2025 Grasslands Fleece Competition Wrap-Up
The Prairie Fibreshed team is thrilled to announce the results of the 2025 Grasslands Fleece Competition and to extend our heartfelt thanks to the producers, buyers, volunteers, and sponsors who made this year’s event a resounding success. By sharing their finest fleeces, supporting local fibre through purchases, volunteering their time, and generously sponsoring the event, you have all contributed to strengthening the prairie fibreshed and celebrating the quality, diversity, and resilience of prairie-grown wool.
Competition Highlights
This year’s Grand Champion fleece was awarded to Shauna Hayman for her Jacob fleece (SP3), scoring an impressive 90.5. The Reserve Champion went to Cathie Vodden of Old Pauley Place for her BFL x Cheviot fleece (LW2), scoring 90.0.
Class Winners:
Coloured, Down: Wayne Loewen (1st – CD3, 76.5; 2nd – CD2, 74.0)
Coloured, Fine: Alyssa Boles, Cool Ally Livestock (1st – CF7, 82.5); Annette Mignault, Cool Ally Livestock (2nd – CF2, 76.5)
Coloured, Long: Cathie Vodden (1st – CLW1, 89.5); Brooke Aitken, Loch Lomond Livestock (2nd – CLW3, 70.5)
Dual Coated: Shauna Hayman (1st – SP3, 90.5; 2nd – SP2, 86.0)
White, Down: Count Your Sheep (1st – D5, 88.0; 2nd – D3, 87.5)
White, Fine: Wayne Loewen (1st – F4, 86.5); Brooke Aitken (2nd – F7, 86.0)
White, Long: Cathie Vodden (1st – LW2, 90.0); Roland Koch (2nd – LW1, 84.5)
Auction Highlights
The Grasslands Fleece Auction, hosted on SaskAuctionMart.ca August 9–10, offered 35 fleeces to buyers. Top sales included the Grand Champion Jacob fleece (SP3) at $135, a Cotswold ewe fleece (LW1) at $130, a Corriedale x fleece (F7) at $120, Bluefaced Leicester fleece donated by Fusilier Sheep Co. at $120, and a Romney x BFL fleece (CLW3) at $105. Overall, fleece prices ranged from $10 to $135, with an average of approximately $60. Well-prepared fleeces were in high demand!
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank all producers, buyers, and volunteers who contributed their time, energy, and expertise to make the competition and auction successful. A special thank-you goes to our generous sponsors:
David Lalach – Richardson Wealth
Waviebank Woolers Inc.
Custom Woolen Mills Ltd.
Briggs & Little Woolen Mills Ltd.
Humboldt Haus of Stiches
Long Way Homestead
Yarn Over Fibre and Crafting Co.
Peggy Gwillim
Art of Fibre
Sask Auction Mart
We also extend a special thank-you to Peggy Gwillim for judging, whose expertise and care ensured fair and thoughtful evaluation of every fleece.
Finally, we gratefully acknowledge the Saskatchewan Sheep Breeders Association and the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board for hosting the Grasslands Sheep Show and Sale and providing a wonderful weekend for the competition.
Volunteers and participants shared demonstrations of carding, spinning, and weaving, and displayed finished yarns made from a variety of prairie sheep breeds. Their contributions fostered lively discussions about wool and its many uses, helping to grow the prairie fibreshed and showcase the excellence of prairie wool to the wider sheep industry.
We look forward to welcoming even more participants and buyers to next year’s Grasslands Fleece Competition!
Prairie Fibreshed 