Welcome from Wyoming Wool Growers Association President
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA), I am pleased to invite everyone to the 93rd Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale to be held in Douglas, Sept. 13-14 at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds.
We will have an excellent Sheep Production Workshop featuring the following topics and speakers: “Demystifying Lamb Quality, Fabrication and Preparation: Putting the Pieces Together” by University of Wyoming Sheep Extension Specialist Dr. Whit Stewart and Assistant Professor in Animal Science Dr. Cody Gifford, as well as “Nuts and Bolts of NSIP” with Rusty Burgett from the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP).
This program will begin at 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13 at the Ruthe James Williams Memorial Conference Center located near the Wyoming Pioneer Museum at the fairgrounds and is open to all producers. We will also host a wonderful dinner and reception at the Moose Lodge in downtown Douglas.
On Tuesday, Sept. 14, the sale will start promptly at 11 a.m. If you aren’t able to join us in person, you may participate and bid online using DVAuction.com. Visit DVAuction.com to register. Please note you must apply for bidding at least 24 hours before the auction begins. If you need additional information, call 402-316-5460.
We are excited to offer outstanding genetics. All rams will be penned on the sale grounds by the morning of Sept. 13 in time for a rigorous sifting process. You can be assured all rams will be sound and ready for service. This set of rams represents the best quality from some of the top breeders in the West. Some of these producers have been working at improving their sheep for multiple generations using the latest and best technologies.
I know much of our region has been suffering under extreme drought conditions. I pray many of you have received some relief with recent moisture. I know in the Big Horn Basin we did, and I hear reports of some moisture in other areas as well.
We in the sheep business at least can be thankful for lamb prices at an all-time high. I doubt any of us could have for seen this coming a year ago. What to credit this to is open for lively discussion. Some give a lot of credit to the pandemic, others the growing ethnic market, yet others to drought and market conditions in Australia and New Zealand. Still others to simple supply and demand.
The reasons for the surge in lamb consumption are as varied as the topography of our great nation. I do believe we must work together to take advantage of this change. The lamb board is doing so with a very limited budget.
I want to just take a minute and let you know your Wyoming Wool Growers organization pays annual dues to the American Sheep Industry Association for all sheep counted in the agriculture census in Wyoming. This means sheep producers who are not members of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) are not taking advantage of the benefits offered to them and others are paying for you.
Please take a look at what the WWGA has to offer. We are one of the oldest livestock organizations in the state and we are solely focused on sheep, no matter what breed.
We have targeted our focus, we have improved our outreach and we continue to work on behalf of all sheep producers in big, wonderful Wyoming.
Again, I warmly invite you to come socialize with people of the same interest and concerns in Douglas and take a look at the tremendous sheep offered for sale. This is everyone’s opportunity to support the sheep industry while improving their flock and bottom line. Hope to see you there!
For more information or a catalog, go to wyowool.com or facebook.com/wyowool.
Regan Smith
President, Wyoming Wool Growers Association
