The Hopkins story: Polly has been raising and showing sheep for over forty-five years, starting with Southdowns as a 4-H project. Kevin “married into” showing sheep in his twenties but had raised Hampshire market lambs on the family farm. There are still a couple Southdowns and a Hampshire brood ewe on the farm today, but Polly has chosen the Border Leicester as her breed of choice. There are approximately 20 brood ewes, mostly white Border Leicesteres, but a few Colored are working their way into the flock! The Hopkins' Border Leicesters have been shown locally as well as nationally and have done quite well for themselves. Sarah and Christopher are third generation ‘sheep showmen’. Sarah started in the show ring at the age of 3 with a Hampshire bottle lamb. She started her own flock of Cheviots when she was about 8 years old and continued on thru high school with 4-H and FFA animal projects. In 2009 Sarah sold the last of her Cheviots and graduated from College of St. Rose in Albany. She now lives in Gloversville, New York, with plans to get married in August 2010. Sarah and her future husband, Jack Jakeman, are still heavily involved in the fitting and showing of the family flock and travel to most of the fairs and/or sales the rest of the family attends. Christopher got his first sheep (a white Corriedale) "Amanda" when he was about 4 yrs., but started showing with Natural Coloreds in 4-H at 9 years old. He continued his sheep project thru high school in 4-H and FFA. Chris graduated from Keene State College in May of 2010 with a major in Journalism and Minor in Film. At present, while looking for a job, he is spending the summer working on his parent's and grandparents' farms. The Hopkins strive to raise correct sheep that follow breed type and that will do well in the show or sale ring and on the farm. Good fleeces on the wool breeds are important, as well as the temperament of the animals on the farm. Also just as important is the milking ability and easy lambing in the brood ewe flock. All four Hopkins were involved in the Aries 4-H Club as members and Leaders. In 2009, Polly and Kevin stepped down as Leaders after over 30 years, but still support youth activities. Sarah, at present, is a Co-Chair of the North East Youth Sheep Show held in July each year in West Springfield, Massachusetts and is the Editor of the American Border Leicester Association’s quarterly newsletter. Christopher helps run the local county 4-H sheep show each year. Polly is a Director of the American Border Leicester Association being past Treasurer (for about 5 yrs) now President. She is also President of the Rhode Island Sheep Cooperative, member of the Rhody Warm Blanket Committee, a member of the Annual Rhode Island Wool & Fiber Festival Committee, Director-at-Large of the New England Sheep & Wool Growers Association, Editor of their newsletter and a member of their newly formed committe to host the First Annual New England Fiber Festival in November 2010 at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds. The Hopkins Family are members of the New England Sheep & Wool Growers, American Border Leicester Association, Natural Colored Wool Growers Association, American Southdown Association, American Cheviot Sheep Society, Connecticut Sheep Breeders Assoc., New Hampshire Sheep Breeders Assoc., and the Rhode Island Sheep Cooperative. |
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