Lambing is well under way among Tracey Hurst’s flock of Valais blacknose sheep, near Waimate, and the cuteness factor of the hardy Swiss mountain breed is undeniable.
The first embryos were imported to New Zealand in 2017 and the breed has since attracted much attention with their unmistakable looks. The Hurst family began their breeding up programme for Valais blacknose in 2019.
It was Mrs Hurst’s mother-in-law Rosie, who worked and skied in Switzerland in her youth, who bought three in-lamb English Leicester ewes for her grand-daughter Charlotte.
When Charlotte went to boarding school, her mother Tracey took over and the sheep were run separately to the commercial Coopdale sheep flock on her and husband Jerry’s 1200ha property.
While Elgin View Valais Blacknose was a hobby, the stud was registered and she kept records. It was a nice interest to have and it was the friendliness and cuteness of the breed that appealed to her.
Her aim was to breed up her flock to full-bred and she was also keen to pursue something with the wool they produced. She also sold some of her lambs.
