Black Sheep Gathering – 2

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Robin

Here is the first post about this year’s Black Sheep Gathering.

I ended that post with a photo of Sparky ready for the Spinners’ Lead Contest. It is so difficult to get decent photos in the showing that I’ll share just this one, taken while waiting for the contest to start. The Spinners’ Lead Contest is a sort of like a fashion show, but with a sheep representative of the piece that is entered. At BSG, all entries use handspun yarn or are felted.

I took this photo at home. This is what the shawl looks like from the back. It’s handspun Jacob yarn arranged in color order from light to dark.

I have lost track of which was first and second, but they are the pieces in the photos above and below. They happen to be knit by a mother (below) and daughter (above). The sheep image on the sweater above was identical to the sheep being led in the show. These pieces were also entered in the Fiber Arts contest.

The next day I wandered around the vendor hall for a while.

This is another entry in the Fiber Arts Contest.

I took a few photos of things that I want to remember. At this booth there were some beautiful rugs woven with core spun yarn.

I have been getting core spun yarn from the mill spun using the coarser britch wool. I think I will sell it better as finished rugs than as the yarn itself. This makes me think about dyeing some of it.

Sheep are released at 4 and we were ready to leave at 4:20. We got to California at 8:30 p.m. I like having Mt. Shasta in sight.

The full moon made for some cool photos of the mountain.

We made only two stops for gas on the way home and pulled in at 1:12 a.m.

I don’t need to buy yarn or fiber. This is what I brought home. The two bowls add to our collection of this potter’s kitchenware. There is a BSG tie-dye t-shirt under the bowls. The book, two items at lower right, and one skein of yarn were my prize for Spinners’ Lead. Everyone gets a bag with goodies supplied by vendors. When I went by to thank the vendor who supplied the green yarn I thought I should buy another to go with it. The punch needle kit was a last minute impulse buy. I have always admired the colorful pieces I’ve seen at this booth. I didn’t have time to do the on-site lesson…and do I really need to learn another craft to distract me from all the other stuff I should be doing? This kit had all the necessary components and instructions to get started and I decided it was something I could work on while we were driving home. I got to the point you see before it got too dark and hopefully I’ll finish it one of these days.

I mentioned that Sparky wants to tell her impression of the show. That will have to wait awhile, but it will be soon on the blog that we are resurrecting that Rusty used to write.

Black Sheep Gathering 2026 – 1

Posted on July 6, 2026 by Robin

Black Sheep Gathering is always the last full weekend of June. We loaded the trailer early Thursday morning that week.

Jacob sheep in a trailer divided into compartments.

We loaded 14 sheep, two of which were to be picked up by new owners. Twelve would be in the Jacob show.

Rear view of white pickup pulling a silver trailer and driving through a gate.

We got on the road at 8:20, planning to get to Albany, Oregon by early evening. We got there about 5:30 and unloaded sheep. FC members Sue and Chris helped unload sheep and get them to pens. It had started raining so Dan and Chris set up the borrowed tent before the rain got worse and Sue and I settled the sheep and put up signs.

Show ring with 5 people showing Jacob sheep.

The Jacob division showed Friday morning. There were no other Jacob sheep entered so we went through the motions but showed against ourselves. Our flock actually has two owners. My granddaughter’s sheep are part of the flock, but have a separate owner designation. My sheep are named Meridian ___ and Kirby’s are KJ Royalty ___. This is the finish of the ewe classes with Farm Club members showing sheep. Klara is leading the yearling ewe, KJ Royalty Suzy, who was awarded Champion. The two-year old ewe, Meridian Chloe, was awarded Reserve Champion.

The rams show before the ewes. I didn’t bring a Yearling Ram and we showed four ram lambs, two owned by Kirby, and two by me. One of mine won the class and became Champion.

Here is the “official” photo of KJ Royalty Suzy.

Did we feel outclassed by this group? Not at all. They live in their own world. I just looked up Valais Blacknose Sheep online and see prices from $1800-$25000. Yup, it’s not my world. Black Sheep Gathering hosted a show for one of the Valais organizations so there were a lot of them here.

