We caught up with the breeder of the Reserve Champion Market Lamb at the 2025 Aksarben Stock Show. We invite you to read our candid interview with Stagecoach Livestock below and please continue to check back often for our next edition of “Breeder Spotlight.”
What’s the pedigree of your champion?
Cocky Rocky x “Frida” Donor (Big City x Unicorn x Sugar”
What are your long-term goals as a breeder?
Keep making them better every year using genetics that can suit a variety of people but still built how I like them.
Also help young/small breeders grow their flock and reach their big goals like so many breeders have helped us over the years
Was there a moment when you almost gave up? What made you push through?
There’s been many hard points. Mostly cause sheep only come into this world looking for a way out. But 2022 was a hard year as not many sheep hit the backdrop but felt very confident in the ewe lambs we had at home.
I often fall into the trap of not zooming out to see the big picture and think we aren’t progressing fast enough. Good friends, family and trusting my gut has gone a long ways in recent years.
What’s something you’ve changed your mind about over the years?
Ewe lines are more important to flush numbers than management.
If you could rebuild your herd/flock from scratch, what would you do differently?
I’m proud of how we’ve built it. A lot of our best sheep have been out of ewes we’ve bred and not bought.
Probably starting off just buy 2-3 high end ones and start flushing.
What trait do you wish you had focused on sooner in your program?
Back shape and density of muscle
Is there a breeding decision you’re especially proud of — or one you regret?
Culling hard over last couple years. It has dramatically improved our quality and are proud of the ones we have in the barn.
What’s your favorite state fair — and why?
Gotta be Iowa! I want to get out to Ohio and see what it’s all about too.
Is there anything you wish you had known when you started breeding?
Breed to the ones you think are the best
What’s next — any big goals or projects in the works?
A few cool things coming up!
We have Tres x Calamity fall borns hitting the ground at Hobbs Show Lambs in early October. Calamity was the Reserve Ewe at Iowa State Fair and Class Winner at NAILE shown by Miles Burch. We partnered with Joe and Megan on this flush and they are in Newton, KS!
We flushed the 2024 ChampionDrive FOTY and Grand Ewe at Louisville of Rules to Cocky Rocky. These will be arriving here in Mid Jan.
We flushed the mom of Schmillen’s Aksarben sheep to Ghost Rider for Early Dec. and Unfiltered for Mid Jan’s. Going to be an exciting year and hope you can come see us in Ames, Iowa!
