Cornucopia of colour | Rural

Pat Barker knows a thing or two about coloured sheep - she's been farming them for 40 years.

On Saturday, Mrs Barker was judging the coloured wool section at the Dannevirke and Districts A&P; Show, searching for the best fleece.

"There's been a real resurgence in using coloured wool and we supply a growing niche market," she said.

"Spinners, weavers and felters love the fibre and I take coloured wool to Cambridge where there's a huge demand."

Tom Deighton, of Elders Primary Wool, said that 29 white and seven coloured fleeces were judged at the show and all were top quality.

"The word is getting out about the great qualities of wool and, although prices have come back recently, I'm hoping they'll now remain stable," he said.

Currently, wool is fetching from $3.50 to $4.80 a kilo which is great for the region's economy.

And it is the wow factor of coloured fleeces that captured Mrs Barker's attention.

"The crimp, feel, handling characteristics, with no breaks, what we call soundness, all adds up to the wow," said Mrs Barker, who was helped at the judging bench by Yvonne Monk, of Waipawa, who has a coloured breeding flock of 100.

There was plenty to admire in the fleeces on offer, Mrs Barker said.

"The trouble is I really enjoy entering fleeces myself but, at the moment, I'm kept busy judging. I only have a small flock now, having downsized. But I can't bring myself to live in town, I'm happy in the country."

A national black and coloured sheep conference will be held in Hastings in May where both women will promote their breeds.