The Black Sheep Cup Comes Back to Montana!

Montana is listed on the Black Sheep Cup for a second time alongside flocks from CA, OR, WA, ID, WY, NV, CO and MO. The Black Sheep Gathering is a show of colored fiber animals, colored fiber, and fiber arts.  It was started 47 years ago by a group of fiber artists and shepherds who were witnessing the decline of colored sheep and heritage breeds and felt an urgency to preserve colored fiber.  Their determination earned them a stern letter from the Australian Government who told US officials to STOP these women before they destroyed the wool industry. This did not happen and 47 years later the wool industry is even stronger.

The Black Sheep Gathering, held in Albany, Oregon annually, now attracts 100’s of participants from across the west and includes judging of fiber, sheep and goats, a fiber market place, and workshops that teach fiber skills.  Raw fleeces are judged for the qualities of great spinning fiber. The Black Sheep Cup is awarded to the best group of hand spinning fleeces out of a show of five hundred.  The trophy that accompanies the cup lists all of the recipients from across the West dating back 32 years.  Steitzhof was honored in 2019 to be the first flock from Montana to earn the cup and their win in 2022 makes them one of a handful of farms to earn it twice.

To win this honor once is a dream, to bring it home on successive shows, albeit 2 years separated, with a different judge is beyond description. The fleece from Steitzhof’s sheep MoonDance, won the Grand Champion Colored Fleece and the Wayne Thompson Award for best fiber of any animal of the show. In addition, Steitzhof won 3 class blue ribbons, 1 red, and 2 white. The legendary Judge Judith McKenzie called this one of the highest quality and competitive shows she has judged.

“We are proud to be part of the Montana farm industry and the Fibershed movement that promotes “Grow local; wear local” says Carol Steitz.  “One of my greatest rewards is when an artisan sends a picture of a gorgeous garment they have created from the merino wool grown on our farm.”

The Steitz’s started their flock as a means to improve their land.  At their farm on Sheepherder Hill, they use short-term, rotational grazing to restore the soil and improve pasture grasses.  At a previous property, the fields improved to yield a two month increase on the grazing calendar.

“We are proud to produce a quality product and each year ship fleeces across the U.S. and to foreign countries” – says John.  Steitzhof is a registered Grown in Montana farm and in addition to raw fleece, sells roving and yarn manufactured at The Wool Mill in Bozeman.  Truly Made in Montana products!

Steitzhof is a registered Grown in Montana farm and in addition to raw fleece, they sell roving and yarn manufactured at The Wool Mill in Bozeman.  Truly Made in Montana products!

Steitzhof is grateful for help from the Flathead community including The Flathead Conservation District, The Montana Wool Lab, Dr. Laura Johnson at LaSalle Equine Clinic, the Alpine Weavers and Spinners Guild, and many friends who lend a hand during shearing and lambing.