I can’t imagine caring for these fleeces!

We had 6 pens. One was for tack. The four ram lambs were in this pen.

These are Kirby’s yearling ewes. Three other pens had the two ewe lambs, my two yearling ewes, and the two-year olds. The event was fairly low-key for me this year, but I seemed busy most of the time–mainly trying to make sure I didn’t miss somewhere I was supposed to be, like showing again on Saturday when all the Champion sheep go to the ring at the end of the show, and not missing the wool show and sale.

It was great to have Farm Club friends around, and not just for the help. It’s hard to see because the yarn blends is the color of the concrete floor, but I have the Ashford e-spinner and got a little spinning done.

I entered three fleeces in the wool show and got 1st, 2nd, and 4th out of a class of 8 Jacob fleeces. I was able to listen to the judging and hopefully can put the video on YouTube to share it. Haven’t had time yet.

Four of us became the Wool Selection Committee to find a fleece for Rachel who gave us no instruction other than “color” and eventually something about “medium, but I like soft”.

That was something I certainly tried to keep track of. After the Wool Show finishes they make everyone leave while they get organized. Then people are allowed in to look, but asked to leave again while the Not For Sale fleeces are removed.

There is a big line for when the doors open for the sale. The four of us went to the tables we had previewed earlier. Then I stood with a hand on a fleece on one table and one of the others stood with a hand on a fleece at another table while the committee consulted and selected one for Rachel.

There was a long line to check out as well. Fortunately Rachel had given us cash and they opened up a cash only line.

Saturday evening was the Spinners’ Lead event and Sparky and I entered. That’s a story for the next post and I think Sparky will have something to say about it too. She will be given access to Rusty’s blog, which hasn’t been used since 2019. She may add to the entertaining stories there.

Black Sheep Gathering 2025 – Sunday

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Robin

This post is Saturday at Black Sheep Gathering. Sunday was show day for Kirby. She had shown all of her sheep in the open show on Friday, but there is a special show for Juniors on Sunday. It starts with showmanship–where participants are judged on their animal handling and how well they present their animal. After showmanship they show the animals in the breed classes.

Kirby cleaning a lamb's feet near the sheep pen.

Cleaning feet to get Isabella ready for the show.

Four girls walking their sheep in a show ring.

Kirby was in the junior division (10 and under) for showmanship although she would turn 11 in July.

Eight children showing a variety of natural colored sheep in the show ring.

The breed shows were split into Primitive Breeds and wool types for the other breeds. This division consisted of Jacob and Shetlands. Since it is only Juniors showing in these classes we found some other kids to help Kirby show in the classes where she had two entries (ram lambs and ewe lambs), and Kirby helped them show in their classes. So the two Jacob lambs in this ram class are both Kirby’s. She ended up with first and last in the class.

Kirby with a Jacob ram lamb and a champion ribbon.

That first place ram lamb was awarded Champion Primitive Breed Ram.

Girl showing a Jacob ewe in the show ring.

Kirby’s yearling ewe, Lily, was the only yearling ewe in that division…

Kirby in front of Black Sheep Gathering sign with her champion ewe and the ribbon.

…and was awarded Champion Primitive Breed ewe.

Girl holding a Jacob ram lamb with the champion ribbon and trophy in front the Black Sheep Gathering sign.

Here’s the official photo of the winning ram lamb.

The junior show finished about 12:30, and then I hurriedly cruised through the vendor hall to finish up some business and collect my shawl from the fiber arts show. Back at the barn we started packing up since those who have to drive farther are released early. We got on the road about 3.

I love seeing Mt. Shasta on my way home from Oregon.

Black Sheep Gathering 2025 – Saturday

Posted on July 4, 2025 by Robin

Friday was show day at Black Sheep Gathering. On Saturday there was time to explore other parts of the gathering. These are random photos taken in the barn and the vendor hall.

Angora goat.

Valais Blacknose sheep

NCWGA show of Yearling Rams.

