MJ Adventure Team Goes to MD - Day 4

On Sunday, the second day of MDSW, we got up early because we wanted to be at the show in time to watch the start of the Sheep to Shawl contest.

There was another long line but that was for cash payment. We had tickets and could walk right through on the left.

We were interested in the start of the contest because, unlike all the other contests I've seen, this one began with a team member shearing the sheep. This sheep shearer was on a team called Hair Spray...

...and there are the team members anxiously watching.

Five teams competed.

The Blues Sisters was one of them.

The Hairspray team, fully costumed.

I don't know the name of this one but there seemed to be an indigo theme. Note the helper on the bobbin winder.

While we watched we looked for and found another one of our Ravelry contingency and her famous (at least in our circles) and award-winning Jacob shawl.

I still hadn't seen the main building or the vendors at the east end of the fairgrounds. Time to shop!

The main vendor hall. It seemed to go on forever.

Dress made from felted fabric pieces.

Sweater with Border Collies.

I ran into Kathleen, Dona, and Chris as they were comparing purchases and considering a trip to the car.

At some point in the day Mary became a volunteer and put her inner sales-lady persona to work...

...and got another t-shirt for her trouble.

At noon there was to be a Parade of Breeds in the sheep ring. First though was the presentation of the Youth Conservationist Program in which "Breeders who are willing to mentor youth donate a yearling ewe and help the recipient establish their own flock". The recipients are expected to breed the ewe to a ram of the same breed, produce something with the fiber, and exhibit the sheep at least two shows. Some of the recipients have now become donors. The recipient of a Hog Island ewe is above.

Royal Unzicker donated a Jacob ewe.

The Parade of Breeds followed with representative sheep of 28 different breeds from Barbados Blackbelly, above to......Wensleydale.

Following the breed presentation I went back over to the Sheep to Shawl area where there was an auction of the shawls that had been woven that morning.

Then back to the vendor hall one last time.

Getting ideas for my upcoming Artery show.

My one yarn purchase, 3 choices from Jill Draper Makes Stuff.

My friends did a lot of shopping but no one else brought home a sheep. Shenandoah would get on a truck the next morning to be delivered to California.

I moved her to a pen near her traveling companions. (Note random spotting--the guy with the panda ears.)

After a long but very fun weekend it was time to leave the fairgrounds.

Back "home" we laid out all of our purchases and took a group shot.  Two friends were leaving the next morning to various directions, but three of us weren't done yet. We had such a wonderful 4 days--traveling from CA, sightseeing, being at the festival, spending time together in the evenings--it was almost hard to imagine that we were only half way through our adventure. More to follow!