My name is Kerry Paul, and I am seeking election to the board for a second term.  Thank you, Darroll Grant, for your nomination. I, along with my wife Dawn, and our son, Kevin,  own and operate Missouri Dorpers in Albany, MO.  We have Dorpers and White Dorpers as well as Registered Red Angus cows.  We have owned Dorper Sheep for 14 years. Albany is where I grew up and we moved back after Kevin was born, about 29 years ago.  After graduating from the University of Missouri, I worked in the Farm Equipment, Pharmaceutical, and Seed industries.Besides serving on the ADSBS Board the last three years, I have served on boards for our local Church, School, University Extension, and Angus Associations.  Our flock contains about 240 head of fullblood ewes and we usually have 40 or more rams for sale at any time.  We lamb three seasons a year, getting three lamb crops per ewe every two years. Spending three years on the board, I have found it both fulfilling and challenging.  I am the Co-Chair of the Data and Research Committee.   Being reelected would allow me to see some projects through that we are working on. The Sire Project with Texas A&M is an opportunity for some valuable data that we can use in a production database.  NSIP has been cumbersome to utilize for Dorper breeders as it doesn’t allow for more than one lamb crop a year, among other things, but it is pretty much all there is out there. Our next system for Breed Registration needs to be easy for breeders to input performance information into. This committee is also trying to acquire data that has already been collected that pushes forth the advantage of Dorper Sheep.  Many of the top sale barns in the country report sheep sales that are split out as Dorper/Dorper Cross, vs non-Dorper.  That data shows a clear advantage for Dorper Sheep and we need to get that kind of information compiled, published, and used in our marketing.  There are a couple of things that drive my thought process when faced with questions or decisions on the board.  First, is the subject good for the breed as a whole.  Second, will it help the breed maintain the breed standard.  I feel strongly about those two things and they guide my voting.  I would appreciate your vote for me on the board.
Respectfully,
Kerry Paul