History

Flock History

Double "O" Acres is the farm name for O'Brien Oxfords that was established in 1966 as a 4-H project for Wayne. "Even back then I liked big sheep with extension and frame." From the beginning. Wayne loved the Oxfords and loved to rip on his brother Ron about how big and tall his Oxfords were compared to his brothers old fashioned Hampshires.

The Oxford lambs were aggressive and the ewes popped out the lambs at birth on their own. With a few more purchases of females from the McKerrow's of Wisconsin, Tom Harris of Iowa, and James Hanson of Wisconsin the breed flock was established. The O'Brien's made their first trip to the Iowa State Fair in 1972 and had their first home-bred National Champion in 1973 on a ram lamb named "Pilot" at the Chicago International Livestock Exposition. Wayne sold a ram lamb at the National Oxford Show and Sale in 1974 named "Socrates" who was a triple-crown champion that fall at Harrisburg, Louisville, and Chicago for Walter Johnson of Ohio. Wayne's brother, Ron, had a wake-up call, sold out of the Hampshires and embraced the Oxfords. Word was soon out that the "brothers from Iowa" were a force to be dealt with in Oxford circles at both shows and sales.

At the National Oxford Sale in 1975 a pen of Canadian bred ewe lambs sired by the immortal Dishembolt 6c, an imported Scottish Oxford ram, were offered in the sale. Wayne recognized their potential. He bought the most extreme of the three lambs. The ewe lamb grew like a weed. After standing last place that year at the Chicago International, the import ewe they called "Queen Elizabeth" grew into a monster yearling who was undefeated in class at Iowa, Wisconsin, and Louisville.

Wayne decided that they needed to get up to Canada before everyone saw her as a yearling and knew how good she was. He contacted the Jackson Brothers of Stratheral Farms in Rockwood, Ontario Canada and made a spur of the moment trip to check out the Canadian Oxfords. Wayne's co-pilot was his sister, Mary. Neither green horn had much distance driving experience, but managed to cross the boarder and find their way to the Jackson's farm. We found the yearlings and lambs much to our liking and purchased their 4 best ewe lambs, 2 yearling ewes, and an unrelated yearling ram from another Scottish bred ram that they called "Pilgrim." We were so excited about the sheep we loaded up the next morning to head for home and were only about 50 miles from home when I realized we forgot to pay for the sheep! Unknown to Wayne, Irwin had taken a liking to Mary. Wayne was getting married in the end of July to Shelley Wust and picked the best of the ewe lambs he had purchased as a wedding gift to her. Shelley called the ewe "Brides Pride". Wayne and Shelley moved the sheep from Cresco, Iowa to Greene, Iowa where, at the time, Wayne was a speech, English, and drama teacher. The sheep would stay in Greene for the next 17 years.

Irwin and Mary had a surprise of their own by falling in love and getting married in the states in late October of the year they met, and then moved back to Canada where they raised Oxford and Suffolk sheep. For several years DOA and Strathearl Farms competed each year at the National Sale and Louisville. After dispersing their Oxfords several years later, Mary and Irwin and their children, Spencer and Andrea joined the pit crew in trimming and showing Double "O" Acres Oxfords annually at Louisville. The imported Scottish Oxford bloodlines, combined with DOA's own bloodlines, provided a tremendous genetic kick throughout the late seventies and through much of the 1980's at the National Sale and in the major Oxford shows across the country. The addition of Neary's 1979 National Champion "Spectacular Bid" for a record selling $3,200 in the Neary Dispersal Sale. She and a son "Dynasty" provided the genetic base that dominated the Oxford shows and Sales and National Champions well into the 1990's. Many homebred National Champion Rams and big time breeding rams like "Nucleus", "Executive", "Blockbuster", "Dynasty", and "High Tower, "Star Power", "Megabuck", "Cyclops", "Atom", "Impulse", and "Longfellow" provided the stud service for an impressive breeding unit of great females

Double "O" Acres had the Supreme Champion Sheep over all breed with rams and ewes competing in 1981 at Louisville on their stud ram "Executive" a top "Nucleus" son. Careful selection and line breeding provided genetic consistency and repeatability. One of their most proponent ewes, "Chablis", the 1989 National Reserve Champion Ewe, produced 4 National Champion Ewes and two stud rams "Cyclops" & "Atom" that indeed stamped the size and productivity that put DOA on

the top of the sales and shows across the United States. Then another "Chablis" daughter in 1994, DOA 93-093 "Cinnamon", defended her title of National Champion Ewe in 1993 and went on to be named Supreme Champion Ewe in 1994 at Louisville.

