... the girls looked very impressed and lined up with their noses poked through... he was placid enough to be rudded up with raddle and didn't move at all... only Peewee called to me when we left them to be acquainted for a few minutes, but as you'll already know, she's not normal!!!........ So here he is... Settled, looking fantastic and in his element!
We'll look forward to using him for tupping our new Dorset girls when they are ready next year.....after we have had them inspected by the Dorset society to confirm their purity and get their documentation correct for future use... The new Bishopdale Flock of Poll Dorset Sheep are on the way, with our beautiful handsome boy... Hurrah!
Douglas is an enormous shearling, we thought it might be nice to put him with our shearlings.... they might like him and what a good idea for his first season. It will make him happy, give him something to do and some practice as he's probably fairly inexperienced.. and of course give us a good idea of what a Dorset cross is like?
We removed the hamster twins, Curley and Dot, Peewee, Lupin and the others that have been in Buster's group, they haven't come into season yet. We introduced them to Douglas in the barn.... the girls in one end and he in the middle, separated by a rail or two so they could see each other... the girls looked very impressed and lined up with their noses poked through... he was placid enough to be rudded up with raddle and didn't move at all... only Peewee called to me when we left them to be acquainted for a few minutes, but as you'll already know, she's not normal!!!........ So here he is... Settled, looking fantastic and in his element!
We'll look forward to using him for tupping our new Dorset girls when they are ready next year.....after we have had them inspected by the Dorset society to confirm their purity and get their documentation correct for future use... The new Bishopdale Flock of Poll Dorset Sheep are on the way, with our beautiful handsome boy... Hurrah!
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