Cotswold Sheep Society Newsletter Registered Charity No. 1013326 Hampton Rise, 1 High Street, Meysey Hampton, Gloucestershire, GL7 5JW
[email protected] www.cotswoldsheepsociety.co.uk Council Officers Chairman – Mr Bob Palmer Vice Chairman – Mrs Yvonne Froehlich Secretary – Mrs Lucinda Foster Treasurer, Registrar – Mrs Lynne Parkes Council Members Mrs Judy Wilkie, Mrs Margaret Pursch, Mrs Kate Kay, Mr Robin Leach. Mr Derek Cross, Mr Richard Mumford, Mr Thomas Jackson Editors: Norman Kay and Sandra Rath Rob Harvey Long, who won the interbreed wool championship at Sheep 2008, displays his crystal bowl award October 2008 edition 1 Rob Harvey Long is a very successful producer of wool from his Cotswold flock. At Sheep 2008 he scored a remarkable 99 points out of a possible 100 for his fleece and won the Interbreed fleece competition. Here he writes about Cotswold wool, and draws a conclusion that some may find controversial. The article leads us into 2009 - the year of the natural fibre. SOME THOUGHTS ON WOOL I joined the Cotswold Sheep Society in 1996. Besides the sheep being such friendly docile creatures, with their attractive top knot, ( or dreadlocks as my family called them), I was most attracted to them because of their wonderful lustrous wool. Learning about their long and fabled history added to my sense of admiration and great liking for these animals. I was really surprised to find in a Wool Board booklet about British sheep that the Cotswold fleece was suitable for “bunting”!!! Somehow, somewhere, something has gone wrong. When I go to the shows and see our sheep looking so good with their magnificent fleeces, I feel we are underselling our unique product.