Questions? Contact: Fleece@NJSheep.org
Includes fiber from Sheep, Goats, Llamas and Alpacas
REGISTRATION FOR THE 2025 FLEECE SHOW & SALE IS NOW OPEN!
NEW Premiums will be paid as follows:
1st place – $20 2nd place – $15 3rd place – $10
Highlights
- Registration for the Fleece Show & Sale will take place online only from Sunday, August 3 through Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 11:30 p.m.
- Fleece check-in for the Show & Sale will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, September 10 and 11, 2025, between 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds in Ringoes, NJ (GPS address: 1207 NJ-179, Lambertville, NJ 08530)
- As always, the Show and Sale will open bright and early Saturday, September 13 at 9:30 a.m.!
- We will be accepting credit cards again this year, in addition to cash and checks, for all fleece sales
- There will be a 5% commission on all sales to help defray processing costs. We thank you for your understanding.
- Volunteers are needed to assist with maintaining the display during the festival weekend. Any amount of time you can contribute would be appreciated! Please email Fleece@NJSheep.org if you’re interested.
Show and Sale Registration
Please read and follow these instructions, which will ensure a smooth process for all participants:
- Participants are to fill in the online form with the requested information. Garden State Sheep Breeders members pay $3 for each fleece entered; non-members pay $5 for each fleece entered. You can then save or print out your receipt. No envelopes or index cards are needed. We will have the printed bag information ready when you deliver the fleeces!
- There are detailed instructions to:
– Pay online with PayPal when registering, or
– Pay using cash or check at fleece check-in on 9/10/25 or 9/11/25 - Drop off your registered fleeces at the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds Wednesday and Thursday, 9/10 and 9/11/25, between 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
- Closed judging of show fleeces will take place on Friday, 9/12/25
- Show & Sale will open Saturday, 9/13/25 at 9:30 a.m.
- Sale will continue until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, 9/14/25, at which time unsold fleeces must be claimed by presenting the participant’s copy of the registration form showing the fleece number assigned by Garden State Sheep Breeders at registration.
- Participants may begin picking up unsold fleeces at 2:00 p.m. Sunday 9/14/25.
- Unclaimed fleeces become the property of the GSSB.
GSSB MEMBERS: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR FLEECES @ $3/FLEECE
NON-MEMBERS: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR FLEECES @ $5/FLEECE
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Want to become a member of the Garden State Sheep Breeders? Visit our Membership page to join!
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Show and Sale Rules:
- Each fleece must be clean, free of tags and vegetation, and have no second cuts. Please don’t bring moldy or insect-infested fleeces! We reserve the right to reject fleeces that do not meet minimum standards. Entry fees for rejected fleeces cannot be refunded
- The judge may move fleeces to a more appropriate division/class, if necessary
- Fleeces must be from the current year and represent a single shearing from animal owned by entrant
- Only whole fleeces may be sold
- Each fleece must be skirted and placed in a large, clear plastic bag. YouTube features several excellent videos on how to skirt your fleece, if you’re not sure how to do this. A nicely-skirted fleece will score higher and sell more quickly! If you are not sure about skirting, email us at Fleece@NJSheep.org. Someone from the Fleece Committee will be happy to call you to discuss the details.
- Leave the bagged fleeces untied. Bags will be arranged by GSSB staff so that the correct opening for viewing by judges and/or buyers is maintained
- Ribbons will be awarded for up to 3 places in each class. The Best In Show will receive a rosette.
- All checks for prize premiums and sales proceeds will be mailed as quickly as possible after the close of the show.
Division/ Class Definitions
We reserve the right to create a new class if there are sufficient entries (~10 fleeces). Typically the featured breed will have its own class, and there are usually enough Shetland and Romney fleeces to have their own class as well.
Division N – Natural Colored Sheep Fleeces |
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| F | Fine – Merino, Rambouillet, Targhee, etc. |
| M | Medium – Jacob, Shetland, Baby Doll Southdown, Corriedale, Columbia, Cheviot, Tunis, etc. |
| L | Long – Romney, Coopworth, Cotswold, Lincoln, Leicester, etc. |
| C | Coarse – Valais Blacknose, Karakul, Scottish Blackface, Navajo-Churro, Herdwick, etc. |
Division W – White Sheep Fleeces |
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| F | Fine – Merino, Rambouillet, Targhee, etc. |
| M | Medium – Shetland, Baby Doll Southdown, Corriedale, Columbia, Cheviot, Tunis, etc. |
| L | Long – Romney, Coopworth, Cotswold, Lincoln, Leicester, etc. |
| C | Coarse – Valais Blacknose, Karakul, Scottish Blackface, Navajo-Churro, Herdwick, etc. |
Division O – Fiber from Animals Other than Sheep |
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| M | Mohair – from Angora goats |
| C | Cashmere |
| Al | Alpaca |
| L | Llama |
| O | Other |
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Instructions for preparing fleeces:
NOTE: This information will be emailed to you along with a Summary of Fleeces Entered.
Write the shortened fleece ID in permanent marker on the outside of the corresponding bag for each fleece.
Here’s how to create the shortened fleece ID.
Use the last 3 digits of your order/ reference number, a hyphen, followed by the fleece number in your entries.
Example 1 (look at your receipt for this info):
| Reference # | 9918878 |
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Fleece 1 ID
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9918878-WS – White Wool – Shetland-1 |
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Mark the bag: 878 – 1
_______________________________________
Example 2:
| Reference # | 9918833 |
|---|
| Fleece 2 ID: | 9918833-WC – White Wool – Coarse – Karakul, Scottish Blackface, Navajo-Churro, etc.-2 |
|---|
Mark the bag: 833 – 2
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2024 CONTEST RESULTS
»» Grand Champion – Sheep: Janet Laidlaw (Natural Colored – Medium Wool) ««
»» Grand Champion – Not Sheep: Lisa Collura (Alpaca) ««
| DIVISION/CLASS | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
| Natural Colored – Fine Wool | Friends Of Howell Farm | ||
| Natural Colored – Medium Wool | Janet Laidlaw | Janet Laidlaw | Shari Gifford |
| Natural Colored – Coarse Wool | Hestia’s Homestead | Hestia’s Homestead | Reni Melvin |
| Natural Colored – Long Wool | Friends Of Howell Farm | Friends Of Howell Farm | Friends Of Howell Farm |
| Llama | Lisa Collura | Lisa Collura | Lisa Collura |
| White – Medium Wool | Toni Kellers | Toni Kellers | Toni Kellers |
| White – Coarse Wool | Hestia’s Homestead | ||
| White – Long Wool | Marlene Halstead | Matthew Cross | Madeleine Cross |
↓ Past Years’ Competition Results ↓
2023 Competition Results
2022 Competition Results
2021 Competition Results
2020 Festival not held due to COVID 19
2019 Competition Results
2018 Competition Results
2017 Competition Results
2016 Competition Results
2015 Competition Results – not available
2014 Competition Results
2013 Competition Results
2012 Competition Results
Updated: July 27, 2025