Recently Bev Trowbridge took some of her stud flock of Wiltshire horn sheep to a local show.

“I was very surprised at how many people asked if they were a completely new breed,” she said.

“They certainly are not. Before the middle ages and prior to the beginning of the wool industry they were the most numerous kind of sheep in England. They only declined as breeds selected for wool were improved to serve that burgeoning market.”

 Wiltshires have several advantages as a breed including the ability to shed their fleece. “The two shedding breeds are the Dorper – from Persia and less adapted to damper conditions – and the Wiltshire, which is quite at home here.

“They are white with the occasional black spotting, and with the increasing costs of shearing sheep for their wool there is increasing interest in them.

“They are extremely hardy and self-sufficient, and will do well on less-good tucker. They certainly don’t need molly-coddling and you can leave them for a weekend without worrying about them.”

Muriwai Valley Farm is one of very few registered pedigree studs in New Zealand for Wiltshire Horn sheep.

“People have cross-bred them with other breeds in order to get rid of the horns, but by doing this their fleece has become far too long for a Wiltshire and they don’t shed properly.

“People are quite prejudiced against horns, but they are an advantage as a pair of handles on a sheep with no fleece, and they look quite aristocratic!

“In 2002 I bought in some pure-breds from Australia to improve the bloodlines. We are organic here and I’ve demonstrated how well they will do in poor conditions. I think they are almost easier to keep than cattle. For someone with a small block of land who had a genuine interest in a useful, rare breed that doesn’t get flystrike, there could be a small business here.”