October 2005 News

Posted: 1October, 2005

1 October , 2005

This month signals the beginning of our meeting months which will take us through to next May. The Big-E, the Bolton Fair and Topsfield are recently completed and most of us have just finished breeding, are in the process or are about to begin. In any case, our sheep are clearly on our minds as we begin ready our operations for the winter to come. The writer is off to Harrisburg after our first meeting on the 4^th. The Keystone International Livestock Exposition (KILE) takes place in Harrisburg this next weekend and I have the annual meeting of the American & Delaine Merino Record Association to attend. While I am not showing sheep in the National Show this year, I think it important to attend the meeting of the Association. As vocal as I tend to be about where my breed is going, I feel obligated to be involved in setting the direction. Given the subject of last months writing, I suspect there are more of us who need to step up and get involved as well.

The Banner Sheep Magazine has another good article about ethics in the sheep industry this month. Paul R Cassell, Esq, writes about “Contrasting Parables” as he compares the “deceitful” car salesman who sells his customer a lesser automobile than was represented in the sales pitch; with the “deceitful” sheep producer who falsifies records and thereby sells something of less value than represented on the paperwork. His point, and question, is why as both car buyers and sheep breeders, we are more offended by the deceitful car salesman than the producer. His story details how much more likely we are to end up in court over a car than our livestock.

If you have ever wondered what it means when someone refers to the Geographic Distribution of Wool by Type (California Wools, Territory Wools, Texas Wools and Fleece Wools), there is a short description of those and a brief list of the breeds they come from in the Banner as well. I spent a good amount of time at the Big-E this year and was impressed at the level of the competition. I thought that the judges that I saw did an adequate job of enforcing breed standards and it seemed the exhibitors were satisfied as well. This last weekend, the 4-H weekend, the competition was keen and on the final Sunday the Showmanship classes were impressive. Every year, however, several of our volunteers bow out as their children age out of the program. In most cases they are off to Fryeburg, Topsfield, etc.; to make some money instead of staying with the 4-H program. I can’t take issue with that decision, as the challenge is to get more of the adults with children in the program involved. If you have not spent Saturday evening watching the Blocking and Fitting competition; twelve to fifteen two person teams with “range” lambs to be prepared for show in one hour; you have missed a real enjoyable event. On the first evening of the show, Friday, the kids have their ice cream social and some sort of a mixer activity. This year it was a three on three basketball tourney. As the competition proceeded, a mass of 4-H goat exhibitors appeared at the side of the ring to watch. Our Sheep 4-H teams, invited them to form some three person teams of their own and invited them to join in. What other evidence do we need to see the value of the 4-H program? Please note that you can now download the annual program from the “Meetings” page and even print out a copy to put on the fridge. Let’s commit to making as many of the meeting as possible this year and reach out to those who are not with us yet and get them involved as well. Above all, please call those who have agreed to host the meetings and let them know we are coming. See you soon.