The Tar Heels' Dying Breed

By Jennifer M. Kendall

This Saturday, thousands of Tar Heel faithful will pack Kenan Stadium for the first Carolina football game of the season. As kick-off time nears, Ramses, the coveted UNC mascot will strut down the sidelines - beaming Tar Heel pride from his radiant blue horns. But behind the wooly coat and massive horns, Ramses hides a secret that few know – he’s part of a dying breed.

A Carolina tradition since 1924, Ramses the Dorset Horn sheep may soon be a mere legend. On any given game day the 60,000 fans that pack Kenan Stadium outnumber the estimated global population of Dorset Horns. In 2009, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy listed the breed on its Conservation Priority List under the Watch Category, citing a global population of fewer than 10,000 breeding animals.

On a hot, steamy August afternoon, I met with the Hogan family of Hogan’s Magnolia View Farm, just outside of Chapel Hill. The Hogan family has kept Ramses for the past 85 years, helping to give the Dorset Horn breed a future, blue-horned ram after blue-horned ram.

“My family has been on this farm since 1757. I’m a 9th generation farmer and 4th generation ram keeper,” said Rob Hogan. In 1924, the same year the ram was introduced as the mascot, Hogan’s great-grandfather assumed the duties of the ram keeper. “My great-granddad, Clay Hogan, had four sons and two were UNC alums. Henry Hogan played on the football team. I think between the farm’s proximity to campus and the family connection to the university - it just made sense,” said Hogan.

The current Ramses is the 18th Horned Dorset kept by the Hogan family to go by this name. University archives suggest the first UNC Horned Dorset came from Texas in 1924, when then head cheerleader Vic Huggins suggested UNC get a live mascot to honor famed Jack Merrit, known to his fans as the "Battering Ram."

The current Ramses is not a direct relative of the first UNC ram, but since 1996 there has been a direct line of succeeding males. Hogan, a cattle farmer by profession, says it’s a little different from raising cattle. “With cattle, you switch out the bull every so often to keep genetic diversity, but since we always have to have a male – Ramses regularly gets a new wife from another flock.”

This year, Ramses wife’s name is Tulip. Tulip was given to the Hogans from the Cassell family, in Wytheville, VA, right in the center of Hokie country. Yes, the baby Ramses may have some Hokie blood in its veins. One great benefit of the Horned Dorset breed is that they can reproduce out of season, a quality not seen in most wooled breeds. If properly managed, Horned Dorset ewes can give birth three times over the course of just two years.

So why is the Dorset Horn sheep an endangered breed? The “blow to the horns” came from one of UNC’s biggest rivals, North Carolina State University. The rivalry went beyond the football field and into the genetic arena. In 1949, a Horned Dorset ram on an N.C. State farm sired four hornless ewes. Over the next five years, the late livestock scientists Dr. Lemuel Goode and Sam Buchanan bred the Horned Dorset ram to those four ewes and all other ewes in the flock. Finally in 1954, a ewe delivered twin rams, one with horns and one without. Within 20 years, 70 percent of all registered Dorsets were hornless (polled).

Rob Hogan has his own ties to N.C. State. Hogan graduated from State’s Agricultural Institute in the late seventies. “People ask me that all the time,” Hogan said when I asked him how a State graduate felt about being the guardian of UNC’s prized mascot. “People say it doesn’t make sense, but it makes all the sense,” Hogan offered. “The only school in this area at that time that offered agricultural education was State and knowing I was going to take over the family farm, it made all the sense to go there.” When asked how his college peers felt about his family housing the ram, he jokingly responded, “Well, you knew not to bring something like that up.”

And that led me to my next question which Hogan also knew was coming, “Who do you pull for on State vs. UNC game days?” He replied with a nonchalant, “On those days, I can’t lose.”
And with that, it was time to go find Ramses the Horned Dorset for his one-on-one. In the heat of the afternoon, he was cooling his “heels” in the wooded area of the pasture and close-by was Tulip, his current mate. Hogan approached him and convinced him to give up his shady spot for a bit.

Hogan commented, “Obviously he has a good temperament. He goes down in front of 60,000 people on any given Saturday and the bands are playing, fireworks are going off, people are hooting and hollering, and Ramses is unscathed.” Hogan says Ramses’ docile nature is just part of the breed along with some proper handling and training.

