Sorry to take so long to get back on here, been a busy month!
Thank you FW so much for your advice and reassurance, Colin was shown in all his (mildly cotted) glory at the Spring Gathering, and actually features in one of the photos on the website now.
He didn't do as well in the NST classes, as the judge said he was "past it", but he came 4th in quite a line up in the wool on the hoof class, the wool man was very understanding of the cotting, and said "they're supposed to do that" and obviously appreciated the quality underneath.
They've all just been shorn, and the shearer said that under the matting he actually has a very nice fleece, so when I get round to washing them all for spinning (when they put an extra 10 hours in a day!) I will see exactly what it is like.