Mid 1970's
Our flock was started with the purchase of a Frostaire's Suffolk ram we called "Fred." We applied him to our hill country ewes that were made up of Stevens & Clifford Graff (George Anise Bloodlines - Canada) Genetics.
Late 70's - Early 80's
We built our foundation around one Cornerstone ram name "Hot Shot" bred by S. Sanders (NM). We created an entire set of females that were either daughters or father-daughter matings (double stacked) of Hot Shot. We felt at that time he was a female producing sire and we are convinced of it now, two decades later.
Hot Shot was the product of a F1 mating. His sire "Miller" was a son of Ringmaster (Hampshire). Ringmaster won Louisville as a ram lamb in 1979. Jim Miller bought him over the phone in late November for a mere $10,000. Unfortunately, Ringmaster had an untimely death and there were very few sons retained. I know of non other than Hot Shot's sire (who stood at stud here as well).
Hogg 657 was obviously a key individual to the Club Lamb Industry by siring both Impact & Happy Days.
Hot Shot's dam "Jacky" was born to the John Day Flock (NM). She was sired by the very famous "Wishbone" Suffolk ram of Arlo Farms. Gary Testroete (IA) sold several bred ewes to J. Day, one of which was Jacky's Dam.
Testroete's flock originated out of Warden Jct.,Alberta,Canada. He bought the entire Bob Offord Flock after seeing one female (Champion Female at '57 Sioux Empire Farm Show - Sioux Falls, South Dakota). They had been importing English Suffolk rams almost exclusively. They forded the Red Deer River with the flock and then put them on a train down to Testroete around 1959. The "Morin 3K" ram came with them. He line-bred extensively to he and his sons which comprised the backbone of "Jacky."
"Wishbone" weighed 285 pounds at ten months of age and measured 39" long by 33" tall.
Late 80's - Early 90's
Gibbs Sheep Company implemented several Bob Fields (OH) rams at that time. Prater always insisting on father-daughter matings of the "Stillwater 090" ram. "090" had both of the "Commotion" twins in his pedigree. Many of you know how influential those two sheep were to the entire club lamb industry.
These strong Suffolk sires worked well on the Hot Shot female base. The offspring quickly dominated the Texas Club Lamb Circuit and the Texas Major Shows. The three consecutive Houston Grands (1989-90-91) raised by Gibbs were 090 sons (Double Stacked) on Hot Shot daughters (Double Stacked).This accomplishment alone has never been duplicated and moved our program to a whole different level. Prater did not sell rams at that time, so the Hot Shot/090 gene pool stayed very limited to only a few flocks.
Late 90's
After linebreeding for nearly a decade we went back to Fields (OH) in search of fresh DNA. We really admired the "66" ram for his hip shape and bone mass. We have since applied several sons and daughters into our flock. He (66) established a very consistent hip shape and levelness of rump not found in many Suffolks of the day. I was very fortunate to secure all of the remaining 66 semen and hope to incorporate it wisely in the near future.
New Millennium
As the hampy look continues to dominate the wether market by both evaluators and consumers, we have since brought in several new Hampshire additions, primarily through the Cabaniss gene pool. Remembering that Impact and Happy Days are at least half-brothers, we have melted the 801 blood with our existing Hot Shot lines to come up with "Gibbs 1100." This sheep is phenomenal, and will in time go down as one of the great ones.
In a nut shell, there are no purebreds in existence today. Those that search long enough will eventually come up with the same answers. Our sheep (as an industry) have been mixed and mingled for forty years now. So, with that in mind we want to build great sheep with not bias to color or creed. We want all of our sheep to express the same positive traits whether they are hampy or Suffolk. We want our Suffolks to exhibit wide loin edges, massive bone work and depth of flank. We want our Hampshires to transmit hardness of muscle, tight hides, and good spring of ribs.
In regards to the females, we feel we have arrived at a very unique and not often imitated selection process. Not only have we set standards in relation to man's best interest, but our mild lambing climate has allowed us to really develop a super female. Ewes are lambed exposed to the elements and we don't night check! Females are expected to perform their duties without assistance for their continued employment with Gibbs Sheep Company. Our females have a great degree of maternal instinct due to natural selection. "Better mothers generate better mothers." We feel your sheep operation should be more productive and less of a burden. The easy doing females of years past should be the ideal of today!
We believe market animals on exhibition should have muscle and a great deal of it without their structure getting round in shape. So it is our mission to always provide old fashion muscle, bone, and squareness with extension and elevation in a growthy, easy feeding sheep. We hope that our thirty year journey will allow us to focus more on quality and less on quantity.
Bob Field's Legend ram was built on three consecutive daughters of "090."
8006
1100
Little Bob
Fields 66
Seven
Interstate
Freeway
Bonacho
Ringbone
Whitey
Hot Shot