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Coyote Acres Ranch (Patric & Lorri Lyster)
Box 24, Halkirk, Alberta, T0C 1M0
Ph. 403-884-2625 Fax. 403-884-2635
patric@coyoteacresranch.com or lorri@coyoteacresranch.com
Horned Dorset page
78P yearling picture

Horned Dorset page

We have been raising Horned Dorsets since 1993. Prior to that I had raised commercial sheep and then raised Suffolks and Polled Dorsets. As well we are raising Shropshires. I started in the sheep business in 1973 commercially and started in purebreds in 1977 with Suffolks. In 1980 I added Polled Dorsets which eventually led to selling off the Suffolk flock. The Dorsets' ability to breed out of season coupled with their mothering and milking ability gave them quite an edge in profitability. The Horned Dorset had always appealed to me but were not readily available in Western Canada so I held off for awhile. In 1993 I had some Horned lambs born to polled parents, rekindling the wish to try Horned Dorsets. In 1994 I purchased some registered sheep from Brian Cathcart. Throughout the years I have added genetics from many Ontario breeders as well as purchasing the majority of the Cox Creek flock from Quebec. I also purchased a ram from Greg Marshall in Nova Scotia. Perhaps the most important genetic acquisition has been the purchase of semen from New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The New Zealand ram Douglas Downs 77/95 introduced some outside genetics from a great ram who has since had his genetics spread throughout the world. The ram from Greg Marshall was a ram he had purchased from William Crowson. This ram was the result of semen that had been imported from the Poorton flock in the United Kingdom. So when I went looking for another bloodline, it wasn't long until I was in contact with Francis Fooks, the owner of the Poorton Flock. I was able to make a deal to get semen from his best proven flock sire, Poorton W124. Through artificial insemination, we have addded these great genetics to our flock. I continue to use both Douglas Downs 77/95 and Poorton W124 via A.I.. I also currently use a son of W124, a son off the Crowson (Greg Marshall) ram as well as having a rams from John Fisher, Karl Bowen and Brian Cathcart. Always on the lookout for different bloodlines that are proven, who knows where our search will lead to next. My goal is to find superior genetics and then linebreed to them to help instill it in my flock as a breeding line. In this way I not only get the outcross but also can preserve the bloodline for future use.


We have not shown very much in recent years as the top show ring sheep are often not the type that I feel are the profitable kind for the commercial producer. However, we try to show or perhaps rather display our sheep at the All Canada Classic. We have had numerous Grand and Reserve Champions with our Horned Dorsets. My son, Rocky, has also done quite well showing Horned Dorsets in the junior shows. Most recently he won the T.M. Reed Memorial Award for the best ewe lamb at Farmfair International in Edmonton, Alberta.

Breeding stock available. Check our sale barn for current listings.

History and breed facts: The exact history of the Horned Dorset is not real clear. History tells that the Spanish wished to conquer England, perhaps at this time Merinos were introduced to Southwest England. Crossing with the Horned Sheep of Wales may have resulted in the start of the Horned Dorset, a desirable all-purpose sheep. Whatever the true beginning was, thus began a breed of sheep which spread over Dorset, Somerset, Devon, and most of Wales, which were called Horned Dorsets. As early as 1860 Dorsets (as they were known in the USA) appeared in Oregon. In 1885 Dorsets from England were exhibited in Chicago. This seems to have been one of the first importations to the Eastern United States. In 1949 the first POLLED Dorsets were born at North Carolina State University. They were born to Horned parents, a mutation is believed to have occurred in their sire. However it wasn't until 1956 that they were accepted into the Continental Dorset Club registry. Thus began the era of the Polled Dorset which led to the Horned Dorset reaching a level of being rare. My belief is that despite the characteristics of Polled Dorsets being similar to Horned Dorsets, the comparison is somewhat hard to make. The Polled Dorsets have been selected quite heavily for the show ring and either through neglect to select for out of season breeding or questionable genetics, they have lost some of what has made Dorsets so highly sought after. Both Horned and Polled Dorsets are a white sheep of medium size with good length of body and excellent muscling. Rams should weigh 225 to 275 pounds or more at maturity and ewes normally weigh from 150 to 200 pounds. They produce a very white fleece that is strong and close, weighing normally between 5 and 9 pounds. Dorsets produce excellent carcasses and are noted for being one of the most sought after producers of lightweight carcasses, especially for Christmas and Easter. The Dorsets' biggest claim to fame is their OUT OF SEASON breeding capability. The ewes are also known to be good milkers and excellent mothers with a high percentage of multiple births being produced. Early maturity enables the ewes to produce their first lamb crop at a year of age and their longevity allows them to continue producing for many years, with some producing into their teen years.

