Christmas in March

Growing up I wasn't around livestock much, so if you had told me twenty years ago that I would own show sheep, I would have laughed at you but it’s amazing what a little girl can teach you.  

As the show season wraps up for us each November at the North American in Louisville, it is time for the showman to rest and we adults begin to research and study which genetics may be in the plans for the next year.   

Fast Forward for several months and arrive on March 29, 2020. Yesterday was like Christmas for our showman as we picked up a good portion of our show string from Johnson Family Show Stock.   It is also the culmination of several months worth of discussion between us and the Johnsons.  

We love the genetics that JFSS has put together and take great pride in showing their animals.   The breeding ewes in our barn all feature Gustavo genetics this year which has made a big difference for the loyal customers we have in our community.  

After the introduction and excitement of putting eyes on these animals for the first time passes, its time to get to work.  The process of breaking the animals takes devotion and a full out plan.  It’s not just about training the animal to push and have posture but also our showman has to know the intricacies of their animal so as to fully show it to its potential.  

Another priority in our barn is each sheep gets a name.  With small manageable numbers, it is easy for us to remember names associated with a tag number and for the kids naming them is a big part of the fun. 

The uncertainty of the show season can’t stop our enthusiasm for preparing which means many nights in the barn in the coming weeks building a routine and a relationship of trust with each sheep.  

We are approximately five weeks from our first show if the schedule stays intact and it can’t get here soon enough.  In the meantime, be safe and stay healthy in the midst of this horrible pandemic.