Bill Royer
WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS
Iowa had a very successful Jr. Show and we basically replicated that for the Illinois organization. The show has continued in Illinois with 2022 being its 31st year. 2. I helped organize the United Suffolk Sheep Foundation. I believe in the Foundation and all it offers to the Suffolk breed and the sheep industry. What is the most meaningful thing the breed has done for you? The Suffolk breed has provided me an outlet from the stress of work and sometimes other challenges in life. I can often remember sleepless nights with problems at work or from other sources. All I had to do is replace those thoughts with how much I was enjoying raising Suffolks and what the promise was for this lambing season. My Suffolk sheep have also provided many precious hours with my kids and grand kids. Why have you committed to the success of the Suffolk Breed and/or it’s related organizations? I like both the Suffolk sheep and the Suffolk people. Many of my best friendships have come from within the Suffolk breeder family. I have committed to the Suffolk breed because the Suffolk breed has given and continues to give me so much. What advice would you give a new breeder or junior member? My advice to any new breeder or junior member is to raise the type of Suffolks you like. Be sure you are keeping sheep that are good mothers and good producers.
How did you become involved in the Suffolk Breed? How has your flock evolved since then? I started in the sheep business in the early 1970’s. The first sheep were just sheep. They came from a sale barn and were purchased as pasture mowers for a small lot on my Illinois farm. In 1978, my sons were ready for 4-H. I bought each of them two head of sheep ----- not Suffolks, but a different breed for each son. In 1980, my career took a relocation to Iowa. There in Ft Madison, IA, we met Bob Mapes, a Suffolk breeder. He really liked my sons and we really liked both him and his Suffolks. So, the switch was made. We joined the very popular Suffolk movement. Our early goal was just to have sheep that would be competitive at the local level. We attended the very first National Jr. Suffolk Show. We definitely were not competitive in that arena. So, the competitive bar was raised. Our flock has always been small, but made up of sheep that match the breed standard and are competitive in the show ring. Why did you choose Suffolks over other breeds (or other species)? I was raised on an Indiana dairy farm. I was darn sure I did not want to be back in the dairy business. Sheep have been a good species for my three children and now my grand children to show. And, we have always known that Suffolks are the breed that has the characteristics we want. Yes, they are big and may sometimes be challenging for a youth to show. We have always worked hard with several hours spent leading the lambs around the farm so they were always ready on show day. A good friend of mine put it well when he said; “Nothing brings my family closer together than working with our sheep.” What do you want your legacy in the breed to be? There are two things I have contributed to the Suffolk breed that I take pride in. 1. My wife, Debbie, and I started the 1st Illinois Jr. Suffolk Show in 1991. We had just moved to Illinois from Iowa.
Get involved in the Suffolk organizations.
Respect others in all you do. Have fun along the way. Raising Suffolks is very enjoyable.
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