Popular Valais Blacknose show returns in August

The show, which takes place on Friday, August 18, and Saturday, August 19, is the pinnacle of the Valais Blacknose show calendar.

This two-day show and sale attracts enthusiasts from across the world, providing UK breeders with an opportunity to showcase some of the finest animals in the country – all aiming for the highest possible accolade of Blacknose Beauties Overall Supreme Champion 2023. The mainline sponsor for this year's event is pedigree feed merchants Galloway and Macleod.

Last year, saw new winners crowned for the first time in the show’s history. Welsh breeders Gerallt and Kerry Jones were awarded their first Overall Supreme Champion title with their aged ewe Snowdonia Halo. Overall Reserve Champion went to Jamie Wood of the Northumberland flock with his junior ram lamb Prendwick Johnny Depp.

Two full days of exciting competition, demonstrations and trade stalls provide something for everyone to enjoy. This year sees the return of the ever-popular young handler class, which is a show highlight and confirms the society’s commitment to encouraging the next generation to become involved with this fascinating breed.

Sale topper, Deepdale Impact

Friday’s schedule will include the grading of sheep, carried out by certified UK grading judges using an adopted points system from Valais, Switzerland. Grading is carried out to ensure that highest breed standards are maintained in the UK and the ultimate reward for any breeder is for their sheep to be awarded the coveted ‘maximum points’.

Also on Friday, Cammy Wilson, well-known for his popular You Tube channel ‘The Sheep Game’, will demonstrate the unenviable task of shearing Valais Blacknose sheep in full fleece. Friday finishes with an evening barbecue, which is open to the public.

Competitions run all day on Saturday, culminating with the much-anticipated sale. Last year, 83 Valais Blacknose sheep went under the hammer with Peak District breeders Heather and Julian Adams’s shearling ram Deepdale Impact topping the sale, selling for 6,500gns.

Following at 6,400gns was ram lamb Lyngarth Juggernaut, aged ram Crookedstane Henry at 5,500gns, and ram lamb Daffodil Hill Jackpot at 5,500gns. The highest female price went to Emily and Henry Duncan of the Whitehall flock, Dumfriesshire with shearling ewe Whitehall Jasmine selling at 5,500gns and their aged in-lamb ewe Whitehall Holly achieving 5,000gns.

Alongside this year's event, the society is also launching a raffle to raise funds for the Charlie Dallas Lancaster Foundation (CDL Foundation), who provide help and support to organisations and individuals working within the mental health and suicide prevention sphere.

Tickets will be available both online and at the show, with all proceeds being donated to the CDL Foundation. In addition, 25 per cent of proceeds from the VBS 2023 calendar sales will be donated.

VBS chairman Raymond Irvine said: “Blacknose Beauties 2023 will be our biggest event to date. With our membership now exceeding 800 and the increasing popularity of the breed, we are anticipating strong competition and an exciting sale. We are grateful for the continued support of our members, sponsors, traders and volunteers and are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Carlisle to Blacknose Beauties in August.”