It’s not quite the solstice, but the celebration will last at least until then.
All 11 new rams – three adults and eight ram lambs – are now legally landed citizens of Canada. They cleared the border at 6 PM and are now on their way to their temporary quarters before disbursing to their new Canadian flocks.
I did some more checking, and by cross-referencing all the sheep sold to Canada with all of the pedigrees I have, I’m confident that the total Canadian population of purebred Black Welsh Mountain sheep was founded on eight animals. There were two separate importations of three ewes and one ram. One was in about 1985, and one was in 1998 or 1999, both from Tom Wyman’s Wye Heights flock.
Edit as of 21st December: I have a correction to the founding animals for the Canadian flocks. There was one importation of five ewes and at least one (perhaps two) rams in 1987. Then, in 1999, three ewes and two rams were sent to Canada. Those are the only documented importations to Canada until this one.
This group of new rams will make a huge difference in the long-term viability of the breed in Canada.
I want to offer special thanks to everyone who was involved in this endeavor. Becky Bemus, Lois Heslop, Dr. Cotten, Dr. Kelley, Dr. Sponenberg, Ron Keener, and all others who helped or will be participating in the breeding program deserve every bit of this reward.
I’m celebrating with a shot of that lovely Welsh single malt, Penderyn.