Alda, a Manx Loaghtan shearling, may be one of the most well-loved sheep in the island.
She was adopted by Florian Pesantes and Aldo Bente, a gay couple who fell in love with the breed.
They flew over to the island to see Alda compete in the Southern Agricultural Show last weekend.
It was no mean feat for Aldo – he flew over from his home country of Brazil to meet Alda for the first time.
Alda, born in spring 2012, is one of 280 sheep owned by Jenny Shepherd at Ballacosnahan Farm, in Hillcrest, Dalby.
Jenny said: ‘They were absolutely enchanted with the Loaghtan sheep. They thought it was amazing a small island had been able to keep an ancient indigenous sheep.’
Florian, who is originally from Germany but currently works as a locum doctor in Wigan, had his eyes set on Alda from when he took up Jenny’s invitation to visit the island and meet her flock in September 2012.
They met while Jenny was working as a dermatologist at the same hospital.
And Florian developed an interest in the sheep when he was shown a picture.
Florian went with Jenny to buy some ewe lambs and stepped in when she could only afford to buy three of the four, saying that he would like to adopt the fourth for Aldo.
Since then, Jenny has sent regular updates to the couple, who are in a civil partnership.
‘Whenever we do anything with her, such as give her injections or have her sheared we send them an update and pictures,’ Jenny said.
She said that Alda was ‘beautiful and very loved’, adding: ‘They absolutely adore her’.
Florian and Aldo have even set up their own Facebook page for Alda – Alda Manx Loaghtan – which features the updates.