And out into the pasture came Ramses in all his horned glory. He was quite muddy and his horns were faded, but Hogan assured me that come Friday night, game rituals will commence. “Every Friday night before a home game we put him out in the backyard and he gets a shampoo.” After his shampoo comes the most important part. “After he’s clean, we paint his horns blue.”

Hogan’s entire family joins in the pre-game prepping of Ramses. Hogan’s Aunt Carolyn makes Ramses game attire which is his Carolina blue blanket. Hogan’s sons help with cleaning and prepping the animal and on game day they all enjoy the ride to town, with Ramses in the back of the pick-up truck.

As Ramses grazed in the pasture, Hogan chuckled as he shared some of his favorite questions people ask. “They always want to know where I found a sheep with blue horns. Or, they want to know if it’s male or female – never mind the two foot long testicles on the ram.” Hogan’s wife Ann added, “They always ask if he’s real.” Ram-napping stories are also a regular source of laughter for the two.

As I touched the faded blue paint on Ramses horns I was reminiscent of seasons past. While admiring this symbol of Tar Heel tradition, I could not help but wonder about the future of the breed and many others. Over 170 breeds of livestock and poultry are considered a Conservation Priority by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and the list is growing.

So this Saturday and every game day, amongst the cheers, and bands and excitement – thank the Hogans for all that they do for this breed and thank all the other Horned Dorset breeders out there helping to keep the breed alive. And when Ramses the coveted UNC mascot struts down those sidelines - beaming Tar Heel pride from his radiant blue horns – don’t take him for granted.

For more information on how to help save heritage breeds of livestock, visit http://www.albc-usa.org/.

Northeastern Exposure, Part I

By Jeannette Beranger
ALBC Research & Technical Programs Manager

ALBC was invited to a couple of events in the Northeast region of the U.S. that spanned several days. The first event was a rare breeds meeting in Troy, New Hampshire, to commemorate the establishment of the new American Kerry Cattle Society and to bring together rare breed owners and enthusiasts for a day focused on rare breed efforts in the Northeast. Afterwards I headed to New York to meet with the folks at Tilley Foster Farm in Brewster, Stone Barns Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Tarrytown, and finally the Astor Center in New York City. This is the first of four installments about the trip.

Part 1- Learning from the Past in Rhode Island
Landing in LaGuardia Airport seemed logical since the trip in the Northeast would end in this area. After picking up the rental car, I made my way north for the meeting in Troy, New Hampshire. Having lived in Rhode Island for many years, I thought I would stop in and stay the night with friends before heading to the Kerry cattle meeting the following morning. As it turns out, before I got out of New York City, I received a phone call to inform me that the meeting was postponed due to extenuating circumstances with several of the organizers. It was a great disappointment to miss the opportunity to meet with the breeders in this region but hopefully the opportunity will come around again.

Since I had plans to stay with friends in Rhode Island that evening, I decided to make the best of the circumstances and the extra time that I had on my hands to visit some farms in the area.

Rhode Island was once a strong agricultural force in early America and what most people do not realize is that it also served as a great center of horse breeding during Colonial times in the 17th and early 18th centuries, especially in and around Narragansett. The most notable equine accomplishment came in the form of a breed called the Narragansett Pacer, which got its name from the local Native American tribe from the southeast portion of the state. Prior to the development of proper roads that could accommodate carriages, the Narragansett Pacer was the “Cadillac” of its day and was famed for the comfort of its gait and the ability to travel long distances without tiring. At the height of the horses’ popularity, a Rhode Island clergyman by the name of James MacSparran wrote of them “I have seen some of them pace a mile in little more than two minutes, a good deal less than three.” At that time the Narragansett Pacer was also the favored mount of General George Washington.

Local lore about the origin of the Narragansett Pacer tells of the breeds development beginning with Lt. Governor Robinson in the early 1700’s. The most famous of his stallions was an animal by the name of “Old Snip” which is said to be the father of the Narragansett Pacer breed. Some speculate he was an Andalusian while others ponder he could have been an Irish Hobby. His origins will never be certain but he was considered an important stallion for Robinson’s horse breeding efforts.

