We caught up with the breeder of the Reserve Supreme Champion Ewe at the 2025 California State Fair. We invite you to read our candid interview with Amburgey Genetics below and please continue to check back often for our next edition of “Breeder Spotlight.”
What’s the pedigree of your champion?
Sired by Unicorn, and a product of the donor we call “Jada”, which we purchased from the MacLennan firm. She’s a The Twin x White Chocolate.
What are your long-term goals as a breeder?
To keep having fun, and enjoy watching our little ones grow up in the barn. If we can be lucky enough to make progress every year, that’s an added bonus.
Was there a moment when you almost gave up? What made you push through?
Kentucky weather rarely gives you consistency. I’m sure there was a time—whether it was during an ice storm, a flood, or both—where it forced us to dig our heels in a little deeper. Those moments test more than just your facilities—they test your mindset.
What’s something you’ve changed your mind about over the years?
If you ask the two girls I live with, I don’t change my mind much. Jaye, who’s 3½, isn’t quite strong enough to hold a lamb without one—and when you’re lambing solo, they can come in handy. So yes, I’ve reluctantly changed my mind on halters. Outside of that, they still make my head hurt.
If you could rebuild your herd/flock from scratch, what would you do differently?
When you invest in building new facilities, to always go bigger than planned.
What trait do you wish you had focused on sooner in your program?
Without a doubt, it’s the standard we set for our recipient ewes. Early on, we probably underestimated how much their quality and consistency impact the success of an ET program. We used to treat them as a side note—but learned fast that if you want elite results, you can’t cut corners on the factory. I wish we had prioritized that standard from day one, because the gap between a good recip and a great one shows up in ways that compound year after year.
Is there a breeding decision you’re especially proud of — or one you regret?
Like most, I think the internal game of whether to retain or sell the atypical ewe lambs- especially those in the upper 1%—is never simple. It’s never black and white, but choosing to retain a few of those females and confidently putting them through our ET programs has been rewarding.
What’s your favorite state fair — and why?
Lately, it has been any that we can sit down and watch as a spectator.
Is there anything you wish you had known when you started breeding?
That sleep is optional, feed delivery trucks run on their own time zone, and nothing teaches patience quite like a three-year-old daughter in the barn. Honestly, I wish someone had warned me how much of this job is just controlled chaos—and how much you’d end up loving it anyway….most days
What’s next — any big goals or projects in the works?
Mom and Jaye think they want a show barn.
