Fleece Show & Contest
(rules subject to change – please check back often before the festival)
Any fiber artist is very welcome to enter these contests at the Festival! There are, however, certain fiber content requirements--see “Entries” below.
Times: Bring your entries to the Fleece Show Tent at the Festival between 8am and 10:30am on Saturday. The Show will be open to the public from the 11am judging until closing at 5pm. No fleece may be removed from the show tent before 4:30pm. All fleeces must be picked up by exhibitors by 5pm on Saturday.
Fees: $4 per fleece for non-MAVWA members. $2 per fleece for MAVWA members who are not booth vendors. No charge for WF booth vendors. A signed liability release form is required from exhibitors and will be provided.
Entries: An entry is one fleece. Any one exhibitor may enter no more than 5 fleeces per species – 5 sheep, 5 goat, or 5 camelid. Fleeces must be grown in Colorado/New Mexico/Texas. Fleeces must have been shorn after the 2008 contest and represent 12 month’s growth or less. Yearling fleeces will be allowed up to 16 month’s growth.
Preparation of Fleeces: This show in intended for premium quality Handspinning fleeces. Fleeces must be exhibited untied in a clear plastic bag.
Labeling: Exhibitors will be given a label to fill out. Class/type, sex, age number of month’s growth of the fleece. Exhibitor’s name, address, phone and booth number if applicable. Personal information will be hidden during judging. No farm/ranch business cards or labels indicating ownership are allowed in with the fleeces during judging.
Criteria for Judging: Fleeces will be judged for soundness, cleanliness, uniformity, and general character typical of high quality animal fiber.
Sheep Wool Divisions and Classes: There will be two classes:
- Sheep Fleece, white
- Sheep Fleece, naturally colored (everything but white)
Both classes will have 3 wool grade divisions and 1 style division:
Wool grade: 1. Fine (60's and finer) 2. Medium (52’s to 58’s) 3. Coarse (50’s and coarser):
Style: 1 Heritage Breeds - A style of fleece that demonstrates a combination of hair or medulated fiber and wool. Examples of breed fleeces that may fit into this class are Navajo-Churro, Karakul, Shetland, Jacob and some modern breeds derived from crosses of wool breeds and hair sheep. Example, California Red Sheep.
Other Species Fiber Classes: Classes and divisions as entries warrant as follows: 1. Fiber Goats: Angora, Cashmere, Cashgora, etc. 2. Camelids: Alpaca, Llama, etc.
The show manager reserves the right to combine classes if the number of entries in any individual class or division does not warrant a separate class and to place entries in appropriate classes as necessary.
Awards: Sheep Wool Classes: 1st , 2nd and 3rd place ribbons in each grade of class. Grand and reserve rosettes may be given in each combined class of each wool grade. A Silver Medallion will be awarded to the overall Best of Show handspinning fleece in both the white and naturally colored fleece classes.
Fiber Goat Divisions and Classes: As entries warrant. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons. Grand and Reserve Champion ribbons. Two Silver Medallions are available for the fiber goat fleece show.
Camelid Classses: As entries warrant; 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons. Grand and Reserve rosettes. A Silver Medallion is available for the Best of show alpaca fleece.
If the judges determine that the quality of a fleece or fleeces entered in the show are not up to the quality standards for the show they may not be eligible for any awards.
Fleece Sales: There will be no sales directly from the Fleece Show. Interested buyers will be directed to the exhibitor’s booth. Exhibitors who do not have booths are not allowed to sell their fleece or indicate that they are for sale while on the show grounds.