Hundreds of spectators cheered as the woolly wanderers took part in daily races at Church Farm Rare Breeds Centre in Stow Bardolph last week.
The budding Lamb-ford Christies took each other on in a flat sprint around a grass horseshoe paddock, before making their way back – this time across hurdles.
Centre administrator Wendy Langston said: “The children stood inside the horseshoe and ran around with the sheep. They absolutely loved it.
“The sheep had a rest and a feed half-way through and a treat at the end. They soon learnt they’d get food out of it!”
The sheep were all different breeds, including a small, but hasty Hebridean, and a slow but steady Southdown, and they were given names such as Red Ram, Baabara, Rambo and Shaun.
The races were all part of the centre’s animal-themed summer holiday activities.
Wendy said: “Last week was Sheep Week, so as well as the sheep races, we had lots of sheep fun and arts and crafts, like making masks and making a giant sheep picture with proper fleece.”
This week is Poultry and Duck Week, but there will also be a repeat of the “Ham National” pig races following the success of Pig Week at the beginning of the holidays.
The pig races will be held at 2.30pm every day this week until Sunday.
Next week will be themed around small animals, with the final week starting on Monday, August 29, being cattle and goats.
It is the first time the farm has organised animal-themed holiday activities, but follows the success of its pirate week last October half-term.
Other attractions over the summer include face painting, tractor and trailer rides around the paddocks and nature walks.
©2024 Church Farm, Stow Bardolph, Stow Estate Trust