In Colonial Rhode Island horses were managed along the coast by fencing off peninsulas and allowing the horses to run wild, feeding on the salt grasses in the marshes. This management made for outstanding horses that were toughened by the feral lifestyle and admired for their vigor. The Narragansett Pacer became the most sought after riding animal in New England and for plantation use in the southern colonies and even in the Caribbean. This ultimately became the downfall of the breed when coupled with the decline in large scale horse breeding in the region. The enormous, early plantations began to diminish in size as families grew and land became subdivided among the owners’ children over subsequent generations. At the same time, horse buyers were sent to Rhode Island to secure large numbers of horses for plantation use. In particular, one un-named purchasing agent was said to have come to Rhode Island to acquire large numbers of the finest animals for importation to Cuba. It was said that no good horse available for purchase went unsold to this man upon his visit. The end result depleted the breeding population and had a dramatic impact on the future of the breed in Rhode Island.

By the time breeders realized that the breed was in danger of disappearing, the fate of the Narragansett Pacer was set for extinction. There are no conclusive dates for exactly when the breed disappeared completely. One of the later references to the breed appears in a footnote within James Fenimore Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans published in 1826. Cooper mentions that “Narragansett Pacers are still in much request as saddle horses” when he wrote the famous novel. Locals from coastal Rhode Island say they persisted in the southern coastal counties in small numbers until the later 1800s before they disappeared altogether.

This hard lesson about the security of domestic breeds made me wonder how many others have met the same ending over the years. To me, the idea drove home the importance of the work we do for ALBC and how easily a breed can slip away if we are not vigilant.

While making my way through Rhode Island, I made an effort to drive by the historic farm of Lt. Governor Robinson. Although the farm is not open to the public, the property is still owned and lived in by his descendants. Today there are no horses to be found on the carefully manicured grounds. I am told by friends of the family that a period painting of their famous Narragansett Pacers still sits above the mantel of their fireplace and is the last remnant of the family’s legacy with the breed.

Following the visit to the Robinson farm, I traveled a short distance up the road to another historic farm called Casey Farm. Unlike the Robinson property, this colonial period farm is open to the public and has been in continuous agricultural production since 1702. (An outstanding accomplishment by any measure!) The farm is currently owned by Historic New England and operated by its caretakers Polly and Mike Hutchinson. The farm operates a very successful CSA for its produce and also offers a summer camp and a very popular farmers’ market on Saturday mornings. I happened to be there on market day and enjoyed viewing a wide variety of products ranging from cheese, to honey, to a wide assortment of organic produce and meat.

While wandering around the farm, it was great to see that they have incorporated several heritage breeds into their organic production system including a sizeable flock of Dominique chickens, Heritage Turkeys, and Belgium draft horses. A reminder of yesteryear stood atop the barn in the form of a weather vane depicting an Old English Game chicken which, no doubt, would have been a resident on the farm during colonial times.

In the next installment, the trip takes me back to New York state and to the endangered breed farm project of George Whipple at the historic Tilley Foster Farm.




For more information about RI agricultural history visit:

Casey Farm, 2325 Boston Neck Rd., Saunderstown, RI, 02874, (401) 295-1030, CaseyFarm@HistoricNewEngland.org, http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/casey.htm

Pettaquamscutt Historical Society Museum on 2636 Kingstown Road, Kingston, RI 02881, (401) 783-1328, pettaquamscutt@yahoo.com, http://www.freewebs.com/pettaquamscutt/index.htm

Historic New England, Headquarters, 141 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, (617) 227-3956, http://www.historicnewengland.org/

A New Classified Service for Rare Breeds and Rare Breed Products

I must admit that I am a CRAIGSLIST user. I love to look at the events going on in my area, the pets for adoption, and the random things that people try to sell. From jewlery to cars, to clothes and boats, Craigslist sells it all.

Over the years, many ALBC members and non-members have suggested that ALBC develop a similar "classified" site for rare breed breeders, animals, and products. Many members say that marketing is an essential part of being able to afford to raise these breedes, and they've been searching for a vehicle to help market their products.

After much discussion and development, ALBC is excited to announce the release of a classified section on the ALBC web site. The site was launched last Wednesday, August 12, and already we have nearly 100 registered users. We hope to increase this number as additional members learn about the service. The site will also be marketed to those who may not be ALBC members, but may be interested in rare breeds or their products.

Check out the new site and let us know what you think. You must be an ALBC member to post to the site, but anyone can view ads and respond to sellers.

Happy posting!