Blade Shearing Contest

The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival will host the first national blade sheep-shearing competition in the United States in a long time. It will be a great spectacle for fairgoers and an opportunity for blade shearers to inspire one another to excellence in their craft.

There will be no entry fee to compete, but participants are asked to give notice of their intention by e-mailing bladeshear@hotmail.com and providing your name, address, phone number and level of experience.

This is an open competition, but the referee will have the opportunity to question and judge whether someone is competent to compete. The number of contestants may need to be limited, so those the referee judges to be most experienced and qualified will participate.

The first place winner will receive $1,000; second place, $500; third place, $350; fourth place, $150; and fifth place, $75.