In 1993 Wayne left his job in Greene to enter educational administration. Wayne, Shelley, Eric, Justin and Holly moved west of Des Moines for two years and then moved back to north east Iowa to West Union. During the two year period Wayne's family lived in Menlo, the sheep moved up by Albert Lea, Minnesota. Shortly after moving to West Union in the summer of 1994 Wayne's brother, Ron, became terminally ill and passed away in the spring of 1996. Despite the loss of their brother and uncle, Shelley, Wayne, and their three children were determined to keep the sheep together and began moving sheep down from the farm in Minnesota and rented barn and pasture space a few miles from West Union. It took a lot of time and energy to keep things going over the next several years.

In 1998 Wayne and Eric went out in search of an outcross ram. They invested in a buck lamb they called "High Style" who tested NNQR from Winning Ways. He was named National Champion Ram that November. He produced some excellent offspring on DOA big brood ewes. His top son to date is DOA "High Steps" NNQR who has left then a great set of females as well as two tremendous sons.

In the spring of 2001 when Wayne and Shelley purchased 16 acres with a home about a mile south of West Union. In the spring of 2002 we brought in the bulldozer and took out trees in some areas and thinned out others allowing good shade for the sheep, but enough sun to grow pastures. The barn construction and high tensel fencing started in June and were completed by July. The sheep arrived in late July in time to get ready for the Wisconsin and Iowa State Fairs. For the first time ever, we had a wash room to work in rather than working outside in the elements. (The home, acreage, and sheep facilities can be viewed elsewhere on this web page.) With the depth of the yearling ewes, yearling rams, and stud ram, and their exciting 2004 lamb crop, the O'Briens are looking for another impressive year as well for many years to come.

Presently, DOA is using DOA "High Steps" NNPQR. He has left them 3 outstanding breeding sons from 3 different ewe families, as well as a phenomenal set of breeding females. "High Profile" an extreme long necked a bodied ram provides a very extended profiling "breeding piece". DOA 3054 "RembRRant"-- NNRR, a top yearling ram, is very correct, large, and provides the "RR codon piece". We are also super high on DOA 7100 NNQR "Thoroughbred". "Thoroughbred" is a very tall, huge ram with a beautiful clean and extended front end with beautiful color. We are most excited about the lambs as he sires consistently great rams and ewes. (Check these out on the "What's New" tab and "Leading Men" tab) With the depth of the yearling ewes, yearling stud rams, and their 2004 lamb crop, we are looking for another impressive year as well for many years to come. DOA has a totally clean flock free of the spider gene and guarantees their sheep to be "spider free". They have also been focusing on selection for the "R" factor in their genetic base, as well.

Double "O" Acres has bred 9 of the last 11 National Champion Ewes as well as breeding many of the National Champion rams or having the DOA bloodlines rich in the pedigrees of the National Champion rams and ewes for their customers over the years. Annually, DOA consigns a powerful set of Oxfords to the National Oxford Show and Sale and have been awarded the prestigious "Best Consignment Award" 14 of the last 15 years. Double "O" Acres have never missed the National Oxford Sale in 30 years and their consignments over the years have made breed history posting many of the top consignment sale averages, many of the top selling individuals, and won champions many times over. Individuals sold in the National Sale and off the farm have gone on to win for their many customers at state fairs, regional shows from coast to coast, as well as winning National Champion honors many times over for their customers. The success of DOA bloodlines has had a long and enduring influence on the breed. DOA is one the most consistently prominent flocks in the breeds history over the last 35 years. Double "O" Acres have been Premier Exhibitor for the past 28 straight years where ever shown including the National Show at Louisville, regardless of the judge. No flock in the country of any breed has eclipsed this record.