We caught up with the breeder of the Reserve Supreme Champion Breeding Ewe at the 2023 Oklahoma Youth Expo. We invite you to read our candid interview with Platinum Shelton Livestock below and please continue to check back often for our next edition of “Breeder Spotlight.”
Who had the biggest influence on you to start your own herd?
My dad, Steve Asmus had the biggest influence on me getting started. I grew up raising cattle and hogs with my family and he supported me trying to make my own way in with sheep…. wish he was still here to see how far we’ve come.
First buck you can remember you bred to:
First buck I remember I bred to was “Addiction” a 4D Large x PBR we bought from Guy Glasscock.
Favorite ewe? Why?
There are a few special ewes around here so it’s hard to pick just one. But if I was forced my favorite ewe still alive today would be 8272 AKA “Queen”. She’s the mom to Phoenix and Sayde Allen’s Champion div. 2 at Kansas City as well as a pile of daughters that will be making their way to the donor pen this year.
Growing up what did you think your occupation would be?
Honestly growing up I planned to be a veterinarian. But after working with quite a few large animal vets I ended up being a nutritionist.
Are you still on the farm or buildings that you started raising sheep in? If not, when and why did you decide to move?
The first ewes we lambed in 2013 were lambed by our friend Judy Ruggles and then sent back to my parents (Steve and Kathy) while I was still in graduate school. Once I graduated my beautiful wife Abby and I got married and bought a house in 2016 about 15 minutes from where I grew up and we have been building facilities ever since with our 3 sons Kaden, Landon, and Maddox. In 2021 when we bought out Dwayne with our good friend from graduate school Nick Shelton, Nick bought my old house and moved to Michigan. So Abby and I built a new little shack right next door to Nicks house.
What has been the scariest decision for your operation?
Probably buying out our good friend Dwayne Hurliman. It wasn’t just because of the large amount of money. It was also the fact that he had been so successful with those ewes that the pressure to be as successful as him was very daunting. Hopefully we are making him proud with the way we have taken his flock.
If you could add one thing to your operation, what would it be and why?
Nick a wife… I mean he’s a Dr ladies. Come on!!!
