[SallyintNorth]

Dear Nigel, our polled Shetland of the Ever-ready Golden Balls, wasn't going to make it through another winter, and Vinny the Balwen's offspring can be a tad flighty, so Nigel's gone already and we've decided to let Vinny go, and try a Dorset Down tup.  I didn't want to switch to the Dorset for the first timers and smaller sheep until we've seen how big the lambs are and how they behave, so have found another polled Shetland tup to succeed Nigel.

Yesterday we visited our nearest Dorset Down breeder to have a look at a few tups of varying ages he was happy to part with for a reasonable price.

None were ideal but there were 3 whose issues we could live with for the price.  KT favoured the second oldest (he's 4) who happened also to be the tallest (although not broadest or best confirmation), and my favourite (who was the 5 year old stock tup) had a slightly runny nose when no-one else did, so we bought KT's choice.

The farmer is NJ Bond, James Bond, so of course we have to be 007 themed for the new boy's name.  We're going to make a game of it, get suggestions and have a vote, but personally I think KT's already picked the winning name, so I am referring to him as Thunderballs, James Thunderballs. 😂

[SallyintNorth]

The Shetland we're getting is a 5 year old black, whose owners are not tupping this year so wanted to find him a working home.  They've had him advertised on the Society "for sale" page for a while, and no nibbles, so when I posted looking for a lamb or aged polled tup, they got in touch.  They were so pleased to have the chance of a working home for him they offered him free to collect.  We were also offered one I didn't like and a very nice looking shearling moorit for a fair price for the evident quality, but we decided to take the freebie for now, knowing that it looks as though we should be able to source another polled boy when we need one, so no rush to spend money if we don't need to.

I'll be fetching Iain this weekend.  I've no doubt he will acquire additional monikers as we get to know him, lol.  Fingers crossed he and Thunderballs, James Thunderballs pal up nicely.  They've got two of our largest tame fleece wethers - 1/4 Wensey, 1/4 Romney, 1/8 BFL 3/8 Shetland brothers Marble and Corky III - for company too; Thunderballs, James Thunderballs is settled with them in a nice large pen already, awaiting Iain's arrival to do quarantine dosing of the two new boys. 

[Richmond]

Sounds like you're all sorted then. Shame about Nigel though. 

[SallyintNorth]

Shame about Nigel though. 

Yes indeed.  He was 8 though, he had had a pretty good innings!  I made it 8 tuppings in all, cos he'd worked as a lamb, and did his previous owner's girls for a 3rd time, and our girls, the year we bought him.  (We'd borrowed one of his sons the year before, so we've very few ewes now with none of Nigel's genes.)  A lot of his sons (including the one we'd borrowed as a lamb) were sold as tups, so his genes must be pretty widespread across the SW.  (I guess I shouldn't be too surprised if I find a connection in the new lad's pedigree when I get it... )

Best £40 I ever spent, and no mistake!