We met a new type of sheep to us today at the Sedgefield show and were very taken by them.
They are totally gorgeous sheep, have a good temperament and are of a fairly rare special breed, the Oxford Down, they do look quite a bit like a Hampshire down but have less facial wool.
I am looking very much more into this breed and will do a detailed article on the website, we got to know the breeders and could well end up with a few of these before too much longer  

Here are some pictures of them:

Oxfor Down sheep, 6 month old lamb


Oxford Down sheep, adult ewe


Oxford Down sheep, what a beautiful face!


Oxford Down lamb

Woah, what amazingly fluffy sheep!
They are all so adorable, I love the first picture

:They are beautiful! Wonder if 'Shaun the sheep' of Wallace and Gromit fame is one of these with his cute black face?

John, will be interested to know if you do get some Oxford Down sheep in time as I'm interested in maybe having a pair..I'm in the process of reserving some mixed breed lambs at the moment.I've got 10 acres, am a vet nurse and have hand reared lambs before.The sheep would have their own secure field and shelter next to my horses fields and would be part of the family...pampered pets!My mini ponies go out for walks on their leads and meet lots of people, would like to do the same with my sheep if they would like that...think they are adorable animals and get a hard deal in life usually.

Like all the helpful info on this site, thank you  

I believe that Shaun the sheep is based on a suffolk!

They are absolutely wonderful. Hope they become available in Australia.
Thanks for the lovely pictures. Cloud

Quoted from John

They are...the Oxford Down, they do look quite a bit like a Hampshire down but have less facial wool.

They do have the Hampshires in their ancestry; originally Oxford Downs were developed by crossing Hampshire X Southdown ewes with Cotswold rams (those darn Southdowns get everywhere, lol!). Another similar sheep is the Shropshire (also developed from...yep, you guesed it!)

Shaun a suffolk? Yep, that'd make sense...given that I've never yet met a Suffolk whose life wasn't devoted to causing as much mayhem as possible, lol!

Cloud: seems it goes back to that 'colour prejudice' thing again  

Quoted Text

Oxford Downs have not been exported to Australia, reflecting a widespread industry aversion to black-faced sheep.

Source: http://www.sheepgenetics.org.au/lambplan/archives/aaagb6.htm
There is a very small number in NZ where they're known simply as "Oxford Sheep".

(Whereabouts in Australia are you? I was born in Adelaide and I've got an uncle runs sheep in SW Qld)

Sorry Southdownrock, I have been off line for a few days. I lived most of my life in Adelaide, Henley Beach and Elizabeth. I now live in Moonta, Yorke Peninsula, SA. I have lived here for 20 years now.
Cloud

Aww - Great pictures!
Your sheep are lovley!