History- Mosaic Nubians

Here is a brief photo history highlighting some of the landmarks in my herd.

1988:
My 1st year showing "Fawna" at the county fair. We placed 2nd in showmanship and 3rd in the kid class. Fawna, aka Wyvern Royal Mosaic 3*M, was a leap day doeling from a family friend, Mary Ringo of Wellington, CO. The Wyvern herd had some very strong milking lines with sound confirmation. With the use of bucks from my 4-H Leader, Luella Kral of Kral Nubians in Hillrose, CO, I bred Fawna several times before getting my own bucks a few years later.

1990:
Back at the county fair; Fawna was a 1st freshening 2 year old and won GCH! She and her daughters would continue this winning streak until I was 18 and too old to continue showing in 4-H classes. In addition to winning in the Dairy Goat classes Fawna's daughter "Rosebud" and I won Master Showmanship (also know as Round Robin; a competition where contestants are judged on their showmanship skills with Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle, Horses, Swine, Sheep and Dairy Goats) 3 years and won Reserve 2 other years.

1994:
This year marked the arrival of the 1st AI sired kids on our farm. This picture shows the doelings that were born. My dad had AIed hogs for many years as well as beef cattle, so we decided to give it a try. I had ready about a French method where the does were tipped onto their front legs by one person while another AIed them. We tried this method on Fawna and Rosebud and had great results- a set of triplets and a set of quads!!! I have had good luck over the years AIing does, including another set of quads sired by of GCH ++*B C/F Pan. I was especially excited about those kids as the straw was nearly 20 years old, but it worked fine. I still use the "tipping" method on does that are more difficult to AI.

This was also the year that I attended my 1st ADGA National show. My mom and I loaded up a few does and headed to Lincoln, NE. I had been waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the show to arrive. I had an amazing week! It was great to finally see all the goats and meet all of the people I had read about for so many years in ADGA publications, UCN, and semen catalogs. I still vividly remember walking up to the wash stalls where GCH C/F Nashota 6*M was standing- she was one of the biggest, smoothest, most striking does I have ever seen. I could tell she was an old pro at the show circuit as she was contentedly chewing her cud waiting for her turn to get washed. GCH Faith-Farm ESJ Eve *M is another doe that stands out in my mind. I was over looking at their animals one evening when Chuck Pedersen let Eve out so someone to get a better look at her. As soon as he opened the gate she walked out into the middle of the isle, turned broadside, squared her feet, and looked over at them as to say "I'm ready- Look at me!" And last but certainly not least was GCH Royal Cedars Sugar Candy 3*M I was fairly new to "nationally competitive show goats", but I could still see the extreme structural correctness, smoothness of blending, and laid back attitude that she had. I competed in the youth events and placed in the Jr. Judging Competition- 6th I think, but I am not sure. After this trip I was hooked and get to National Shows whenever I can.

1995:
I attended the ADGA Convention in Syracuse, NY and had a very fun week. I won high point individual in the weeks youth activities.

1998:
I attended the ADGA National Show in Saint Paul, MN and participated in the youth events. I was very excited when I was awarded 1st place in the Senior division of the Judging and Management Competition. I spent a long time preparing, so it was a very rewarding experience. It was a fun show as I got to meet many people and handle some wonderful goats, including a 1st place Saanen kid and an Alpine milker that placed 2nd in her class. I also helped handle a few animals for the Colorama Sale.

1999:
I had the great experience to travel to the Canadian Goat Society West National Show with my friend Rob Bourassa of Shadowvale Nubians in Kelowna, B.C. It was a great trip and a fun show, with lots of really nice animals. I was lucky enough to get to handle GCH Golden Haze Moonlight Illusion *M as she won National GCH w/ Best Udder. She would go on to win these awards for 3 consecutive years.

2000:
I attended the ADGA National Show in Raleigh, NC after a long cross country drive, via MS. I helped my friend Carroll Pierce with his does, who placed very well. It was also great to see Maureen & John Dolan win National GCH with their doe CH Manges-Colony Breakaway Beauty. I had purchased a few does and bucks from them over the years, many of which are behind the animals I have in the herd today.