Handwoven Jacob shawl in natural gray, black, and white with reserve champion ribbon.

I entered the Fiber Arts show with a handspun v-shawl. There weren’t many handwoven entries but I got Reserve Champion for the weaving division.

I admired this small transparency with the image of a sheep on a linen background.

Array of small skeins of yarn arranged in rainbow color.

I spent some time at the Art Fiber Frenzy booth because I’ve been designing some pieces using the crazy yarns I find here.

Back at the barn we showed our Champion Ram and Champion Ewe in the class for the overall champion sheep at the show.

Then I posed for a photo with those sheep.

Seen in the parking lot.

Back view of handwoven Jacob shawl showing plaid.

Spinners Lead was at the end of the day. I had woven a second v-shawl from handspun Jacob to wear in this competition. I also wove a scarf for my sheep.

Two horned Jacob sheep with glasses on its face.

Breeze wearing her scarf and my glasses. (She did not wear the glasses into the show ring.)

Waiting for the judge’s placings. I was awarded Reserve in the category for sheep owners.

Black Sheep Gathering 2025 – Friday

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Robin

The map app shows that Albany, Oregon is under an 8 hour drive from here, but it took us about 9 hours pulling a trailer full of sheep. We had 15 sheep with us–8 of mine and 7 belonging to my granddaughter, Kirby.

Girl sitting on straw in pen with Jacob sheep and using her phone.

This is Kirby sitting with her sheep the first morning of the event. Shetlands showed first and then it was us.

Jacob sheep on halters tied to rails in pen.

The first two days of the Black Sheep Gathering sheep show are for the open show. The junior show is Sunday. I entered Kirby’s sheep in both shows. We needed at least three exhibitors to be able to have a Jacob show, and we were two of the three.

The first class was Yearling Ram and Meridian Elvis was the only entry.

Five people showing Jacob ram lambs in the show ring.

Ram lambs were next. Kirby and I had two ram lambs each. The other exhibitor had only a few sheep in the show and had lambs in this class. Thanks to Farm Club members, Doris and Chris, for helping to show. Thank you to Rachel for most of the photos.

Two people in show ring with Jacob lambs and Judge looking at one of them.

My ram lamb, Hunter, shown by Doris, and Kirby’s ram lamb, Gaston, were awarded Champion and Reserve Champion Jacob ram, respectively.

Four people showing spotted Jacob sheep in the show ring.

Kirby and I each had two ewe lambs. We also showed yearling ewes and aged ewes (2-year olds).

KJ Royalty is Kirby’s flock name. This is KJ Royalty Isabella.

Sign about Meridian Jacobs with champion ribbons displayed.

My sheep were awarded Champion and Reserve Champion Jacob Ewe and Champion Ram.

Girl in blue t-shirt on fence rail next to sign with champion ribbon.

Kirby had Reserve Champion Ram.

Kirby and Rachel wearing felt sheep ears on head bands

After the sheep show everyone was free to experience the rest of the Gathering. Kirby and Rachel became good friends and I’m grateful to Rachel for giving Kirby such a good time.

Girl doing handstand in swimming pool with only legs showing above the water.

Usually I pitch a tent in the lawn near the sheep barn at Black Sheep Gathering, but with Kirby and Dan along we decided to go for the neighboring hotel. There was an indoor pool and Friday night ended with pool play for Kirby.

More photos tomorrow.

Black Sheep Gathering – Day 4

Posted on July 6, 2023 by Robin

I just realized that I never finished the Black Sheep Gathering series, and I have other things to write about. So here it is, although it is less about the event and more about the trip home.

Crochet project with book spread out on grass.

This is a sample of the crochet project I was working on when we were sitting near the tents and visiting. There is more of a story to this, but that will be a later post. I was visiting with friends when I heard the activity in the barn.

There is a junior show on Sunday morning. These kids were mostly there helping their families show sheep on Friday and Saturday, but on Sunday they had their own show. I was pleased that the judge spent some time before the show talking with all the kids about general show principles and tactics. Then the kids were all invited into the ring to select colorful halters that had been made for them. After that there were three classes for showmanship. I don’t know the age requirements for each class but the first was the senior class (under 18).

