The Harlequin Sheep, a dual purpose sheep developed by Black Sheep Farm, Kathleene Sterling, owner. The Harlequin sheep is a dual-purpose meat and wool sheep that is the result of an intensive breeding program spanning almost 30 years. They are wildly patterned in black and white, brown and white and grey and white. Harlequins are polled and of the general size and conformation of the Southdown sheep. At this time, the sheep breed close to 95% true in color and are a very consistent size and shape. They are a medium-wooled breed, with some variation in the character of the fleece, and very popular among the hand-spinners who purchase the wool. To develop the Harlequin, I used many breeds of sheep….buying purebred rams and breeding to the ewes with the color pattern, fleece and color pattern that I liked. Many generations back, I used such breeds as Karakul, Tunis, Corriedale, Lincoln, Border Leicester, Romney, Montadale, Coopworth, Finn-Rambouillet and Southdown rams. Some of my original ewes were rejects from my shearer’s purebred Corriedale flock…he had a few lambs each year born with large areas of black on legs and flanks…others were purchased when attending the annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. About 15 years ago, I decided to close the flock and not bring any more outside blood into the herd for several years. I have been inbreeding extensively since that time. My goal was to produce a dual-purpose sheep with the size and general conformation of the Southdown and with a fleece that is somewhat varied in staple, length, texture and Color. Many of the Harlequins have two different staple lengths, with the white wool often longer than the dark wool. They may have one or both eyes blue or partially blue, and they are always polled. Contrary to comments often made when I have these sheep on exhibit, there has never been any Jacob breeding in the Harlequin sheep. Three distinct color patterns have developed over the years: one has a dark head, with a few dark body spots; one has patches of color all over the body and the third type tends to be mostly dark, with a white rump and other white markings on legs and head. Another type may be any of the above patterns, but has a tendancy to grey out and eventually, the pattern is only visible at shearing. The usual colors are black, brown or grey with white. Occasionally, a red and white lamb may be born, a throw-back to the Tunis breeding, but that color fades as they mature. Most of the sheep, over time, will develop black freckling on the skin and black wool grows from those areas…this is especially noticeable when they are newly shorn. The wool is usually of a medium length staple. One of the reasons I introduced the Lincoln breeding many generations back was to try and get the pinto pattern in the longer staple…however, it took about 4 generations of ewes to finally produce the Harlequin pattern…and by then, there was little left of the Lincoln in fleece or conformation. The meat qualities of these sheep are excellent…the lambs are very heavy for their size and produce chops and roasts with a very mild flavor. The wool is popular among spinners and they treat it in a variety of ways….some will spin the raw fleece just as it comes from the sheep…resulting in a uniquely patterned and textured final product. Others carefully separate the different colors before using and still others have the wool processed together, resulting in a very attractive soft heather grey wool. Despite the intensive inbreeding, the sheep remain very productive and viable, with only the occasional lamb born with a slight underbite that could be a genetically related defect. When determining which lambs to save back for breeding, I select for conformation and color first. I also only keep ewes that are exceptional mothers and rarely have a bottle baby or have to assist in the birth. A good percentage of the ewes will twin and some will lamb out of season. The Harlequin is an excellent breed for the small flock owner…low maintenance, highly productive…and very unique in appearance.

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