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The VBISBAR B0ARD

Reni Melvin

President and Breed Director

valaisblacknoseinfo@gmail.com

609-947-3719

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Kelly Timmins

Vice President

timminslambs@comcast.net

609-510-5043

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Candie Francher

Treasure

francher35 @gmail.com

804-731-6523

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Deanna Towns

Secretary

shiohfarm.mn@gmail.com

919-946-9718

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Lydia Meyer

Trustee

hendriksprizedshelby@hotmail.com

920-323-0819

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VBISBAR members must pledge to represent this Association through candid and honorable representation. They must follow the rules set forth in the VBISBAR Bylaws at all times.
Any member found to falsely represent VBISBAR and their sheep registrations will need to speak to the VBISBAR board regarding any actions pertaining to the matter.
Members are to be honest when filing for each sheep registration and for its accuracy.
VBISBAR members can be removed for any reason at any time that the VBISBAR Executive Board feels has been a misrepresentation of VBISBAR through being dishonest, unethical, harassment, bullying and slander which includes the use of social media, email and faxing as a platform for their own personal agenda. 

VBISBAR social media RULES

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VSIBAR welcomes comments, questions and suggestions that are helpful and useful to our members and their goals to promote and protect the Valais Blacknose sheep breed. Emphasis will be placed on establishing and maintaining a population of healthy and robust Valais Blacknose sheep around the world that conform to the established Swiss breed standards. It is of primary importance to maintain the unique qualities of the Valais Blacknose breed.

Please refrain from using this page to drive your own narrative and/or label such behavior as “engagement.”

Comments may be deleted if you:

·       share misinformation

·       use loaded, biased language

·       comment in general rather than with specifics, and as though feelings/beliefs are more important than facts

·       engage in trolling

·       make the page uncomfortable for those who come here for information, rather than debate,

promote other registries and shows not related to VBISBAR 

Warnings may be issued but admins also reserve the right to unilaterally delete comments and ban those who bully others or are unable to treat this community with courtesy and respect. We can disagree on opinions but we cannot disagree on facts or the treatment of one another. 

Board of Directors Bio's

Reni Melvin

My name is Reni Melvin. 

I am the VBISBAR President and have been a breeder of sheep and cattle for over 29 years. 

I presently live in the Garden State which our farm sits on approximately 15 acres. 

My career beyond being a Shepherdess was a Director of Human Resource for a Medical Publishing company as well as a Business Administrator/Client Development Director working for a Medical Diagnostic Company. 

I was a 4-H leader for 25 years and we raise our sheep for show. At the present time I am the Chair Organizer for the Garden State Sheep Breeders Wool

and Fiber Festival which has been in existence for over 28 years. 

Over the last several years I have dedicated myself in educating Breeders thorough-out the country and internationally regarding sheep management with their breeds. 

I currently sit on three Sheep Registry Board's, and I am the Breed Up Director for North America for the Valais Blacknose Sheep and house four different breeds on our farm. We breed through natural means as well as through AI and embryo transplants. We have at any given time between 80 and 100 head in our flock. I am the co- owner along with my husband of Elite Sheep Reproduction, LLC as we sell frozen semen and embryos. 

I look forward to my continued support of the Association and its members across the globe.

Candie Francher

Hi Everyone, my name is Candie Francher.  I am the current Treasurer of VBISBAR.  I live in Dinwiddie, Virginia with my husband Greg and 21 y/o daughter Aviana. Our son Bailey is 23 and is the 4th generation to serve his country in the Air Force. I am an Air Force Veteran and have been a Registered Nurse for 24 years. We have had a farm for the past 12 years and have raised everything from Clydesdales, Nigerian Dwarf goats, Gulf Coast Native sheep, Baby Doll sheep, potbelly pigs, turkeys, ducks, chickens and dogs. We got started in the Valais Blacknose Breedup program in July 2018 after purchasing our first Scottish Blackface ewes. We did our first artificial insemination in Oct 2018 and have been breeding up for the past 5 years. Our goal of breeding Swiss Quality Valais Blacknose is getting closer with our first F4 lamb(s) due early May.  I have been happy to serve as treasurer of VBISBAR since we started and look forward to many more years as a VBISBAR member.

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Deanna Towns

Deanna is a professor of clinical counseling at Bethel University. She is married to her best friend - Shawn - and they have four adult children and six grandchildren. Her family has lived up and down the East coast and overseas prior to landing in MN where they started in the VBN breed up program. They also raise mini jersey cows and mini beagles.

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Lydia Meyer

My name is Lydia Meyer, and I am the shepherdess behind Stone Creek Meadow. I live in
Cleveland, WI with my husband Tony, and we will be celebrating our 17th anniversary in
December. Our 30 acre hobby farm includes a menagerie of four legged animals, most of them
being the wooly type.
I began my wooly sheep adventure about 4 years ago with two F1's. I absolutely fell head over
heels in love with the breed, and knew I wanted to add more members to my flock. After adding
three more breedup girls in June, I knew there was no turning back. I am excited to be moving
ahead with my two beautiful F2's in the breedup program as well as trying my chance at embryos
this year.
In just this short time, I have met so many wonderful people and breeders who have now become
great friends, and I'm hoping to grasp as much knowledge as I possibly can from these
experienced people. I look forward to many years of growth, knowledge and fun that this journey
will bring to my life!

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