Sheep show with three young teens holding sheep and a judge talking to them.

The second class was for intermediate kids.

The third was juniors. I think my granddaughter is probably at the upper end of the Juniors. As I watched these classes I thought that it would be fun to have Kirby there next year to participate in all the events she could. That will take some thinking though–there is a long drive on either side of the actual event and it’s not like you can go home at the end of the day. It would change my experience for sure. Also, I don’t know if our trailer is big enough to accommodate all the sheep that would make up our two sheep flocks. However, I’m still thinking about it.

The show management released those who had a long way to drive a bit early. By the time we were packed and loaded it was close to 3. We made good time. Once in California I pointed out the vista point where I have always stopped on my way home from Oregon.

Woman photographing Mt. Shasta topped with clouds.

The mountain top was covered in clouds.

Mt. Shasta sign with mountain in the background topped with clouds.

Livestock trailer parked at Mt. Shasta viewpoint.

My cute trailer posing in front of the mountain!

We turned around and found the view to the west just as stunning.

Selfie time. I really appreciate that Vicki offered to drive and Doris came with us too.

Sheep on the road.

The sky continued to amaze us.

Rainbow with Mt. Shasta in the background.

After Yreka we left the freeway to drive west.

We were picking up a ram for Vicki. He was at a ranch about an hour to the west in the Scott Valley. It was a beautiful drive but I stopped taking photos as it got dark.

We drove in our driveway after 3 a.m. and it was after 4 when I finally got to bed. A long day to finish a great weekend.

Here is what I came home with. Two dishes to go with the mug I bought last year. The potholder loom and loops is what I chose from Eugene Textiles, the business that provided the prize for Spinners’ Lead. This will be my granddaughter’s birthday present this month. I’ll also try their heddle clips. Of course I needed a new BSG t-shirt and the pouch they made for this year. The yarn is a mixed art yarn from Art Fiber Frenzy. I can always use a new basket.

Looking forward to next year!

Black Sheep Gathering – Day 3

Posted on July 1, 2023 by Robin

View Day 1 and Day 2 of this adventure. The only thing I had to think about on Saturday was showing sheep in the afternoon and Spinners’ Lead in the evening. I’ll share scenes from the farm booths and around the vendor hall.

Karen of Liongate Farm always has an array of unique needlefelted pieces at her booth.

Felted white stag with fairy rider with champion ribbon in front and the Black Sheep Cup award

She was awarded the Black Sheep Cup for this piece. The detail is amazing.

Knitted and felted Wolf head with award.

Here is another Black Sheep prize awarded to a different fiber artist.

Black Lamb Cup award showing light gray knitted sweater with motif around neckline.

I was glad to see the Black Lamb Cup awarded to a youth entry. We need to encourage the next generations to be excited about sheep and fiber.

White tennis shoes with black and white line drawings of sheep and blue laces.

The perfect shoes to wear to a sheep gathering.

This is an impressive display that was just outside the vendor hall. I hope that everyone took a look.

There are dozens of different sea creatures in a variety of fiber arts represented here.

A closer view.

Two Jacob ewes in a pen with straw on the fleece. One is "lilac", the other black and white.

Back at the barn, a little clean up was necessary. Jazzie had been wearing a blanket but I took it off because I’d rather see the sheep than a blanket. Jazzie is a black and white sheep and Lenore, behind her, is a lilac.

We were the only Jacob breeders who entered the show this year so we had to show in an All Other Breeds division. This is for sheep registered in their own breed associations, but without enough sheep or breeders to show in separate divisions.

Ram lamb, Meridian Bridger, won Champion ram of this division.

We also had best Young Flock (one ram lamb, two ewe lambs). This isn’t the typical photo you’d take of your winning sheep group, but I mainly wanted to have one of Farm Club members who were there and helped out. This is Brenda, Lisa, Beth, and me. Doris was taking the photo. Other Farm Club members were there too. Ryan had his own Heritage Fiber booth in the vendor hall, Stephany was helping with the Mendocino Wool Mill booth, and Lyn was visiting. Did I miss someone? I kept running into people I knew all day.

