Wensleydale Sheep
The Breed.
Named for the Wensleydale region of North Yorkshire in England, the Wensleydale breed was introduced by the mating of a Leicester ram and a Teeswater ewe in 1838. Endangered and considered at risk, the breed can be found in the United Kingdom, with small flocks in Holland, France, Denmark and here in the U.S. Flocks in our country have been part of a breeding up program using Wensleydale sperm with Cotswold, English Leicester and Lincoln ewes as foundation stock.
The Wensleydale is considered the finest long wool breed in the world and is very desirable for fiber artists and hand spinners. Wensleydales are known for the production of high quality and quantity long lustrous wool with long uniform ringlets and a purl or curl at the end. The purebred Wensleydale fleece has a quality known as “central checking” which prevents formation of kemp in the fleece; the breed is considered purebred with 96% Wensleydale or five breedings in the upbreeding program.
Naturally polled, the Wensleydale is a triple purpose breed and considered to be one of the largest sheep. Purebred and crossbreeds develop into prolific, heavy-milking, hardy breeding ewes while wethers, under natural conditions and on marginal ground, provide quality carcasses at higher weight, with no excess fat.
The Wool.
Our Wensleydale wool has high luster and long, curly ringlets and is treasured by hand spinners. It is often compared to the Angora goat’s mohair, which does have high luster and long length but does not have memory. The purebred Wensleydale fleece is considered kemp or vegetation free.
The fleece of a mature Wensleydale will often weigh 20 pounds. The fleece of the yearling is the most prized, and often, the grower will not shear the lamb’s fleece until its second year.
Our fleeces come in a variety of colors, including white, brown, silver and black.