Welcome to the NASSA website!
The mission of the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association is to preserve, promote, and protect the Shetland breed in its full diversity of colors, patterns, and fleece types.
Shetland sheep roots go back more than 1,000 years, probably to sheep brought to the Shetland Islands by Viking settlers. The North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association, or NASSA, assists breeders of Shetlands in maintaining the purity and quality of this unique and colorful breed. NASSA provides registration and pedigree records for informed breeding decisions. If you are a current Shetland Sheep breeder, you’ll find resources on this page including NASSA forms and the breed standard.
If you are considering purchasing sheep, now is the time to take a closer look at the colorful Shetland sheep breed. Shetland wool is soft, fine, silky, and durable and a delight to spin, knit or crochet. Shetland sheep are considered a primitive or “unimproved” breed. This means that although they are small and relatively slow-growing, they maintain their natural hardiness, thriftiness, easy lambing, adaptability and longevity. Having retained most of their primitive survival instincts, Shetlands are easier to care for than many of the “improved” breeds seen today.
How to Buy a Shetland Sheep
Sample Bill of Sale
Use the navigation links above to find more information about NASSA and Shetland sheep. Our latest articles are shown below. Enjoy your visit!
Popular Forms, Pages and Links
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by Site Admin on January 1, 2021
The Winter 2021 issue of NASSA News is now available to download from the Members Area of the Online Database website. If you are a NASSA member and have already set up your Members Area account, go to the NASSA News page and log in to see the link for downloading the latest issue. Or if you are a current NASSA member without an account for the Online Database site, go to the Membership Info page and click the “… become a Search Site member” link near the bottom of the page to set up your account. You will need to have a valid email address in your NASSA member information in order to set up your account.
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by Site Admin on October 8, 2020
Online and readily accessible from any location via Zoom
Saturday November 7th 1PM EST
For a $10 registration fee you can join fellow Shetland sheep and wool enthusiasts to learn about:
- Much Ado About Mutton-by Robert Kennard
- Shetland Color & Marking Genetics-by Jonathon Loftin
- Shetland: The most complicated wools on the planet?-by Deb Robson
- NASSA: Current Numbers and Plans-by Angela King
After registration, you will get a Zoom invite by email the week before the big event.
In addition to great speakers, the results of the NASSA photo contest will be announced and drawings for door prizes will occur at the end of the first three talks. Hope to see you there!
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