merino

those might be Merino sheep

Either way - you don't class sheep, you class the wool - and that's usually done in the shed after they've been shorn. And yes Gill WildFlower, they are merinos.

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165189031/16809381# - this pic appeared in the Sydney Mail on 19th August, 1903...in a pictorial on Coree Station, near Jerilderie, in SW NSW. In the era before modern genetics, wool growers would select sheep for their breeding flocks by physically assessing a sheep's physical characteristics and its wool. This selection process was known as 'classing', and on the bigger studs it was conducted by a skilled classer who had an extensive knowledge of sheep breeding and wool production. Skilled classers were highly sought after, and some studs retained the services of particular classers over many years. The classing of sheep was a different activity to wool classing, which takes place in a shearing shed at the time of shearing. Per various newspaper items it appears that Mr W.J. Baker was classing the Coree flocks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He's variously referred to as the 'sheep manager' and 'overseer' at Coree. Baker might well be the chap we see with the sheep in this pic. trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97156113 - Country Life, 13th February, 1936...obit for Billy O'Brien, who was a noted earlier 20th century classer who worked at various points in NSW and QLD...once upon a time all the major studs would have had someone like Billy classing their sheep... trove.nla.gov.au/work/183005950 - NLA Fairfax collection pic of Billy here...evidently taken at the 1933 Sydney ram sales...

Woman and sheep both well dressed. Excellent shot!

so nice sheep! like in my pic www.flickr.com/photos/jariksen/3090772000/ this is joke

Beautiful composition

i want a sheep.

"Costume and Dress" is by tradition a feminine category, but I call your attention to the sheepman's leather trenchcoat. Quite a handsome and substantial garment, and one which would be too expensive to wear around sheep if made today!

Wonderful creatures!

So wrinkly looking! Never see something like that now days. Cool to step back in time and see these.

Beautiful Merino rams.

why do they look like Shar pei? lol. but they are wonderful, i have never seen anything like that before. Old pictures are great.

Crossed with Vermonts I'd say.

This shot just shows how common place photographs taken without artistic vision later becomes valuable historic record.

Wonderful. Amazing fleece those sheep have.

Thanks love the shot

I was thinking epididimitis , but that doesn't explain both cases , hmmmm.

Look at their bums! :D They look like kids in diapers!