Congratulations to BLU member Floya Hawkins, whose BFL fleece won champion in it’s division at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend! 
Tag: fiber festival
MS&W fleece winner
Congratulations to Margie Smith (PA) for her first place BFL fleece at the recent Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. Margie will receive the $50 award sponsored by the Bluefaced Leicester Union.
This is the year to enter fleeces!
This year, BLU will sponsor a $50 cash award to the first place BFL fleece at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. Details will be in the MS&W festival catalog and entry form. So if you have been considering entering a fleece in the contest, this is the year to do it!
Here is the MS&W website with details on entry, and the entry form.
http://sheepandwool.org/festival/fleece-show-sale/
$50 fleece award available
This year, BLU will sponsor a $50 cash award to the first place BFL fleece at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. Details will be in the MS&W festival catalog and entry form. So if you have been considering entering a fleece in the contest, this is the year to do it!
Here is the MS&W website with details on entry, and the entry form.
http://sheepandwool.org/festival/fleece-show-sale/
BFLs a hit at the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival
Katie Sullivan of Cloverworks Farm represented BLU at the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival in Tunbridge, VT this past weekend at her vendor booth. Longtime BLU member Kat Smith of Stonesthrow Farm is also a vendor there, as well as on the festival committee. BLU has been a sponsor of this event for several years. Katie says she sold out her BFL yarn, and there was a lot of interest in the sheep in her display. Another BLU member reports that she has already gotten an inquiry for breeding stock from someone who had attended the festival and seen BFLs there.
OFFF Show Report
Several BLU members enjoyed the Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival this past weekend in Canby, OR. Linda Campanario had the First Place Yearling Ewe in the White Wool Class,
with Terra Mia Addie. 
Terra Mia Caleb won Reserve Champion ram lamb in the white wool category for his breeder, Kat Bierkens. 
Youth member Rhiannon Curley also exhibited. Both Kat and Karen Szewc of Liongate had vendor booths during the festival.
Liongate
TerraMia
2017 Reserve Champion fleece at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival
The 2017 champion BFL fleece and Reserve Champion Overall fleece in the HUGE Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival fleece competition. Grown and exhibited by BLU member Margie Smith of PA.
The Working Herding Dog demonstration at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.
by Nancy Starkey, BLU member
I have been announcing the demos for over 20 years and have been performing in the demos for the past seven or eight years. We have used Bluefaced Leicester sheep from my flock in the demos for several years. The natural beauty and athleticism of the BFL makes for an eye-catching demonstration.
The dogs used in the demonstrations are Working Border Collies. We showcase the natural talent and ability of the dogs and show how they can be an asset to the livestock producer. We also have the dogs work in partnership with the handlers to maneuver the sheep through the various obstacles around the arena.
Throughout the demo, we stress that livestock should always be handled in a calm, quiet manner by the dogs. Our goal is for the demonstrations to be enjoyable as well as informative for the crowds.
Using Bluefaced Leicester Fiber: Demonstration at National Show
BFL Blending
As part of the National Bluefaced Leicester Show at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, the Bluefaced Leicester Union will be giving a free demonstration on carding and combing Bluefaced Leicester wool. They will demonstrate the best way to work with beautiful, purly BFL locks and how best to manage the small lock structure through the carding and combing process. Hand cards, combs, and a hackle will be used to show you how to transform your BFL fleece into a preparation ready for spinning or felting. Then you’re welcome to try it yourself. Extra cards and combs will be available. They will also have Bluefaced Leicester fleece for you to try out.
BFL fleeces shown at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival
Submitted by Margie Smith, BLU member
1st place BFL fleece in 2014 MS&W fleece show
The fleeces shown, are from Marlindale Farm in New Oxford, PA. Margie
and Lynn Smith have been running Marlindale Farm since 1990 having moved
from Emmitsburg, MD to New Oxford in 2004. With support from BFL
breeders (giving us our foundation stock for BFL sheep) as well as our
sheep shearer, Emily Chamelin, and that of fellow Maryland Sheep
Breeders’ members, we started placing rather well in the Fleece Show at
Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in 2011. We’ve had the 1st place BFL
title for the past 3 years. We mostly have purebred BFL now, but have
crossbred BFL x BL with stunning results.
The 2nd place fleece in 2015. Marlindale also had the 1st place fleece
Our fleeces sell from $45/ lb to $95/lb. We keep the sheep covered with Rocky Payne’s sheep sheets
which has kept the fleeces wonderfully clean.
A couple of us, in
conjunction with Rocky are try to develop a sheet sheet with a
“turtleneck” to preserve and keep clean the lower neck and shoulders. We
average about 1.5 pounds of “waste” from that area, which is just too
good to lose each year. Ours is a learning experience that is taking us
quite a few tries to get right!!