Breed Standard
POINTS OF THE GALWAY SHEEP
COLOUR
HEAD
NECK
SHOULDERS
CHEST
RIBS
BACK
BARREL
LEGS
FLEECE
SKIN
CARRIAGE
White
Hornless, white faced, back of head, between and underneath the ears covered with short wool and showing a medium bob. Ears of good length and fine texture, preferably free from black or brown spots. Nostrils dark in colour and wide. Rams should have a bold, masculine head of medium size.
Thick, short and well-set.
Well-laid, level and wide at the top.
Wide, deep and well-forward.
Well-sprung.
Long and level with strong, wide loin. Rump wide and well-fleshed, backbone not prominent.
Deep, thick and long with straight underline.
Medium length, straight, square and well apart, having a good bone and covered with wool to the knees and hocks. Slight feather on hind legs below hocks permissible but not desirable. Hindquarters deep, full and broad. Feet sound and well-shaped with short, straight pasterns. Hood preferably black with sound horn.
White and moderately long. Fibre wavy and of fine texture; staple broad, closely set and free from tips. Belly well covered with short, thick wool. The fleece in general should be as uniform in fibre texture as possible.
Light pink
Gay and alert
The Galway breed is officially classified as a LONGWOOL sheep. Wool grade should be either Super Select (50's/54's) or Pick and Super (54's/54's) quality. Average fleece weight for an adult ewe is 3.5kg.
PRESENTATION AT SHOWS AND SALES
At shows and/or sales of Galway sheep, adult sheep must be presented shorn bare after 1st March in the year of the show and/or sale. Trimming must be limited to the area around the dock.
At other shows where the Galway is to be exhibited in Longwool classes and other breeds will be shown in full wool, Galways must be shown in full wool with no backing down.
Trimming must be limited to tidying the area around the dock. Lambs are not to be trimmed or shorn, except to tidy around the dock.