Sheep Shearing Demonstrations

Updated for 2024

The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is pleased to have Emily Chamelin of Westminster, Maryland as our sheep shearing demonstrator. Emily is a full time machine shearer who grew up in Carroll County, Maryland. Her first introduction to sheep was through 4-H and her shearing education began right here as well, having attended the Maryland Shearing School. Emily shears over 5,000 sheep in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware each spring and travels throughout the remainder of the year to the Midwest and overseas to continue to pursue work and adventure opportunities that shearing can provide. She also teaches at shearing schools all over the USA as well as competes in shearing competitions both here and abroad.

There are many highly skilled and talented shearers working in the Mid- Atlantic region and all over the USA. We are always excited to spotlight some of the amazing shearers who make the journey to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, and hope to have some new faces hop up on stage to help demonstrate the skill and finesse required to shear sheep for our agricultural community. This year we will have Melinda Wamsley join us on Sunday. Melinda is a long time farmer, involved in local agriculture events and programs most of her life. Melinda earned her degree in Animal Science from Ohio State University and is always continuing her education however she can, from hands-on to online clips and articles. In 2020 she was approached by a family friend and well known sheep farming family at Ross Farms in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, to take a new adventure and learn how to shear sheep for them. She curiously agreed and was able to schedule herself in a class at Maryland Shearing School and has since built a reputation for quality shearing in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.

There will be a general discussion of sheep, wool, and sheep handling. Please drop by to enjoy our show and ask questions.

Saturday and Sunday  – 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. – Stage outside Main Exhibition Hall

Sheep Shearing Demonstration from the 2021 Virtual Festival

2024 tickets and catalogs now on sale!

Tickets and catalogs for the 2024 festival are now on sale at https://mswf2024.eventbrite.com. The deadline for ordering catalogs is March 15.

Schedule of Events

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New this year: If you want to get a catalog before the Festival, you must order by March 15. You can order at mswf2024.eventbrite.com/. Festival tickets are on sale there now, too! If you prefer to pay by check, you can download a catalog order form from our website at sheepandwool.org/purchase-a-catalog/; just make sure it reaches us by March 15.A limited number of catalogs will be available in the T-Shirt Sales building at the Festival while supplies last. We are now suggesting a $5.00 donation for catalogs picked up at the Festival. #mdsw #mdsw2024 ... See MoreSee Less
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Registration is now open at mswf2024.eventbrite.com for our Family Activities on festival weekend. Although targeted towards children, they are open to all ages. (Note: Parents of children 7 and under must stay with the child during the class.)This year's activities include:--God's Eye (Age 5+) --Card Weaving (Age 7+) --Needle Felted Hair Ties (Age 10+) --Lucet Braiding (Age 7+) --Exploring Simple Spinning (Age 5+) --Quick to Crochet (Age 7+)--Quick to Knit (Age 7+)--Needle Felted Fire Dragon (Age 7+) --Tapestry Weaving (Age 8+) --Hand Carding (Age 8+)--Needle Felted Beads (Age 10+) Spaces are limited, so pre-registration is recommended. If classes are not filled, registration at the Festival may be possible; check at the Family Activities Tents upon arrival. #mdsw #mdsw2024 #familyactivities #knit #crochet #weave #handcard #Spin #felt #lucet #needlefelt ... See MoreSee Less
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