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 Peifer, a Logan County native and life-long farmer was honored at
the United Suffolk Sheep Association Hall of Fame along with his
business partner Kurt Birky. Jim was there in spirit only, as he had
passed away several years prior in 2013.
Angie Peifer and Kurt
Birky
Peifer and Birky were actually selected to be inducted in the Hall
of Fame in 2020. But when the coronavirus took over the world that
year, the Hall of Fame ceremony was cancelled. Therefore, the two
nominees representing Illinois and three other nominees from other
states had a year to digest their accomplishment before attending
the official induction ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2021.
Recently Angie spoke to LDN about the induction. “We were notified
in mid-2020 that Jim and his partner Kurt would be inducted but due
to covid the 2020 recognition dinner was cancelled and postponed to
2021. I felt so proud of Jim and so honored to have him recognized
for his hard work, but in some ways, it was bittersweet as he isn’t
here to enjoy this.”
At the same time, knowing her husband as she did, she had a vivid
picture of what the honor would have meant to him. “He would have
been ecstatic - and surprised. I can just imagine his smile at
getting this news and how he would have enjoyed every minute of the
recognition dinner.”
Jim Peifer began raising Suffolk sheep in 1987. As a Logan County
farmer, he had decided that he wanted something to occupy his time
during the winter months when the soil lay dormant awaiting spring
and the new growing cycle. He started out with what he called a
“hobby flock.”
During those early years he spent time with his neighbor Dale
Steffens who raised Hampshire Sheep. He learned from Steffens and
began perfecting the trade and felt the influence of his friend and
neighbor helped him get off to a good start.
Ten years into his ‘hobby’ Jim met up with Kurt Birky who had been
raising sheep since he was 11 years old. Birky joined Peifer in the
sheep breeding business in 1997 and together they established a goal
for the herd. Those goals were to, “compete at the national level,
to raise a "clean" flock, and to sell and be the "go to" flock for
top breeders.” The pair met those goals and more. By the time the
partnership dissolved in 2008, Peifer Suffolks were well known
throughout the industry.
To get the start they needed to achieve those goals, Peifer and
Birky turned to another top Suffolk breeder, Steve George. They
acquired six top stud ewes and leased two ram lambs from George, and
gained some good leadership and advice as well.
Taken from the biography presented at the Hall of Fame: “Once the
flock was established, it consisted of 30 to 35 ewes most years. The
most impactful sire during this partnership was George Brothers
3915. Through his son Doc and his daughters and granddaughters,
their impact continues on today in pedigrees around the country. The
most impactful ewe family was George Brothers 3898 and her daughter
Peifer 1015. His ewe line goes back to George Brother's great Bertha
ewe and this line does not miss.
From the left, Steve
George, Jim Peifer and Kurt Birky
“The most shining moments in Peifer Suffolks success were their four
Louisville Champions: Stroker Ace - 2002; Cracker Jack, a Stroker
Ace son - 2004 for Tom Burke; Strokin' It, another Stroker Ace son -
2005; and Alpha - Champion Ewe in 2006 whose sire is 1186, son of
1015.
“During their partnership, they also had multiple champions and
reserve champions at the Illinois and Iowa State Fairs, the Ohio
Suffolk Sale, and at Sedalia.”
Angie Peifer said that the partnership was very successful and that
the show circuit yielded many several champions. She shared one
photo of Jim and Kurt from the show days and noted that the photo
included Steve George who was a great help to the two men throughout
their show days.
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According to their biography, Peifer and Birky had a business plan
that included the time in their career that they would retire from
the sheep business. However, in 2008 the men had an opportunity to
“disperse” their flock. While it was sooner than they had
anticipated, it was perhaps the best time to do so. It was just one
year later that Peifer was diagnosed with frontotemoral
degeneration, a type of early onset dementia. Peifer’s illness
became progressively worse and in 2013 Jim passed away.
Birky had moved on by then and is now working mostly with Ruby
Mountain Sheep Company in Spring Creek, Nevada. Birky is enjoying
much success working with owner Cynthia Huckins much the same way he
did with Jim Peifer. He advises her on breeding and genetics and
helps to fit and show her sheep around the country.
Noting that Jim and Kurt had established goals for their sheep
breeding career, Angie was asked if being inducted into the Hall of
Fame was something that the Jim had aspired to.
“I really don’t think he ever considered that,” she said. “He was in
the business because he loved doing it - taking care of his mama
ewes and baby lambs; watching them grow and develop into beautiful
show and breeding animals; going to shows and connecting with other
Suffolk breeders who became his friends and coming home from those
shows with trophies that recognized his hard work; welcoming
prospective buyers and showing off his flock at the farm - and then
depositing those nice checks when they bought.”
In November, Angie Peifer and family members traveled to Louisville
for the Hall of Fame Banquet. She said that it was a very meaningful
event for her and noted that it was a celebration of Jim’s life.
“It was a blessing to be there. The induction dinner occurred a few
weeks after the eighth anniversary of Jim’s death and for me it
turned that anniversary into a celebration of sorts. I had an
opportunity to see and visit with some of the Suffolk sheep people
that Jim had so enjoyed knowing and working with and to hear their
warm and funny memories of him. I felt their love for him in their
stories. And the evening was made more special in that I got to
share it with Jim’s brothers Tom and Bob and my sisters-in-law Patty
and Michelle.”
Angie along with Jim’s brothers and sisters-in-law returned home
with a couple of mementos acknowledging the special event and Jim’s
accomplishments during his sheep rearing career. But what they
really brought home with them was a memory, a warm feeling of love
and acceptance from those who were Jim’s peers in the industry, and
stories from that event that will be shared throughout the
generations of the Peifer family.
LDN thanks Angie Peifer for sharing this with us and allowing us to
share it with our readers. While Jim may no longer be of this world,
it is obvious that his life was one well lived, and well worth
remembering for years to come.
[Nila Smith]
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