The collection of ribbons and a trophy.

I think Lisa took this photo. I was told that this should be my new profile photo on all my social media pages. What do you think?

The Angora goats showed on Saturday also.

The day ended with Spinners Lead. I had told Ryan that he should definitely wear his handspun handknit sweater using fleece that he got at his first shearing day from Jacob ewe, Columbine.

He led Jazzie, whose fleece matched the spots really well.

There were 15 entries (no photos unfortunately), and the two of us won the top placings in the show. Ryan was first for non-sheep-owner and I won for the sheep owners. Great fun! I’m so glad that we did this.

Black Sheep Gathering 2017- #2

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Robin

I had too many photos for one post (as usual) so here is another of the weekend spent at Black Sheep Gathering. In the last post I mentioned Peyton, the new BFL ram. He just wrote a post on Rusty’s blog that you might want to check out.

In case you wondered what it was like to stay at BSG in a tent…here’s a photo of my camping spot. This wouldn’t have been fun if there was rain, but this time BSG was dry.

The whole reason for going on a Road Trip with Sheep is to show them (and maybe to sell a few). We showed on Saturday morning. The crew that showed up to help include Deborah and Brenda, Farm Club members, and Doris, who knitted that beautiful shawl in the last post, and Vicki, who has sheep and Border Collies back home. None had shown sheep before so we had a quick sheep showing lesson before the show started and then brought the sheep to the holding pen. There weren’t enough Jacobs this year (one other breeder) and we were showing against some Shetlands in the NCWGA Primitive Breeds Division.

There were no yearling rams entered so first up was the Ram Lamb class.

The 4-horn lamb on the left here was awarded Reserve Champion Ram.

Next was the Yearling Ewe class.

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It was followed by the Ewe Lamb class.

The judge liked Jennie (front) best.

The yearling ewe, Vixen (on the left), and Jennie (right) went into the Champion class…

…and Jennie got Reserve Champion Ewe.

As I say all the time, I couldn’t do this without the help of my friends…including the people who took photos and sent them to me. Thanks! Everyone had a fun experience and they all went home with blue ribbons.

I don’t know how many fleeces were entered in the Wool Show but these tables were full and there was a long line of buyers waiting outside.

I checked back an hour or so later and there weren’t a lot of fleeces left.

Saturday night there is always a potluck followed by the Spinners Lead competition. You can find handspun items in the most unusual places. (made by Marilyn from CA). It was so unusually hot for Eugene that attendance was lower at both these events. But we found familiar faces.

Doris and I took the yearling ewes to the Spinners Lead, wearing our shawls. We had both won first place in the classes in the Fiber Arts Show. Mine was in the woven division and Doris’ was in the knitted division where she also was awarded Best Use of Natural Colored Wool.

Other California friends were there. Marilyn wore the shawl that she had woven the previous day in the Sheep-to-Shawl contest. Her Hangtown Guild won that competition and she borrowed a sheep to enter this show.

Beth knit this beautiful shawl and also borrowed a sheep.

This was Doris’ first time at BSG, first time entering this event, and first finished handspun project!!

I took Cindy in the show and she wore a scarf woven of the leftovers from the shawl I wore. All the entries in this show are handspun or felted.

This is the smallest sheep I’ve ever seen at this show and she was quite a crowd pleaser.

IMG_20170624_170725

The next day I was sitting in the barn and spinning and glad that I didn’t have to take a sheep into the Black Sheep Cup (Supreme Champion) competition in the heat of the afternoon when I realized “uh oh, I do have to take sheep into the ring for the Young Flock competition”. Thanks to Doug and Karen who quickly helped me get the sheep to their appropriate spot in the ring, although I wasn’t exactly dressed for showing in my tank top, shorts, and Birkenstocks.

I loaded up and got on the road about 4:30. View heading south.

