- Shepherd's Day between romance and stark reality
Herds of sheep guarded by shepherds and dogs are becoming a rare sight in Thuringia. On Saturday (9:00 AM), the Thuringian Shepherds' Day at the Hohenfelden open-air museum offers the chance to watch shepherds and sheep in action. At the Thuringian Shepherds' Championship, participants must demonstrate their skills with their own dogs and a unfamiliar herd, for example, in herding in and out.
In addition, experts will show how sheep are sheared and their wool is spun. Visitors can see various breeds of sheep and goats, and purchase products related to sheep at stalls.
Meanwhile, professional shepherds face many challenges, as Jens-Uwe Otto, chairman of the Thuringian Sheep Breeders' Association, explains. The job involves hard physical labor and bureaucracy, requires a lot of time, and has limited income potential. This also means that there are fewer young people interested in becoming shepherds. Consequently, there are often fewer participants in the regional qualifiers leading up to the championship.
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Despite the decline in traditional shepherding, agriculture plays a crucial role in maintaining various sheep breeds. Visitors to the Thuringian Shepherds' Day will learn about different sheep breeds and their unique characteristics in agriculture.
