Iowa Suffolk Sheep Association

08/29/2026

Pedigree talk. Suffolk enthusiast Tom Burke, at left, of Platte City, Missouri, studies and talks Suffolk sheep pedigrees with Suffolk breeder Kevin Slack, of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, at the 2026 Iowa State Fair open Suffolk show, August 22, in Des Moines.

08/29/2026

It’s a family tradition. Melissa, daughter Felicity, and Josh Groves traveled from Brantford, Ontario, Canada to exhibit their Suffolk sheep, like this pair of Van Grove Farms yearling ewes at the 2026 Iowa State Fair open show in Des Moines August 22.

The North American Suffolk Sheep Society designates the Iowa State Fait as its national show.

08/29/2026

Cynthia Huckins, at right, of Nevada, walks her Ruby Mountain Suffolks yearling ewes across the green shavings at the North American Suffolk Sheep Society’s 2026 National Show, held August 22, as part of the Iowa State Fair Open Suffolk Show in Des Moines.

Huckins helped coordinate show awards for the NASS sponsorship.

08/28/2026

At the Iowa State Fair Open Suffolk Show, fitted and slick shorn Suffolks compete in individual classes by fleece type. But fitted and slick shorn sheep all compete in combined group classes, like the yearling ewe class shown here at the 2026 show August 22 in Des Moines.

The North American Suffolk Sheep Society designates the Iowa Sate Fair Open Suffolk Show as its national show.

Kyle Thayer of Massachusetts judged the 2026 show.

08/28/2026

Eastern Iowans Johnah Ewers, and his nieces, Sidney & Sierra Wegener, and nephew, Kayden Mang, of Clinton County, set up their slick shorn Suffolks at the 2026 Iowa State Fair Open Suffolk Show, August 22 in Des Moines.

08/28/2026

Classes of yearling ewes from exhibitors from 15 states and 1 Canadian province filled the Iowa State Fair show ring August 22 in Des Moines.

Kyle Thayer of Massachusetts judged the 2026 open Suffolk breeding show designated by the North American Suffolk Sheep Society as its national show.

08/26/2026

Congratulations to future veterinarian Olivia Stodghill of Oskaloosa.

Olivia exhibited Suffolk sheep before heading off to ISU. She earned college scholarships awarded by the United Suffolk Sheep Foundation to enable her to pursue her education and her goal to become a practicing veterinarian.

Way to win and achieve your career goals by raising registered Suffolk sheep, Olivia!

FIRST FOUR. The first cohort of the Production Animal - Veterinary Early Acceptance Program (PA-VEAP) has started classes in the College of Veterinary Medicine. PA-VEAP's focus is to recruit and retain future veterinarians practicing food animal medicine, primarily in underserved areas of the country. Ashley Carroll, Catie Collison, Ashlyn Hammel and Olivia Stodghill are the first four Iowa State students to complete the program and enroll in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

https://vetmed.iastate.edu/story/first-four/

08/26/2026

Congratulations to Kevin and Andrew Slack, of Wisconsin, who showed “Jumbo” to the Overall Grand Champion Suffolk title at the 2026 Iowa State Fair Open Show, August 22, in Des Moines.

The North American Suffolk Sheep Society designates the Iowa State Fair’s show as its national show.

08/26/2026

That’s quite a line up! Winning junior ram lambs competed for the overall junior lamb championship at the 2026 Iowa State Fair Open Show, August 22 in Des Moines.

Fitted sheep compete in classes designated for January, February or March entries. Slick shorn lambs currently compete in a single class.

The North American Suffolk Sheep Society designates the Iowa State Fair Open Suffolk Show as its national show.

04/27/2026

Register by May 1 for The Suffolk Event & bring the kids. Juniors who take part in educational sessions June 5 could win one of five $500 credits to put towards the purchase of a Suffolk ram or ewe June 6 in the National Suffolk Sale in Lebanon, Indiana on the Boone County Fairgrounds. That’s more than double the value of a family registration.

Plus juniors can show sheep purchased in the June 6 sale in the United Junior Suffolk Sheep Association - UJSSA show Sunday, June 7.

Join the fun. There’s something for everyone at The Suffolk Event, June 5-7 in a new location in Lebanon, Indiana, about an hour from Indianapolis.

Learn more & register by this Friday, May 1, at Suffolks.org.

The United Suffolk Sheep Foundation will offer $2,500 in sale credits again this year for the National Suffolk Sale. Youth ages 8-21 who register and attend the Friday educational program will be eligible to win one of 5 - $500 sale credits. The Foundation supports education and youth development and is pleased to recognize young people who participate in the Suffolk Event. Eligible youth will have their names entered into a random drawing that will take place right before the Friday evening sale preview. Youth must be present to win. Sale credits are non-transferable and must be spent at the 2026 National Suffolk Sale. Pictured below are last year's happy winners with Brenda Reau, USSF President and Ron Alves USSF Board Member.