Southdown Winter Ewe Lamb Class at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival Open Show.

History

In the last 10 years, the Southdown breed has experienced tremendous growth in the state of Wisconsin. We are regularily ranked in the top five states in the USA for numbers of registrations and transfers. Southdowns are being used in Wisconsin Commercial flocks as terminal sires to add muscle and substance. They have become the largest breed shown at most open and youth shows in the state. And we are not just about quantity.....in 2007, Wisconsin Southdown breeders produced more National Champion Sale and Show ewes than any other state in the nation!

Officers - 2009/2010

President - Amy Jones, circlejsouthdowns@hughes.net

Vice-President - Keith Schultz, levelhillsfarm@sbcglobal.net

Secretary/Treasurer - Barbara Bishop, southdowns@mbgenetics.com 

At Large - Troy Lobdell, lobdell@mhtc.net 

Jenna Langer, WSA Junior Member, serving samples of Southdown lamb at
The Sassy Cow Homegrown Food Festival in Columbus, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Southdown Association Annual Meeting

September 6, 2008

On September 6, 2008, at 4:40 p.m. in the show arena of the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival at Jefferson, President Amy Jones called to order the first annual meeting of the Wisconsin Southdown Association.  Dawn Auby moved, with a second by Barb Lobdell, to approve the minutes of the March organizational meeting as posted on the WSA website and submitted in print to those present.  Motion passed.

As treasurer, Barb Bishop reported that a checking account for the WSA has been opened at the DMB Bank in DeForest.  The opening deposit of $220 included $150 of matching funds from the American Southdown Breeders Association.  Expense of $21 for check printing left a bank balance of $199.  There is also a cash on hand balance of $50. 

The meeting then moved to reports by board members on projects that were suggested at the organizational meeting:

• Youth Project Promotion - Chris Spilde outlined options for a Southdown Starter Project in which the WSA would present a ewe lamb to a youth age 9-16 who is new to a Southdown breeding project and lives in Wisconsin.  The lamb could be presented at the Wisconsin Invitational Sale in April.  Press releases for application process could go to state wide agricultural publications and county extension offices.  The group discussed needing to have this program developed and ready to advertise by January of 2009. The "Ewe Lamb" committee to design the process and application details will be Deb McClintock and Mike Bishop.
• Web-site - Troy Lobdell provided a handout of advice for members wanting to design a website for promoting their flock.  He also presented some options and costs for professional website design for individual flocks and for future consideration by the WSA.  The current WSA website is free through GoDaddy and being done by Amy Jones but she is looking for another member of the WSA to volunteer to further develop it and manage updates.
• Wisconsin group breeder advertising Barb Bishop distributed examples of state ads done by Illinois and South Dakota breeder groups and costs of Southdown Journal ads.  Dan Smercheck moved that the WSA design an ad with costs to be divided among participating flocks for the Spring issue of the Southdown Journal.  Dawn Auby seconded the motion.  Motion passed.  Barb Bishop will contact membership by e-mail this winter to solicit ad copy in advance of the Journal deadline.
• Southdown Sales - General discussion was held on current breeding sheep auctions held in the state.  Several breed associations collect a 1% commission at the Wisconsin Invitation Sale.  Kent Spilde will meet with Banner Sale Management regarding WSA doing the same with the Southdown portion of the sale.  Ideas on alternatives to the Invitational Sale that do not involve showing for sale order were brought forth, such as a youth focus on show ewes and wethers before junior ownership deadlines or a production format later in the summer.  This will be an ongoing topic on which breeder suggestions are being sought by the board.

New business:

• State Basket To raise funds the ASBA junior ambassador program has requested that each state provide a basket for a silent auction held at the North American International Livestock Exposition. Dawn Auby volunteered to organize a basket from the WSA.  Items, or cash to purchase items representative of Wisconsin, should be sent to Dawn.
• WI State Fair Market Lamb Show Dan Smerchek moved, seconded by Dawn Auby, that the WSA recommend to State Fair Park that the Wisconsin State Fair junior market lamb show should be non-terminal for those lambs not sold in the Governors Blue Ribbon Auction.  Mike Bishop moved to amend the motion  to include "wethers only" to read:  Wisconsin State Fair junior market lamb show should be for wethers only and non-terminal for those lambs not sold in the Governors Blue Ribbon Auction.  Seconded by Jeff Nevens.  Amendment carried.  The amended motion was then passed.  Some discussion on the benefits of carcass data on the breed champions followed.  In the letter from the WSA to state fair regarding a non-terminal wether show, a request for breed champion carcass data will be included.

Announcements:

• After October 1, 2008, names and contact information of adult members will be removed from the WSA website for those whose $20 dues are not paid for the year ending September 2009.  Those who send in dues to the Secretary-Treasurer after that date will be again be posted to the website for the remainder of the fiscal year.
• Similarly, the $10 fee for member breeders to continue to have their websites linked to the WSA site is due and is good through September 2009.  Member links can be added as their sites are developed and the fee paid at that time, but all will need to renew in September, 2009.

With no further business to conduct, the motion to adjourn was made by Mike Bishop and seconded by Dan Smerchek.  The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

Barbara Bishop

Members present:

Deb McClintock, Dan & Shelly Smerchek, Barb & Troy Lobdell, Keith Schultz, Jeff & Leslie Nevens, Chris & Kent Spilde, Dawn Auby, Amy Jones, Mike & Barb Bishop, Steve Bingen