Senegal’s finest sheep vie for bloodline prestige at pageant

Sheep competed for prizes Sunday at one of Senegal's regularly held sheep pageants.

One of the stars of the show in Guediawaye, on the outskirts of Dakar, was Niang Ballo.

Niang Ballo is a Ladoum sheep, a specialized breed from Senegal which is bred for its height and strong features and his owner, Mohamed Wane, claims he’s the most decorated sheep in Senegal.

His owner, Mohamed Wane, claimed he was the most decorated sheep in Senegal.

Niang Ballo has won six titles, beginning when he was a lamb.

A sheep getting a title at one of these pageants, where there are separate categories for male and female sheep and adults and junior sheep, increases the value of its bloodline.

Ladoum breeders are acutely aware of their sheep’s lineage, from both the mother’s and father’s side.

These sheep are not bred to be eaten.

Decorated sheep are fiercely sought after for breeding purposes, and the more decorated, the more valuable. Ladoum breeding is an expensive business.

Many Ladoum breeders, like Wane, are businessmen, which has given them the capital needed to be a part of the Ladoum breeding world.

The sheep can sell for tens of thousands of dollars, and Wane said he was offered nearly $100,000 for Niang Ballo, and refused.

Ladoum breeding is a notably male-dominated domain, but women take part too – and some women are trying to expand Ladoum breeding’s footprint in society.

Maniane Ndaw is a professional breeder whose 18-month-old sheep Alou won best junior male on Saturday.

He breeds animals for a living, including pigeons, and grew up raising what he calls “local sheep” – the ubiquitous average-sized sheep in Senegal that are bred for meat – with his father.

He started specializing in Ladoum sheep just three years ago.

He was noticeably proud of Alou as he caressed him in his pen after the pageant.

“For me, it’s a great, great pleasure, because before him, his father won titles, and now his son came along and has also won a title. So it shows that the lineage is a good one,” he said.

Owners of winning sheep get a modest sum of prize money. But the real prize comes in being able to call their sheep a champion.