[fsmnutter]

My Hebridean ram is entered in the Thainstone Smallholder show on Saturday, but over the last few days its been warm and wet, so his lovely locks have cotted around his neck and along his back.
Does anyone have any tips to deal with it?
I'm wondering whether a novice attempt at hand shearing under the matted bits or showing him as he is would be better as I doubt any comb will get through it!
Any tips gratefully received
Suzanne

[Fleecewife]

Sadly Mr Fleecewife isn't going to be judging the primitives at Thainstone after all as he was hauled off to hospital.  Had he still been the judge I could have given you a definitive reply.   I think it will depend on the judge and if they are familiar with Hebs.   It is not permitted to comb, brush or trim a Hebridean for showing, and it should have at minimum something like a month's regrowth of fleece, so not a good idea to sheer him at this late stage.  I have seen a ewe judged at the Highland show in full fleece, whose fleece was lifting off in matted lumps but she won her class as she was a gorgeous sheep.
However, if the judge is used to judging other breeds where the fleece is part of the judging criteria, then they will frown on a cotted fleece.
It's a very tricky time of year to be showing Hebs in full fleece.  They tend to mat and that's life.  Those who show a lot tend to shear their Hebs way back so they have plenty of regrowth, but I would rather see an animal which has kept its fleece long enough to keep it warm in the cold weather, then is shorn at the right time to keep it cool in the heat.

Sorry - that doesn't answer your question but I think you just have to make a decision and stick to it.

[fsmnutter]

Thank you so much for your reply, I had somewhat hoped you would be the one to answer!
Sorry to hear about Mr Fleecewife, but I think getting into hospital when required takes precedence over some sheep judging! Hope he feels better soon.
I don't believe my ram is anywhere near a standard to be winning his class at the Highland, but I do feel better about showing him as he is after your anecdote. I didn't want to have to shear him, and certainly wouldn't be shearing early just for showing, as his main purpose is to be a sheep, and we'll have a go at the showing locally!
Thanks again
Suzanne

[fsmnutter]

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.

[Fleecewife]

 "they're supposed to do that"   

They do that, but I wouldn't say they're supposed to.  Heb fleece is much more use to the sheep if it blows in the wind and keeps them dry, not stuck in a mat holding water next to their skin.  I'm glad he's got a lovely fleece underneath it.  Next year you'll be able to shear him before it cots and use it    Sometimes a mildly cotted fleece has useable bits along the flanks, so I hope you kept it to have a closer look at. 

The 'past it' bit - one of the good points about Hebrideans is that they're long-lived.  If breeders only use young tups, then there is no way of knowing whether they are passing on a longevity gene or not.  We keep our tups til they fall over for that reason, and our ewes seem to go on for decades 

No, the judge did an excellent job stepping in when Mr F couldn't do the job as he was ill (better now thank you).  It sounds as if it was a nice big class of NSTs - great.

Let us know what your fleeces are like when you've washed and sorted them (I've barely begun that too  )

[shygirl]

 "they're supposed to do that"   

They do that, but I wouldn't say they're supposed to.  Heb fleece is much more use to the sheep if it blows in the wind and keeps them dry, not stuck in a mat holding water next to their skin.

thats interesting as iv heard the same said about lhaso apso dogs "the hair is supposed to matted as it keeps them warm in baltic tibetan winters - when actually the matted fur would make him cry as it snags his skin, and hes much happier trimmed short.