SHEEP WORLD! Actually, it’s called the Agrodome and it started after the World’s Fair in Japan. The New Zealand venue was so popular at the World’s Fair that they made it into a permanent fixture in Japan and opened a second location in Rotorura. Apparently, visiting with sheep and other barnyard animals holds worldwide appeal. It’s not just me. :+)
To be honest, I was a little sad. The different kinds of sheep were all tethered on the sides of the stage when we got there. I guess I kind of expected the show sheep to be brought in from a barn or field or something. They should be frolicking in the sun with the rest of their mates (I’m picking up NZ lingo :+) !). We had a chance to get up close and personal with the sheep and lambs. The lambs were in a pen in the barn. They were adorable, but they tried to eat my scarf and jacket! In the show, we were introduced to the different types of sheep and watched two sheepdog demonstrations. Another sad part was watching the sheep get sheared. I’m sure he wasn’t hurt, but I didn’t like seeing the little guy tossed around. : ( I did get to be one of the volunteers who went on stage to bottle feed the lambs though. Even though the lambs stumbled around on unsure feet and gave shaky little bleats, they sure could grab onto the bottle for a drink!
On the farm tour, we got to pick kiwi fruit and taste kiwi fruit juice and kiwi fruit wine. (By the way, you always call it kiwi fruit – otherwise you are basically saying you are eating an endangered bird!) At certain points, we were able to get off the tractor and feed the sheep, alpaca, deer, and llamas. The llamas were a little zealous however, but it was all very fun… Until we got off the tractor and had to wash off our shoes from all the muck. Am I any closer to being a farm girl? Not yet, but I’ll always have Sheep World!
