Championdrive.com is pleased to present this week's, “Beyond the Winner's Circle” featuring Jerry Flanders from Noblesville, IN. We invite you to read our interview with Dr. Flanders below. Please continue to check back weekly for our next edition of “Beyond the Winner's Circle”.
Where do you live?
Noblesville, IN
Married/Kids?
Not married….with 4 nephews and 2 nieces
College/Major?
B.S. Animal Sciences at Purdue University 1992-1996
DVM at Purdue University Veterinary School 1996-2000
What is your job/career?
Owner and solo practitioner in a mixed animal veterinary clinic
VIP Animal Care in Noblesville, IN
Has showing impacted your career?
Showing livestock has definitely impacted my desire to becoming a veterinarian. I also raise club lambs and have expanded my 4-H flock now to around 150 ewes. Showing and raising sheep has definitely given me a unique nitch as a livestock producer and a veterinarian. Many of my clients enjoy asking about my farm life and can appreciate a large animal perspective when it comes to practicality and vet medicine. Showing has also given me the passion for keeping all animals healthy.
What do you feel your biggest accomplishment is thus far?
My biggest accomplishment is opening my own veterinarian practice 8 years ago. This also inspired me to make my own version of the sheep/goat vaginal sponge called VIPs (Vaginal Inserted Progesterone Sponges). These became very popular for several years with my sheep and goat clients to synchronize for breeding, since there was to other legal pessary for sale here in the United States. This was after my veterinary externship in Australia in sheep reproduction and AI.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Still raising club lambs and practicing veterinary medicine
What was your favorite show? Why?
NAILE is my favorite show because of the prestige and the fond memories of winning Grand Champion in 1995 and going through the sale of champions
What was your favorite lamb you showed? Why?
“Auggie” was the Champion Suffolk and Grand overall Market Lamb at NAILE in 1995.
He was a wether I purchased after the Indiana State Fair for the Louisville, KY show.
What did you enjoy the most about showing?
It definitely was the competitive drive and the rush from winning that fueled my passion for showing. I started out as younger 4-H member that didn’t have the best lambs when I started but I knew I wanted to get in that winnerscircle. I watched and learned from other people that I admired in and out of the show ring. I would  practice all the time with my wethers to brace and profile with a window reflection on the patio. This was a new showing style that I picked up in my later 4-H career that I noticed at the national and open shows.
What do you miss most about showing?
Old Friendships with people 20 years ago
Who helped you along the way the most?
My ag teacher Tom Younts and Joe Martin to people that were very helpful in my development in showing.
What is one piece of advice for those looking to go into your career?
Have passion for what you do and compassion for the people and animals aroundyou.
If you had two lambs in the grand drive, which would you get to show the other one?
This actually happened to me in the grand drive at NAILE in 1995. I had the Champion Suffolk and Champion Dorset that year. I show the Suffolk wether and I had Mark Henny showed the Dorset during the Grand Drive. The Suffolk got Grand and the Hamp got Reserve and the judge mention the Dorset as being a close 3rd overall.
Thank you Jerry and best wishes in the future!
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