Eastern Region: 1 position open
Emily Vincent
I am honored to have been nominated to serve on the American Dorper Sheep Breeders’ Society Board. I have been breeding White Dorpers since 2007 and was involved in helping establish the first West Coast Dorper Association.
In 2013, I relocated my flock to New York, where I have worked to promote and expand the Dorper and White Dorper breeds in the Northeast. I have hosted twice-yearly Lamb Jams, helped establish a White Dorper breed class at the Big E/Eastern States Exposition, and am honored to have been entrusted by Jean and Mike Sudderth with the last of their Yucca Lily White Dorper genetics.
My farm is a working commercial operation that sustains itself through both breeding stock and meat sales. We currently market lamb through three retail outlets, a farmers market, and a contract through New York State. That commercial side of the operation is central to my breeding philosophy. I am passionate about producing high-quality, well-conformed sheep that grow quickly, perform efficiently, and thrive in a pasture-based production system.
At the same time, I strongly support the show side of our breed. I do not believe commercial performance and the show ring need to be separate worlds. My goal is to breed sheep with the structure, muscling, growth, and functionality to perform in the pasture and still be competitive in the ring. We attend only one show each year, but I value it as another tool for evaluating our breeding program and keeping us accountable to the breed standard.
As a Board member, I would work to represent and support both seedstock and commercial producers while keeping a strong focus on promoting the Dorper as a premier American meat breed. I believe one of our greatest opportunities is to build demand not only for American lamb, but specifically for American Dorper lamb.
That is something I have already begun working toward through our Lamb Jams. Nick Forrest and his wife, Kathy, joined us at one of these events to help promote American lamb, and I would love to see that kind of outreach expanded throughout the country. I believe the Dorper name itself can become meaningful to consumers — associated with quality, consistency, performance, and outstanding American-grown lamb.
Outside of the sheep industry, I served for four years on my town’s Planning Board and work as an ICU nurse. Both roles have strengthened my ability to listen, collaborate, problem-solve, and represent differing perspectives.
If elected, I would bring the perspective of a long-time breeder, commercial lamb producer, direct marketer, and advocate for both the Dorper and White Dorper breeds. Most importantly, I would work to help strengthen the value of the Dorper name — for breeders, commercial producers, and ultimately the American consumer.
Joe Walker
My Fellow Dorper breeders. I am Joe Walker, from McKenzie, Tn. I am honored to be nominated for the board of directors for the ADSBS. I run Clear Creek Dorpers with a small flock of fullbloods.
Prior to college I raised Charolais and Angus cattle. I graduated with a B.S. in Agricultural Business from University of Tennessee at Martin 2011. After college I got into the sheep business with the intention to get registered stock. Of all breeds I kept coming back to the Dorper for their quality and ability to thrive.
In addition to my Ag Business background, I am an MRO/Buyer for global door and frame manufacture. I believe with my love for agriculture and business knowledge I will be able to add some fresh ideas to help us grow. I have some ideas about the expansion of the digital ovine to get more paying members, as well as give commercial breeders an incentive to purchase our rams.
Thank you for your consideration and if elected I would be honored to serve as a board member and do my best to help us grow as a society. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Will Phipps
Western Region: 1 position open
Jeremy Aslpaugh
Jeremy grew up on a farm in eastern Pennsylvania raising Hampshire sheep, Boer goats, and Simmental cattle. In 2019, Jeremy and Brittany and their 3 sons moved to the Pacific Northwest and settled in the town of Homedale, Idaho.
He is passionate about livestock and wants to see the Dorper breed succeed and thrive through different opportunities, such as fire prevention grazing, vineyard and solar grazing, while also promoting workshops for both the seedstock breeder and commercial producer.
The Dorper Breed has a lot going for it with low maintenance input and natural shedding. It’s our goal to see kids win in the show ring, and help producers get top prices for those lambs with quality genetics and fast weight gains.
The future looks strong for The Dorper Breed , and exciting times are ahead!
Billy Wade
Hello. My name is Billy Wade and I am running for a Western Region position on the ADSBS Board. We live in Scio Oregon and have Dorper and White Dorper sheep. I was raised in the sheep business, raising polled dorsets and commercial sheep. My experience with the Dorper breed has been a positive one. I am a certified Dorper judge and have also taught several judge certification courses. Having spent many years in the livestock show world, I’ve seen what can happen to a breed when the breeders and judges stray from the breed standards. I think that is one of several unique things about Dorpers. The breed standard we have is based on performance and the ability to enhance an operations bottom line through that selection process. Those two points are the main reasons we’ve been in the Dorper business for close to 20 years now. Thank you for your time, Billy Wade
At-Large: 1 position Open
Brian Faris
I grew up in Sonora, Texas, and started raising sheep when I was 6 years old. I spent lots of summers working sheep and goats all over Sutton County with my dad, who was a county extension agent. I have a good understanding of purebred seedstock/registered livestock operations and commercial production livestock operations. I grew up showing breeding sheep, market lambs and Angora goats in 4-H. I have a Bachelors, Masters and PhD degree in Animal Science. My advanced degrees involved nutrition and reproduction. I served as a 4-H Youth Livestock Specialist at North Carolina State University for 3 ½ years and the Kansas State University Extension Sheep & Goat Specialist for 8 years before moving back to Texas in 2015. I worked with Agrimark Genetics for 3 years helping with advanced reproductive techniques in sheep, goats and cattle. I am currently the Competitive Events Director for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. I have been married for 29 years to my wife Reyna. We have 3 children and a son-in-law. Raylee is 23 (Mason Roberts is her husband), Craddock is 20 and Preslee is 18. We have enjoyed raising and showing Dorpers as a family over the past several years.
I saw my first Dorper in 1995 as a student worker at the Texas A&M Sheep and Goat Unit. Shortly after my father started raising Dorper sheep through an upgrading program. While I was at Kansas State University, I worked with a line of sheep developed by the USDA Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, NE that were a quarter White Dorper. I was able to promote them and the use of straight Dorpers and White Dorpers to commercial breeders. Personally, I didn’t get heavily involved with the Dorpers until I moved back to Texas in 2015. We have worked hard to produce sheep that do well in production as well as the show ring. I have been fortunate to serve the past three years as one of your ADSBS Board of Directors. I am convinced there is a place for Dorpers/White Dorpers in every segment of the sheep industry. I would like to continue to grow and support the Dorper/White Dorper industry through serving on the Board of Directors, but I need your support. Feel free to call or email if you have any questions. 210-760-0106 or brfarisksu@gmail.com