Logan County Sheep Improvement Association members celebrated their 75th and final annual banquet Thursday.
“After 75 years we decided to call it quits,” said Tim Lyden, Logan County Sheep Improvement Association chairman. “There are no young people anymore and we are all getting too old.”
“Our numbers have shrunk to the point of kind of hanging it up. The drive isn’t there like it used to be and it takes a lot of work to put this thing on.”
Logan County Commissioner John Bayliss, who is also a member of the Sheep Improvement Association, said Thursday’s event was bittersweet.
“I’m proud to have been a member of the group for a number of years,” he said. “Logan County has a long history of being involved in the purebred sheep industry.”
Lyden furthered that Logan County is actually well-known for its purebred sheep, nationwide.
The Sheep Improvement Association isn’t coming to an end, though. The annual banquet is the only thing coming to an end.
Roger High, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association executive director, added that Ohio actually has the second highest amount of memberships in the association, second behind Texas.
Susan Shultz, Sheep Improvement Association vice president, said it’s all about community.
“It’s about finding people who share your common goals and common interests and take you to the future,” she said. “Tonight we say thankyou to (everyone) for being here and helping us celebrate 75 wonderful years.”
Twenty sheep producers were given shepherds crooks in recognition of their part in the Sheep Improvement Association.
“We’ve got a great group of people,” Bayliss said. “I’m very proud to be able to present them tonight.”
Madison Buettner and Chloe Borgerding were awarded the 2020 Logan County Lamb and Wool Queen and Princess honors, respectively.
“I’m really looking forward to playing such a big part in the lamb community at the Logan County fair,” Buettner said.
Breeding sheep winners included Keaton Snipes for Horned Dorset Champion Ewe and Champion Ram, all other breeds Champion Ewe and Champion Ewe and Ram overall breeds and Kayla Cummins Crossbred Market-Type Breeding Champion Ewe.
Shultz said it’s really the volunteers who are able to make the Sheep Improvement Association happen.
“They were around 45 years ago and every year since,” she said. “It’s really all about trying to build community. I’m proud to say we still have 20 sheep producers. Logan COunty is a hotbed for outstanding people in the sheep business and really is full of wonderful families. It’s a blessing to be a part of it.”