From the Sewing Machine to the Green: Anne Chapdelaine’s Story

Once a year, sheep and fashion enthusiasts pack the stands of South Wing A to watch the North American International Livestock Exposition Lead Line competition. Lead Line gained popularity in the 1970s as a way for sheep producers to celebrate the diversity of wool products and close the knowledge gap between consumers and the industry. By combining showmanship with wool-based garments, Lead Line gives exhibitors an opportunity to showcase the quality of their animals and the time, craftsmanship, and heritage behind wool production.

The NAILE Lead Line contest has featured passionate shepherds and standout fashion for decades. Anne Chapdelaine and her daughter, Anna Chapdelaine, of Brimfield, Massachusetts, have participated in Lead Line competitions since 2000. Anna has enjoyed showcasing her Cheviot and Tunis sheep alongside the wool outfits she spent hours planning, designing, and sewing herself. For the Chapdelaines, traveling to Lead Line contests was never just about the sheep. It was about spending time together and creating lifelong memories. Anne said watching Anna compete in Lead Line and show her sheep remains one of her favorite memories.

Anne began participating in the NAILE Lead Line competition in 2016. She enjoyed the experience so much that she even competed one year with her arm in a sling.

“You really only need one arm to lead a sheep,” she said, laughing at the memory.

Even though her daughter, Anna, is no longer a junior exhibitor at NAILE, Anne still loves traveling from her East Coast home to visit old sheep friends and meet new ones.

Anne wore a wool sweater and hat she purchased in Ireland to compete in the 2025 NAILE Lead Line competition. She talked excitedly about the sweater’s intricate patterns and how much she loves its V-neck design. To complete her outfit, she wore a pair of wool pants she sewed herself and was accompanied by a family friend’s Tunis sheep. This year, she placed fourth in her division and added a pink rosette to her collection.

For Anne and many other exhibitors, the NAILE Lead Line competition is more than the sheep and the outfits - it’s about the people who make the green shavings feel like home.