Shropshire Voice for October is in production!

Current Futurity Standings as of September 10, 2023 click here

ASRA Annual Member meeting will be Saturday Nov 11 at NAILE. If you are unable to be in Louisville, you can join us via Zoom and a link and meeting materials will be sent prior to the meeting.

NAILE Judge Selection
    After much discussion, the Shropshire Board of Directors has revamped the method used to select the Judge for the National Open Shropshire Show at NAILE. The judge for the 2023 show has already been selected. From now on, however, the method described below will be used to select the following year’s judge. Please read below and submit your nomination in writing to the Shropshire office by September 30

1. Nominations for national open Shropshire show judge will be accepted by the judging committee via the Shropshire secretary from July 1st to Sept 30th in a calendar year.

2. One nomination is accepted per year from any paid membership (senior or junior).

3. All nominations will be contacted by the judging committee or Shropshire secretary in October to verify they will accept the responsibility of judging the following year’s national open show.

4. All nominees that accept the nomination will be provided with:
-Updated breed character scorecard
-Updated judging standards

5. All nominees accepting the nomination will provide a bio of qualifications to judge the national show
-Submission of the Bio by the nominee will acknowledge that they have received the above two documents and will take both of them into consideration when judging the show.

6. The judging committee will have the right to remove any candidates that are unqualified after reading the bios.

7. All qualified nominations and bios will be presented at the annual meeting to be held in person at the NAILE event and will be accessible via Zoom or some other online format to allow those not attending NAILE to vote.

8. A vote of all senior members will be taken of all approved nominees to determine the top three nominations. Total vote counts will not be made public prior to the second vote.

9. A 2nd vote will be taken of just the top 3 nominations. Votes will be tallied in “order of preference " with the highest vote being the top choice and so on.

10. The slate of judges will be presented to NAILE, in order of preference, to judge the following year.

11. All Bios received and approved by the judging committee will be placed on a preferred judges list to be held by the association. This list can be shared with any show or sale committee looking for a Shropshire judge.

Survey participation requested by a 4th year veterinary student at Washington State University who owns sheep and trains herding dogs.
Click here for more information about the unanimous survey (PDF)
Click here to to continue to website to take the survey

Results:
Ohio Showcase sale results available here.

Indiana Premier sale results available here

Shropshire Junior Association Kickoff Online Fundraiser results available here.

Shropshire Dwarf Gene Survey and Policy 2023
Recently the ASRA Board of Directors reviewed the Dwarf Gene Surveys sent last December. Five hundred twenty two surveys were emailed to Shropshire contacts and 34 were mailed to members not having email addresses. A total of 66 responses were received. All districts were represented. Results available here.

2023 Futurity Ewe Rules
Available here

Deaths in the Industry

Connie L. Slutz, 74, of LaMoille, Ill. passed away peacefully on Feb. 10, 2023 surrounded by her loving family. Connie was born on May 15, 1948, in Princeton, Ill. to the late Albert and Dorothy (Heuer) Anderson. She graduated from Princeton High School Class of 1966 and attended IVCC.
    Connie met the love of her life, Tom Slutz, in April 1965. They married on Jan. 21, 1968 and celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this past January.
    She worked at the Bureau County Extension Services, Browning Ford and retired after 17 years from the Bureau County Courthouse. Throughout her years, she attended many sheep shows to watch her children and grandchildren show sheep. She enjoyed mending sheep blankets, doing crafts, going on cruises, vacationing with friends and making friends wherever she went. She was active in 4-H as a leader and was a member of the Bureau County Home Extension.
   Connie is survived by her husband, Tom, their three children, Tracy (Don) Newberry, Tonya (Chris) Flaxington, Brad (Carol) Slutz; six grandchildren, Jaedyn, Rachelle, Logan, Hunter, Drake and Kodey. She is also survived by her sister, Carolyn (Mike) Welch, sisters-in-law Barbara (Frank) Hintzsche and Sarah Anderson; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
    She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert L. and Dorothy J. Anderson; and in-laws,
Donald and Lois Slutz; sister, Sandra Beauprez; brothers, Alan Anderson and Darrin Anderson; and one nephew, Henry Anderson.
    A visitation will be held on Friday, February 17, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments in Princeton, Illinois.
   Services were held February 17 at Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments and was officiated by Pastor Michael Slutz. Memorials may be directed to the LaMoille Fire Department or LaMoille Park.
Connie will be deeply missed by family and friends, but most of all by her loving family.

Karen Sue Johnson, Marshfield, Mo. was born Aug. 9, 1944 in Cabool, Mo. to Alpha and Daisy (McCubbins) Morse. She departed this life on March 12, 2023, in Mercy Hospital, Springfield, at the age of 78.
    Karen was a 1962 graduate of Cabool High School, and an SMSU graduate. She was united in marriage with Robert Glenn Johnson on July 23, 1966.
    Karen was tough, fun, sarcastic, and loved a good joke – even at her expense. She was a great cook. She loved puzzles and was an avid Wordle player. She was a teacher. She taught at home, school and church. She was great at teaching and had an impact on many kids in the Marshfield school system. We were so lucky to have a great mom!
    Karen had worked as an elementary school teacher for Marshfield Schools for many years. She was a member of Marshfield United Methodist Church.
    She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Jay Morse, Ronald Morse, and Donald Morse; and one sister, Mary Lou Henry.
    Karen is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bob Johnson, of the home; four children, Kari Johnson (Rob Hill), Marshfield, Russell Johnson (Molly), Wooster, Ohio, Regina Wilson (Kalen), Bentonville, Ark., and Mary Anne Keck (Jason), Niangua; eight grandchildren; her siblings, Ted Morse (Eva Marie), Marshfield, Elsie McColgin, Raymondville, and Jolene Carson (Gregg), Rolla; and her brother-in-law, Bill Johnson (JoAnn), Houston.
    Celebration of Life Services were March 19 in the chapel of Fraker Funeral Home, Inc. Inurnment will be in Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Springfield. Memorial contributions may be made to T.L.C. Program or The Ark @ UMC, in care of Fraker Funeral Home, Inc., P.O. Box 85, Marshfield, MO 65706.
Click here for past obituaries.

ASRA Hall of Fame
    The Shropshire breed and its breeders are rich in history. The American Shropshire Registry Association (ASRA) has developed the Hall of Fame to honor people/families that have had a profound and positive impact on the growth, development, and legend of Registered Purebred Shropshire Sheep in the United States. The award will consist of a certificate with the recipient and/or farm name. The award will be presented/mailed to the recipient, if the recipient is deceased, the award will be presented to a family member. The recipient’s name will be added to the American Shropshire Registry Association Hall of Fame list that shall be printed in “The Voice”. It is the ASRA Board of Directors goal to embrace, celebrate and honor those people/families who have been historically influential to the Shropshire Breed. Click here for eligibility and nomination information (PDF).