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The History of the Squatter Circular Sheep Heads

Tournament store house 2017-10 (27)

The History of the Squatter Circular Sheep Heads

Trivia

Did you know that Bob Lloyd used white shirt buttons to represent the pens of sheep in the original Squatter prototype. Sometimes sheep can become trapped and crushed in the corners of sheep yards (called pens).

To prevent this from happening circular sheep “pens” were developed, which removed all the corners. Looking down from above, 200 sheep in a circular pen would look just like a white button. John Sands, who published the first edition of Squatter, changed the buttons to sheep heads, to give the game more character. The irony is that when the sheep heads were changed back to buttons for one edition of Squatter, there was such an outcry from the Squatter lovers, that the sheep heads were reinstated to the game.

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What is a Squatter Event?

games Depositphotos_3082556_with sheep

What is a Squatter Event?

There are many sorts of Squatter events, ranging from a game of Squatter with a few friends in a cafe, somewhere; to a major Squatter tournament in a big venue such as local library or a community hall.The key ingredient – a Squatter event involves playing a game of Squatter.We encourage Squatter events because when people get together to play Squatter, and other tabletop games, they build small bridges of friendship. The more they play, the bigger the bridge grows. Sometimes these friendship-bridges are built inside a family which can help draw families together. We believe strong families are the foundation of strong communities.

games Depositphotos_3082556_with sheep

Many aspects of Squatter make it particularly suitable. Perhaps the best Squatter feature is it’s a game of inclusion, rather than a game of elimination; every player stays in until the end of the game. Why not run your own Squatter event? We will help you. If you Register Your Squatter Event we will add the winner to the Hall-of-Fame. In some situations we can assist with a winners prize.

Pictured above is the Squatter corporate jet – just joking 🙂

Squatter will support your event if we can. We love driving, so drop us a line to see when we might be in your area. Perhaps it is just a family night – maybe with a few friends. Perhaps a Cafe Event – Big or small, we would love the opportunity to be involved, and we love travelling.

Travelling

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The Shearing is all over and we’ve all got our cheques..

shearing the rams

The Shearing is all over and we’ve all got our cheques…

♫The Shearing is all over and we’ve all got our cheques Roll up your swags, boys, we’re off along the tracks… ♫These few lines from a once famous folk song “Click go the shears” come to my mind when Christmas, Australia Day and School holidays are all over. This folk song encapsulates the story and atmosphere of shearing. The clicking of the hand shears; the rivalry to be the gun shearer or “ringer”; the rudimentary “tar-pot- first aid” applied to sheep “… with a cut upon its back”; the celebrations after the strenuous shearing season came to a close. The wool industry is an important part of our history and our economy. It has been a profound contributor to Australia’s heritage.

shearing the rams

Why should that matter? Is history important? Many writers proclaim that understanding history helps us to develop strong roots. It helps a community to be resilient. Squatter, has a wonderful role to play in bringing a part of Australia’s history on to the dining-room table and to the classroom. It is our desire that in the course of a game of Squatter that curious minds will seek to explore our Australian history; our geography; our technology; our literature… because therein lies the pathway to understanding our place in the world. www.iconicgames.com.au is a launching-pad for a journey of discovery. This year the Squatter website will be growing some fat lambs on improved pastures and opening the farm gate to ponder the “I wonder why…” questions. Why is the Stud Ram called “Lachlan Lad”? What’s a “Tucker Bag”? Can you really “eradicate foot rot”?…

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While shepherds watched their flocks by night

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

For me Christmas has always been an exciting time… Holidays, Shopping, Presents, Decorations, Christmas Carols, Summer, Swimming, Family gatherings. Amidst all the excitement I like to remember two things. Firstly, Christmas is the celebration of Jesus birth and secondly, for many folk Christmas is a distressing time, perhaps because of family rifts or the financial burden or extra work and social pressures.Squatter is all about sheep and that reminds me that it was shepherds, watching their flocks that were the first to receive the news of Jesus.

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

Squatter is also about family entertainment, and has a wonderful way of teasing out conversations around the table. It is my belief and desire that these conversations build a platform for better communications and understanding in our families and community. As a gift idea Squatter is an excellent and economical choice, because it is suitable as a gift for the whole family.

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… and they’re racing

70c Bush Ballads_The Man from Snowy River_2014. * Only to be reproduced with the perforations included.

… and they’re racing

Melbourne Cup is a horse race that provides a holiday in Victoria and stops the rest of the nation on the 1st Tuesday in November.The idiomatic flavour of Banjo Paterson’s poetry captures the essence of our Australian culture… our unique humor, the beauty of the bush: the determination to help each other to survive its challenges. To be truly regarded as an Aussie it is almost a prerequisite to be able to recite at least one verse from The Man from Snowy River, and it’s difficult to read Paterson without a welling up of pride, and a yearning to be a part of this Aussie nation.These are some of the reasons the poetry of Banjo Paterson is incorporated into the Squatter board game. “Squatter” itself and the “Tucker Bag” cards are derived from the words of Waltzing Matilda; The Stud Ram, “Lachlan Lad” comes from the poem “Clancy of the Overflow” and “Winton Boy II” is also significant.So when it comes to Melbourne Cup Day it is fitting to ponder some of the Banjo’s horse racing stories.

The Man from Ironbark “The barber man was short and fat, as barbers mostly are, he wore a strike your fancy sash and smoked a huge cigar. He was a humorist of note and keen at repartee; he laid the odds and kept the tote – whatever that might be…

Wisdom of Hazif “My son when you go to the races to battle with Ikey and Mo, Remember, it’s seldom the pigeon will peck out the eyes of a crow. Remember, they live by the business; remember my son and go slow…

Old Pardon the Son of Reprieve “And then we swooped down on Menindee, to run for the President’s Cup; Oh! That’s a sweet township – a shindy to them is board, lodging, and sup…

Lots of families sneak an extra-long weekend and nip off camping on “cup weekend”. Why not pack a game of Squatter and embellish the fun. And if you just happen to be stuck at home, then we suggest, have a game of Squatter and imagine you’re gazing “at the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars”…more