The Breed Standard used by the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders
Association (NASSA) was written by the Shetland Flock Book Society of the
Shetland Islands in 1927 with the aim of preserving the classic Shetland,
preventing loss of type through crossbreeding or indiscriminate breeding.
The Shetland Sheep Society (dealing with the United Kingdom outside of
Shetland) uses this standard and NASSA's predecessor adopted a similar
standard for use in North American in 1991. NASSA reaffirmed the 1927
Shetland Flock Book Society Standard in 2000.
SHETLAND SHEEP STANDARD
Description and Scale of Points Score-100
Reproduced by NASSA from the Shetland Flock Book Society
Bye-laws & Regulations, Objects & Standard of the Society 1927
Affirmed by NASSA 03/2000
General
character and appearance
(Horned or Hornless)......................... 9
Head -Good width between ears, tapering rapidly to base of nose,
which should be broad and with little taper to the muzzle,
hollow between cheeks and no sewell marked
.............................................. 9
Face
-Medium length of face from eyes to muzzle, nose
prominent but not Roman, small mouth
......................................................... 5
Eyes
-Full, bright, and active look. ..
............................................................... 3
Ears -Fine, medium size, set well back, carried slightly
above the horizontal
........................................................................................
4
Neck-Full, tapers into a fairly broad
chest....................................................... 4
Shoulders-Well set,
top level with
back.......................................................... 6
Chest- Medium width and deep.
..................................................................... 5
Back-Level, with as much width as possible
.................................................. 9
Ribs-Well sprung and well ribbed up
.............................................................. 4
Rump-Good width, with well tuned rounded hips
............................................ 5
Tail
-Fluke tail. Wool at
root forming the broad rounded part, and
tapering suddenly to
barely covered fine point. This is a strong character,
and any crossing is easily made out by it. Length varies according to the
size of sheep, rarely
exceeds six inches, or thereby. ..................................... 9
Legs of Mutton-Light,
but very fine in quality..................................................
4
Skin-Varies according to color of wool. In white
no blue or black
coloring
...................................................................................2
Wool-
Extra fine and soft texture, longish, wavy, and well closed.
Wool on forehead and
poll tapering into neck, likewise wool on cheeks.
Colours: white, black or brown, moorit (from reddish to fawn).
Greys (including
Shaela). Other known colours -Mirkface (brownish spots
on face); Catmogit (dark under parts from muzzle to tail and legs),
Burrit (light
underparts); also Blaegit, Fleckit, and Sholmit...............................20
Carriage -Alert and nimble, with a smart active gait.
....................................... 2
DISQUALIFICATIONS
(a)
Long heavy tail, broad to point
(b) Bad wool, coarse and open
(c) Very coarse wool on breeches
(d) Deformities of jaws
(e) Undersized animals
(f) Defective coloured or badly shaped animals as sires
(g) White hairs in moorit and black, and dark hairs in white wool
Note: The 1927 Shetland Flock Book Society Standard was developed for the
original inspection of sheep for registration by the Society. The Standard
includes seven specific faults that were considered serious enough to
disqualify sheep from registration. While these disqualifications are
still part of the Standard, NASSA does not have an inspection system and
does not disqualify purebred Shetland sheep from registration. However,
NASSA recommends that breeders take into consideration these
disqualification faults when evaluating Shetland sheep for breeding
purposes and for registration.
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