We caught up with the breeder of the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb at the 2024 Iowa State Fair FFA Show. We invite you to read our candid interview with Tanner Hild of Hild Brothers below and please continue to check back often for our next edition of “Breeder Spotlight.”
What’s the pedigree of your champion?
Chief x “Freisha”
What is one thing you still want to accomplish as a breeder?
A long lasting goal that I want to see accomplished by our family is for our flock be a generational livestock presence. I hope there is someone that wants to take the reigns once we decide it’s time to be done and to not only raise competitive livestock, but continue to build our name off of good values, decisions and hard work.
Favorite show ring trend?
I love to see how many kids who want to be active in the show ring at such a young age. When I was showing it was rare to see pre-school through second grade kids showing let alone competitively on the circuit. Its great to see them so passionate at such a young age.
Favorite industry sire of all time?
A buck that I don’t think gets enough credit is “Fowl.” He made some high level bucks, but I believe the females that derived from him are ageless.
Most influential female in your flock? Why?
In my opinion our most influential female in our flock goes all the way back to a 2015 model, “Olive.” Olive is the grandma of both Gable and Ace of Spades, both who have had a huge influence not only on our farm but across the states. She’s also still very active in our flock, she’s confirmed to have babies in the fall set. Great track record of raising high level males while still being a maternal horse raising babies 9 years later.
Favorite show animal you’ve ever seen?
Favorite show animal that wasn’t raised on our farm has to be Berry’s “Rocky” sheep that won Iowa few years back. One of my favorite sheep that came from our farm was the Grand Market at Arizona National last year.
