Valais at Plumpys Peaceful Pastures
2025 Switzerland Trip
Our Story behind the Switzerland Trip
With the Sweden trip 2024 being a prerequisite for the Switzerland trip we were excited to travel to this amazing country where I would continue my education while meeting up with some of the same US breeders to complete a course taught by the Swiss Experts of Oberwalliser Schwarznasen Schafzuchtverband . This course was organized by Marita Tauni DVM & Emma Collison. Marita Tauni was our translator for the Swiss. While Rich and I spent 18 days total traveling in Switzerland the following pictures will focus on the journey beginning in the Canton of Valais where the Valais Blacknose Sheep originate from and live today. The journey will begin below with the Glacier Express train taking Rich and I on a 6 hour scenic train ride as we enter into the city of Zermatt located in the Canton ( region) Valais . We would end our journey in Switzerland by meeting up with other US breeders along with Marita and Emma while staying in the small village of Visperterminen, just outside of Visp, where the Valais Blacknose ram market ( Widdermarkt) is held every year. With over 900 Valais Blacknose Rams being graded. I would complete my course for grading and judging , along with other US breeders by following along the Swiss experts to grade alongside with them. We would also get to visit with many other international breeders from the UK that we have met and built relationships with over the years.
Don't miss out on the extra information I have added below by clicking on the noted pictures for you to learn more about the Valais Blacknose Sheep .
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2025 Switzerland Trip
Rich and I spent several weeks in Switzerland before the course but these pictures focus mainly on the sheep related activities .
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On the Glacier Express train taking a 6 hour train trip across Switzerland heading to Zermatt in the Valais region.
Arriving in Zermatt . We are picked up by the electric van from Paul Julen's hotel
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Wolli Zermatt's mascot
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Paul Julen's traditional hotel van
Traditional Julen Hotel, Rich is on the front porch
Kelly standing outside the paperla pub owned by the Julen's adjacent to the hotel.
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Paul Marc Julen, Kelly Weddle, Rich Weddle as we arrive at the hotel
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Paul Julen
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Schaferstube, restaurant in the basement of the hotel meaning shepherd's hut. Specializing in valais meals and dishes .
Menu
menu
Rich at the Restaurant
decor at the hotel
Rich and Kelly with the matterhorn in the background as we walk to see Paul Julen's flock of valais blacknose sheep in the barn.
Rich with the Julen's sheep
Julen's sheep in their barn
Kelly with Julen's sheep in their barn
Julen's sheep
Julen's barn
Kelly at the Gornegrat observatory in the gornegrat mountains with the matterhorn in the background
The matterhorn
The gornegrat train that we rode to get to the top of the observatory
We are now in Vispterminen , a small village between Zermatt & Visp where I will take part of my grading and judging course
Marita Tauni , Kelly Weddle, Rich Weddle
Kare Knudson & Marita Tauni
Village of Visperterminen
Visperterminen
Restaurant on top the mountain at Visperterminen. Pictured left side table front to back : Kelly Weddle, Rich Weddle, Kare Knudson, Marita Tauni, Morgan Dawkins, Candie Francher, Emma Collison
Pictured right side of table front to back :
Sue Zimmerman ( lives in the village) , Ally Rudy, Carl Rudy, MJ Gould Early , Lotta Brown, Kathleen Leonard
Swiss Shepherds gather in the village slaughterhouse to wash their sheep for the upcoming ram market Widdermarkt
Local swiss shepherd is prepping his sheep for the upcoming show
Enjoying some table time after our course with the experts of Oberwalliser Schwarznasen Schafzuchtverband . Pictured left side of table front to back :
Kathleen Leonard, MJ Gould Early, Kare Knudson, Emma Collison, Lotta Brown. Pictured right side of table front to back : Kelly Weddle , Candie Francher, Morgan Dawkins, Marita Tauni, Ally Rudy, Carl Rudy.
Back round table is mainly the experts fro
Swiss Shepherd demonstrating shearing on a stand
We listen during our course as the expert discusses the grading of the Valais Blacknose Sheep while Marita Tauni translates .
Pictured in front left : Ally Rudy, blue shirt Carl Rudy, brown coat MJ Gould Early , Green shirt Kelly Weddle, red jacket expert Josef Eyer
Experts training us on the swiss standards and how to grade the Valais Blacknose Sheep breed.
Completion of the grading course to prepare us for Widdermarkt.
Pictured front row left to right :
Emma Collison, Kathleen Leonard, Lotta Brown, Marita Tauni.
middle row: Kelly Weddle
Back row left to right : Carl Rudy, Morgan Dawkins, Candie Francher, MJ Gould Early, Arnold Egger from Austria , Richard Zeiter, Josef Eyer, Ally Rudy
Swiss experts:
Left: Richard Zeiter
Right :Josef Eyer
At the home of Josef Eyer while local shepherds gather with their sheep and we practice grading .
Kelly Weddle black jacket
Candie Francher olive green jacket
Josef Eyer's house
Josef Eyer's house
Josef Eyer Swiss expert
Widdermarkt ram market in Visp
Lotta Brown , Richard Weddle, Kelly Weddle
Widdermarkt ram market Visp
Kelly and Rich at Widdermarkt Ram market
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