Held Hampshires

Held Hampshires raises Hampshire sheep in Aurora, South Dakota, a small community in the east-central part of the state roughly an hour west of Sioux Falls. Jeff and Mary Held manage the flock alongside their sons, Austin and Aaron, and the operation has emphasized quality Hampshire genetics since 1988.

Jeff has served as president of the American Hampshire Sheep Association and spent 30 years as the SDSU Extension Sheep Specialist, bringing a deep technical foundation to the breeding program. Mary plays an active role at the South Dakota Open Class Sheep Show at the South Dakota State Fair, where she serves as assistant superintendent. The flock's sire lines draw on respected names in the Hampshire world — including Caskey, Taylor, Rikow, and Kirlin — built over decades of careful selection, with dam lines tracing back to foundation ewes developed within the Held program itself.

Show results reflect that depth: Held-bred animals have placed at the North American International Livestock Exposition, the South Dakota State Fair, the Iowa State Fair, and the All-American Show. In 2025, Held's Hampshires was named a South Dakota Master Lamb Producer, recognizing its contributions to genetics, production, and leadership in the state's sheep industry. Buyers looking for Hampshire sheep in South Dakota with proven show and breeding credentials will find a multigenerational program with a well-documented pedigree record behind it.

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