A rare opportunity to be part of another Swiss breed’s journey in Britain.
Back in 2015, the first Swiss Valais Blacknose sheep sale at Chelford Market in Cheshire gave pioneering breeders the opportunity to acquire some of the breed’s earliest UK breeding stock.
Few could have imagined the incredible popularity that would follow. Today, Valais Blacknose sheep have become one of Britain’s most recognisable pedigree breeds, with thousands registered across the country.
Many breeders would now love to turn back the clock and have been among those original buyers.
Eleven years later, could history be about to repeat itself?
Valais Blackneck Goats, a striking breed originating from Switzerland, remain exceptionally rare in Britain, with only a small population established.
Now, Harrison & Hetherington (H&H) are conducting the complete dispersal of the Valais Blackneck Goats Cheshire herd through their MartEye online auction platform, running from 19th to 25th October 2026.
The sale offers 23 goats – 11 females and 12 males – including proven breeding animals and promising young stock, with bloodlines tracing back to the original imported foundation herd.
Breeding compatibility made easy: Extensive work has been undertaken using Grassroots Check Mate to identify which Billy goats are compatible with which females. This information is included in the Other Information section of the individual auction lots, helping buyers select suitable breeding combinations and plan their future herds.
Nobody knows whether Valais Blackneck Goats will ever achieve the extraordinary popularity of their sheep counterparts.
But every breed has a beginning, and opportunities to acquire some of its earliest breeding bloodlines don’t come along every day.
Perhaps in another ten years, breeders will look back on this sale just as many now look back on Chelford in 2015.
The next chapter in the Valais story could start here.
VALAIS BLACKNECK GOATS CHESHIRE – COMPLETE HERD DISPERSAL
Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington (H&H)
Online bidding: MartEye
Opens: Monday 19th October 2026, 12 noon
Closes: Sunday 25th October 2026, 12 noon
23 goats | 11 females | 12 males
VIEW THE AUCTION CATALOGUE & REGISTER TO BID:
https://handh.marteye.ie/sales/Q8VJM8CkAKpeLfOYOz4q
