As chair of the Shetland Sheep Society, Kate Sharp is passionate about telling the story of this well-known breed. Kate Chapman finds out more.
What Kate Sharp does not know about Shetland sheep probably is not worth knowing.
She has been breeding champions for over 30 years and sells the wool from her pedigree flock as well using it to make hand-knitted ethical garments.
In addition to showing the sheep she lovingly cares for at Ewingston Farm, Humbie, in East Lothian, Kate also judges the breed and is an inspector and judge for the Shetland Sheep Society.
I have always had a love for Shetland sheep, says Kate, 58, who currently has a 65-strong flock.
Theyre a hardy breed - small, easy to handle, make great mothers and have such a lovely range of natural shades of fleece.
My first passion is showing them, but my second is their wool and working with it.
Kates love affair with the breed began shortly after she married husband Robin in 1987 and moved to his familys sheep farm, where they bred half breeds, nestled at the foot of the Lammermuir Hills.
Some of the farm was sold soon after, but the couple kept 20 acres of land and some outbuildings, and Kate decided she would like to keep a few sheep of her own.
Shetlands appealed because of all the different colours their fleeces come in, she says.
At the time I just wanted something different to look at and something I could show as a hobby. And being small sheep, they were ideal for a smaller person, like myself, to handle.
I started showing at agricultural shows - in the early days Shetland sheep were under the RBST as a rare breed, before the Shetland Sheep Society was formed, which I joined over 30 years ago to breed and register my pedigree sheep.
Kate focussed on producing the best sheep she could, breeding them to conform to the 1927 breed standard and success followed. She showed her mainland Shetlands throughout the UK, winning Supreme Champion Shetland Sheep at the Royal Show of England, Great Yorkshire Show and Royal Highland Show, as well as many others in Scotland.
She began with a flock of 10, which swiftly grew to 225 at its peak and also tends the Of Spalford pedigree flock, belonging to her Nottinghamshire friend Alan Hill, who commutes over the border several times a month to help look after them.
Fed on course mix, sugar beet threads, vitamins and minerals, plus plenty of grass and hay, her flock lives mostly outside, only coming in to lamb for own her convenience, out of the cold weather.
But the showing is where she is most at home.
That is my real pleasure, she says. I love the show atmosphere be it a one or four-day event, when everybody brings their flock the day before and you meet up with all the people that youve not seen since the previous year.
Leading your own sheep into the show ring, and showing what you have produced that year, working to be the best you can be, is a wonderful feeling. It is a window for all breeders to show off their animals and promote the breed.
When the judge happens to like one of yours, it is nice to know youre doing something right. I just get a buzz out of showing winning is a bonus.
Society
Over the years Kate has become heavily involved in the Shetland Sheep Society, serving on the committee for six years from 2002, as well as being a regional representative. In 1999 she became an inspector and judge and is the current chair of the Shetland Sheep Societys Judges and Inspectors panel. She has even judged overseas in America.
Preparing for a show is a year-round job, ensuring her animals are halter trained, confident and capable of walking round the ring, unfazed by the watching crowds - as well as ensuring they are raised to adhere to the breed standards, which it is also Kates job to look at when judging.
In addition to showing her Shetlands, Kate is passionate about promoting their wool, which is the finest, softest wool of any British breed. She ventured into using her Shetland wool after a friend hand spun one of their fleeces. She learnt the art of blade shearing her sheep by hand, and also prepares the fleece to wash, card and spin by hand on a traditional treadle spinning wheel.
The yarn is sent to a mill to be spun, and she sells and uses the resulting wool in its natural colours a range of white, browns, greys, fawn, and black - as well as hand dying a small quantity to meet customer demand.
Her wool and knitwear business launched in 1993, making items including sweaters, hats, gloves and cowls to sell at game fairs and craft markets. When the foot and mouth outbreak put an end to countryside activity in 2001, she took a stall on Castle Terrace, at Edinburgh Farmers Market, and continues to attend each Saturday.
Business
More recently she has been forced to rethink her business again and has embraced social media so she can target a new audience and sell her products further afield.
Things really have changed. I found that during the pandemic, everyone was shopping a lot more locally; we ended up taking a lot of garments off the website because we were so busy at the Edinburgh market, says Kate.
But I have never wanted this to be a huge commercial operation. I enjoy selling direct to my customers and want to enjoy every piece that I make. I can show customers which sheep the wool has come from and people appreciate that. During the past couple of years, Ive sold much more yarn than in previous years. People are turning back to knitting, weaving and using wool.
Theyre realising that although dearer than acrylic, wool is superior. It is not imported, it is traceable back to the sheep and they appreciate that - they are happy to pay a little bit more as they know the animal that is producing it is healthy and cared for and loved, and from that we can build up a clientele who understand what we are trying to do here.
Although she is slightly scaling back on the number of events she takes on these days, Kate has a busy year ahead attending the Shetland Sheep Societys National Show and Sale, in Melton Mowbray later this year and the Royal Highland Show among others.
Then there is more knitting to be done to restock her website and stall, not to mention the work of caring for her pride and joy, the sheep themselves.
Im committed to raising them in a chemical-free environment and as naturally and ethically as possible, she says.
I believe that working with kindness produces happier, healthier - and champion worthy - sheep, as well as the best wool.
