When Hope Bennett first saw Harlequin sheep she figured she had found the perfect breed. They had no horns, were small and gentle to handle, yet hardy enough to take care of themselves. Best of all they were cute with fluffy spotted wool. But, the clincher for Bennett was their blue eyes.
"I love animals with blue eyes," says Bennett who has about 400 animals on her combination zoo/petting farm in northeast Georgia. "A lot of people like blue-eyed animals. They are usually the first animals to sell."
The Harlequin breed didn't develop overnight. The breed is the result of three decades of hard work by Maryland breeder Kathleen Sterling, who recently passed away. Bennett met Sterling six years ago, and has since taken up the cause of preserving Harlequin sheep as an American breed. With the help of her assistant Shauna Smith, she is seeking people who purchased sheep from Sterling in order to create an official registry for the breed.
"The way Kathleen brought so many breeds in, it's amazing how the breed is now so consistent," Smith notes.
The breeds Sterling used include: Karakul, Tunis, Corriedale, Lincoln, Border Leicester, Romney, Montadale, Finn-Rambouillet, Dorset and Southdown rams.
"It's an amazing breed that has everything anyone wants in a sheep. No horns, hearty, not too heavy or light," Bennett says.
Another attribute is that they can be bred off-season to spread lambing out throughout the year. That trait works better in cooler climates from Maryland north, but is possible even in the south.
To be part of the registry, the animals must be less than 24 in. tall, though most of Bennett's sheep are 20 in. tall or less. Animals weigh anywhere from 60 to 120 lbs. The wool is spotted and a fine to medium texture that is appreciated by wool spinners. The sheep cannot have horns. Eyes are large, bright, yellow to brown, or blue.
Baby Doll sheep are the only allowed breeders with Harlequins to qualify to be in the registry.
Bennett also sells breeding stock - often to hobby farms and zoos that also feature rare livestock. At $1,000 each, they are not cheap, due to the limited number of animals available.
Harlequins sell themselves, Bennett says. Since buying her first pair from Sterling, she is even more convinced they are the perfect sheep breed.
"People like pretty sheep," she says. "Harlequins are beautiful, practical, small and friendly."
She invites anyone interested in the breed to contact her, and she encourages Harlequin owners to contact her to become part of the official registry.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Hope Bennett, P.O. Box, 2237, Cleveland, Ga. 30528 (ph 706 348-7279; www.harlequinsheep.info).