The Ambassador to the Breed award was initiated by the ABGA Board of Directors in 2012 to honor people who the association feels have made an impact on the goat industry. This year, the Board of Directors selected three recipients for the 2019 Ambassador to the Breed. Coni Ross has been in the goat industry since 1978. Coni's long background in goats coupled with her nursing background has truly made her an asset to the Boer Goat industry. Also selected for the Ambassador award was Dr. Fred Homeyer, who is known across the world for his goat judging and selection. Rounding out the three recipients was Mr. Joe Tipton. Joe is known for his love of the black Boer goats. Joe was unable to make the National Show, but was humbled by the selection. "This is an award that means so much. We have worked to select goats based on solid traits and color," Tipton said. "This is such an honor."
Ambassador to the Breed - Coni Ross
I started raising goats in 1978: Spanish goats, and then a few Angoras for brush control. I purchased the first registered Angoras in 1980. In 1988-’89, we purchased 500 Cashmere embryos from Mc Sherry on the S. Island of New Zealand. I served as Dist. 8 Chairperson of TSGRA for 2 years, and testified in behalf of livestock raisers before the Texas State Senate. President of Texas Cashmere Assn, President of Cashmere Producers of American, BOD of American Meat goat Assn. For 10 years, ABGA BOD 3 years. I have judged goats since 1985. Angoras, Cashmere, meat goats, and Boer goats. I have judged Canadian Boer nationals, and multiple major regional shows in Canada, and taught their Angora and Boer Judge certifications. There used to be two of us who judged all those breeds, Joe David Ross my esteemed friend was the other, and he has retired. I purchased my first Boer goats in 1995, and joined ABGA that year. My first owned and bred Boers were from AI using Cashmere does. My first does were daughters of Tsjaka. In 1998, Oscar won NGC and I had use of one of his sons on my Tsjaka daughters. Almost all the goats in my program are descended from these bloodlines. I was certified as an ABGA judge by the S. Africans, and started judging Boer shows starting in ’98. In 2001, Two of our does M28, Panache was overall grand at the State fair of Texas. Her sisters, M 33, 30 and 31 were right behind her in the class. M 33 was Grand meat goat doe. These does were huge, capacious does that had and reared twins and triplets. M33 had quintuplets the first time and raised them all. Their lineage is old S. African. My breeding program has focused on production. A goat that can make a living, grow well, raise kids with little or no intervention, and have worm resistance. It has been my honor to serve as a judge, and to help others with goat management, and goat “911” for most of my adult life. I am an RN and as one old man once said, “ my early education” helped a lot. Coni Ross 42 - The Boer Goat