Horned Dorset page
144R as Lamb
Horned Dorset page
2001 Champion Ram
Horned Dorset page
2001 Reserve Champion Ram
Horned Dorset page
2003 Classic Flock
Horned Dorset page
2003 Classic Ram Lamb
Horned Dorset page
Champion Ewe 2001
Horned Dorset page
Champion Ewe Lamb Farmfair 2006,
Horned Dorset page
Douglas Downs 77 95 AI Sire
Horned Dorset page
Flock Sire 78P
Horned Dorset page
Flocksire 144R Sired by W124
Horned Dorset page
W124 Taken As Old Ram AI Sire
Horned Dorset page
W124 Son Owned By Francis Fooks
Horned Dorset page
2 year old ewe
Horned Dorset page
mature ewe off Douglas Downs 77/95
Horned Dorset page
young ewe
Horned Dorset page
making the bed
Horned Dorset page
Champion and reserve 2009 All Canada Classic
Horned Dorset page
Champion Horned Dorset ewe, all Canada Classic 2012
Horned Dorset page
Reserve Champion Horned Dorset ewe, 2013 All Canada Classic.
Horned Dorset page
Reserve Champion Horned Dorset ram, 2013 All Canada Classic.
Horned Dorset page
147E was the Champion Horned Dorset Ewe at the 2018 All Canada Classic.

Coyote Acres Ben 204L

Jan. 25, 2023   Horned Dorset   (799509)   Male    Contact us for pricing
Coyote Acres Ben 204L
 
Coyote Acres Ben 204L
 
Coyote Acres Ben 204L
 
Coyote Acres Ben 204L
 
Coyote Acres Ben 204L
 
Coyote Acres Ben 204L
204L was Champion Horned Dorset Ram at the 2023 All Canada Classic.

204L is a son of a Janicki ram that is pretty much an outcross for most Canadian flocks. His dam goes back on the paternal side to British genetics and on the maternal side to the flock of Monte Forster in Oregon. 204L is a long bodied individual. Scrapie genotype is pending. 204L shows and sells in the All Canada Classic in Barriere, BC, July 7-6.

Janicki 19-0293 Janicki 14-188
Janicki 13-072
Coyote Acres Toni 92H Coyote Acres Poorton996G
Coyote Acres Buffy 491C

Coyote Acres Toni 143L

Jan 11, 2023   Horned Dorset   (799511)   Female    Contact us for pricing
Coyote Acres Toni 143L
 
Coyote Acres Toni 143L
 
Coyote Acres Toni 143L
 
Coyote Acres Toni 143L
 
Coyote Acres Toni 143L
143L was Champion Horned Dorset Ewe at the 2023 All Canada Classic.

Probably my best Horned Dorset ewe lamb from the January lamb crop. Her sire 996G is my main flock sire. I really like his lambs of both sexes, but especially his daughters. They are quickly becoming my best ewes. I should be keeping this one, but have decided to enter her in the All Canada Classic in Barriere, B.C.. She is long on British genetics with a large shot of genetics from the Monte Forester flock from Oregon (one of the best traditional US flocks that has now been dispersed). See her in Barriere July 7-8.

Coyote Acres Poorton996G Poorton W124 1671
Coyote Acres Sammy 146D
Coyote Acres Sammy 162D Sandy Lane Trojan
Double jt Caroline 31C

Coyote Acres Poorton 996G

Jan. 17, 2019   Horned Dorset   (755568-H)   Male   
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 
Coyote Acres Poorton 996G
 

Poorton W124 1671 Brewen Park 519-96
Poorton P22
Coyote Acres Sammy 146D Sandy Lane Trojan
Double J T Yolanda 25Y

Janicki 19-0293

Feb. 8, 2019   Horned Dorset   (741796)   Twin   Male   
Janicki 19-0293
 
Janicki 19-0293
 
Janicki 19-0293
 
Janicki 19-0293
 
Janicki 19-0293
 

This ram came to us from the sudden dispersal of a friend in BC. We have decided to keep him and use him.

Janicki 14-188 Janicki 502
Janicki 405
Janicki 13-072 Janicki 735
Janicki 575

SANDY LANE TROJAN

  HORNED DORSET   MALE   
SANDY LANE TROJAN
 

TROJAN IS IN USE BY A.I. TROJAN WAS SELECTED FROM THE AMAZING SANDY LANE HORNED DORSET FLOCK OWNED BY SAM DRIVER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE SANDY LANE FLOCK PRODUCES LARGE NUMBERS OF EXCELLENT CARCASS LAMBS AS WELL AS RAISING SOME OF THE BEST STUD SHEEP THAT ONE CAN FIND IN THE HORNED DORSET BREED. DUE TO THE ROUGH TERRAIN THAT THE SHEEP ARE RAISED ON AND THE NUMBERS THAT SAM RUNS, IT ENSURES THAT THE SHEEP ARE VERY SOUND AND LOW MAINTENANCE. PICKING JUST ONE RAM FROM SAM'S FOCK WAS NOT EASY BUT WE CHOSE TROJAN AND THE RESULTS HAVE NOT DISAPPOINTED US. HE SIRES THICK MEATY LAMBS WITH PLENTY OF BONE AND TONS OF BREED CHARACTER. WE WILL BE USING HIM AGAIN IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS USING ONE OF HIS BEST SONS.

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