Black Sheep Gathering 2017

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Robin

Black Sheep Gathering is my favorite West Coast Fiber Event. I just wish that it wasn’t so far away. It’s about an 8 hour drive if you just stop for gas and nothing more.

This year it was important to leave early enough to avoid the heat in the Sacramento Valley. That meant I loaded sheep at 4 a.m. and was on the road by 4:45. I was passing the Sutter Buttes before the sun was up.

First good view of Mt. Shasta, this year with plenty of snow.

Most of this post is just random shots in the barns and vendor hall.

Our across-the-aisle neighbor, Teeswater. I can’t imagine dealing with that fleece.

Other neighbors, Navajo-churro yearling rams, ready to be shown.

Angora goat show.

Wool Show judging. That is my ewe, Cindy’s, fleece. This is the first time in years I have entered a wool show. I had planned to keep this one, but I’m still spinning the other that I saved this year. This fleece sold within an hour of the sale opening.

Meet and Greet with Peyton, the BFL ram who was coming home with me. (See Rusty’s Blog later for a post by Peyton.)

This is Moo Shoe Pork, a crowd favorite in last year’s Fiber Arts show, created by Nancy (Peyton’s owner) and in the Liongate Farm booth, near Peyton.

There were several spinning circles in the middle of the air conditioned vendor hall. These were very popular as the weekend wore on. People in Oregon get start to complain when the weather gets into the high 80s. And it did get hot, pushing the high 90s, but thankfully cooled off at night for us campers.

Dyed mohair locks.

M&M dispenser. I know, not fiber related, but maybe for keeping up strength while in a spinning competition?

Our Farm Club friend, Gynna, demonstrating at the Clemes & Clemes booth. I carry this fabulous drum carder and other C&C products at the shop.

Here is what she was doing. I haven’t tried dizzing off the drum carder before but certainly will now.

I liked this display of fiber. The purpose was to show how the picker being sold in the booth prepared the fiber.

I met up with Tina, Farm Club Emeritus, who now lives in Portland.

She found a rug-hooking mini-workshop in the vendor hall.

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Two of us entered the Fiber Arts Show. This is Doris’ beautiful knitted shawl. She used Lori’s fleece and blended colors to create this gradient. Her masterful work was recognized with the award for Best Use of Natural Colored Wool!

We had chosen Friday as the day that several of us could go out to dinner. Nine of us met in the sheep barn and it took awhile to figure out where to eat.

Decision made, but then we needed to figure out who was going where after (motel, back to the fairgrounds, etc), which cars had room for extra people, and synchronize map apps.

Seen on a car window and magnified about a million times from an iphone photo taken from a lane away.)

After a good dinner we got a passerby to take a photo of all of us in front of the Eugene public art.

Love the concept and the You Are Here part.

Miscellaneous Views at BSG

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Robin

The last three blog posts have been about Black Sheep Gathering but, wait! There is more!

Camping-tent

My tent.I have had this tent for 35 years and wasn’t sure that the rainfly was waterproof. I don’t think I’d want to be in a major storm, but it was adequate for the light rain the first night of camping.

I spent some time on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning watching the wool show. Martin judging

Martin Dally is entertaining as well as knowledgable. He explained what he was doing throughout the show and even let the audience come up to see and feel the fleeces after he finished with a class.

Merino fleece

Colored Merino fleece.

Merino fleece-2

White Merino fleece.

Corriedale fleece

Corriedale fleece that won the overall best white fleece.

Then to the vendor hall where I took shots of color, texture, and other things that caught my eye.

Art yarn

Hooked rug

Mohair locks

Horn helmet

Reindeer pelt

These are reindeer hides.

There is also a Fiber Arts contest.

Moo-shoe pork

This one is called Moo-Shoe Pork. Look closely at the feet.

Back in the barn, this felted banner was made by Jackie, Farm Club member and friend who’s business is Sheep to Shop.

Mt-2

I got a late start home on Sunday (the next post) but made my ritual stop at the Mt. Shasta overlook just before dark. I love that mountain…and I love California.

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