2002:
The ADGA National Show was held in Pueblo, CO and I was part of the host group. It was a lot of work, but things came together well. There were many really nice animals shown, I got to meet a lot of new people, and got to know others better over the week. The highlight of the Nubian show for me was CH Dayspring IMA SanPanna winning 1st placed Aged doe with 2nd udder. The competition was tough, so I was very happy with the win. SanPanna and I are shown in the line-up for National Champion selection. SanPanna had a good summer, as she scored FS 89 VVVE at linear appraisal a few weeks before the National Show. Linear Appraisal was also good for my other does, as GCH Sweet Marie scored FS 90 and all 3 mature does scored "E" in mammary. I had been in college at Colorado State University and graduated in May with my B.S. in Animal Science with a minor in Anatomy & Neurobiology. I decided to attend graduate school at the University of Idaho; so after the National Show I trimmed the herd down to the bare minimum left most with my parents, a few with my cousin Bonnie Graham (Windflower Farm Nubians in Fountain, CO), and leased a couple. This was very tough; as I only got the see my animals once or twice per year, but it was only for a few years.

2003:
No your eyes are not playing tricks on you, this is a Saanen. Not just any Saanen, GCH Washoe-Zephyr 24 Karat *M "24" belonged to my friend Meg DeWitt of CryBaby Farm Saanens. It was a huge thrill to see "24" win Reserve National Champion with Reserve Best Udder at the National Show in Iowa- I swear I must have spent 10 hours grooming that doe in the days leading up to the show and then "camped out" with her and the other does the night before the show. I was especially proud as I had picked her out of a pen of kids when I made a whirl wind trip to WA and OR in 2000 to pick up Elite and a Saanen buck for Meg. "24" repeated her wins of Reserve National Champion with Reserve Best Udder in 2004 and was also Supreme Champion at the California Sate Fair that fall! Linear Appraisal was also very exciting in 2004 as "24" and her herd mate CryBaby Farm Taj Mahal *M (a doe resulting from an AI breeding I had performed using the "tipping" method mentioned above) both scored FS 92 !!!

2001-2003:
Some of you may know me as an "Embryo Transfer guy" well, that would be right. I ran several E.T. projects under the guidence of Dr. Brian McOnie of Creekside Animal Clinic in Vernon, B.C. Photos above are of Brian locating the uterus of GCH Sweet Marie prior to flushing. On her 2nd flush, to Faith Farm GS Samaritan, Marie responded very well and produced enough high quality embryos that many were frozen. The photo on the right shows the resulting E.T. kids from Marie's frozen embryos and a flush of CH SanPanna to *B Mosaic Echo of Illusion. These E.T. kids found homes in herds from coast to coast and early indications are that they are doing well for their new owners.

2004-2005:
I graduated from the University of Idaho with a Masters of Science and took a job as a researcher at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT. It is a very interesting job that I really enjoy. I work in a lab that is part of the Center for Structural and Functional Neurosciene. Despite my drastic sell down in 2002 my herd in CO had managed to grow to a fairly reasonable size. With the help of my parents we decided which few animals to keep and sold down to 5 does and a few bucks. I purchased a home on a little under an acre and a half about 10 minutes east of Missoula in May of 2005. In September my parents loaded up the does, one buck, and lots of equipment and made the haul up to Montana. The other bucks went to live with my cousin Bonnie. This picture above shows the does' new pen and me getting started on the never ending job of hoof trimming. The goats have all settled in and seem to be doing well. They all appear to be bred and I am excited to have kids in the spring. I am also looking forward to being back out on the show scene with my animals and to having them appraised this summer.

2006- Summer:
I attended the ADGA National Show in IN. It was a LONG drive there, via CO, but it was great to see the all of the animals and breeders at the show. Dream placed very well in her class and Vali's dam was Res. National GCH with Best Nubian Udder!

2006- Fall:
The herd was relocated to CO with my parents and cousin Bonnie as I am enetering another graduate program in the spring.

2008- Summer:
The goats are doing great! I am back in CO for the clinical portion of my training. My graduation is set for August 2009. I had the herd appraised this summer with excellent results! (2) 92's, (2) 91's, and (2) 90's!!! The animals are doing well and I am looking forward to the breeding season this fall; we've got lots of exciting breedings planned.

2009- Fall:
I have settled back in Colorado to stay!!! I have moved to a wonderful new home on 2 acres just outside of Longmont, CO. The does have moved here and are getting settled in. I am very excited about the many exciting breedings planned for this fall and look forward to being back on the show circuit next year. Below are two pictures taken by my new home.

Please check the Updates page for more current happenings.