[Jacob-list] 4H & showing with horns

[MView16 at aol.com]

On the subject of showing with horns in upstate NY...near Albany...there has 
never been mention made of the horns on any animal.  I had several of my 
Jacobs and Shetland rams shown in 4H classes in many local fairs, and horns 
seemed to be a non-issue.  There was a problem with a couple of judges 
suggesting that the animals had not been fed properly...were "stunted"...with 
resulting downgrading of showmanship marks.  Compared with the Dorsets, the 
Jacobs did look fairly puny, but the issue was one of the judge understanding 
the breed standard; these local judges can't know everything, especially if 
that "everything" didn't grow on their farm.  I have made it a habit to 
distribute copies of breed standards (such as they are), and things are 
looking up.  There is still prejudice against small sheep...even in 
showmanship classes where it should never exist.

It seems that the people who ban sheep with horns don't understand sheep very 
well.  If inclined, a big Columbia can do far more damage with no horns than 
a "puny" Jacob can do with horns.  Besides, do sheep really run about 
attacking people and animals?  We should just as logically ban teeth on the 
agility dogs, hooves on horses, horns on oxen, etc!

Jeanne Massey
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