Note: Candidate sheep must have one registered parent and be at least 7 months old at the time of application. For questions about the AB Open Registration process or forms, please send an email to ABOpenReg@blackbellysheep.org.
AB Open Registration Process and Rules
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AB Open Registration Policy and Procedures document (PDF)
AB Open Registration Forms
1. Candidate Sheep Application
You can submit/pay for a sheep to go through the AB Open Registration process by filling out the Candidate Sheep Application. There are two ways to submit the form:
- With the online Candidate Sheep Application. Complete, submit and pay online via PayPal. You will need to log into into the Member’s Area to fill out the form.
- With a downloadable PDF version of the Candidate Sheep Application which you can:
- Submit by postal mail: Print, fill out and mail your application along with printed versions of the required photos and payment; OR
- Submit by email:
- Print, fill out and scan the application (or use your phone to take a legible/in-focus photo of it), and
- Email the JPG or PDF version of your completed form along with electronic versions of the required photos to ABOpenReg@blackbellysheep.org and
- Mail payment to the address listed on the form.
2. Progeny Testing
Once your candidate sheep is approved for progeny testing by the ABOR Committee, you may download, complete and print a PDF version of the Progeny Testing form and do one of the following:
- Email the form and required photos to the committee at ABOpenReg@blackbellysheep.org.
- b. Send the form by postal mail along with the required photos.
Progeny Testing Form: Helpful Links and Reminders:
- Owner/Applicant Name (#1): Must exactly match what you submitted on the animal’s Candidate Sheep Application.
- Candidate Sheep Name (#2) and Permanent ID (#3): Must exactly match what you submitted on the animal’s original Candidate Sheep Application.
- Bred-To Sheep Name (#4), Permanent ID (#5), and Registration No. (#6): Must exactly match the Name, Farm Tag, and Reg # of an American Blackbelly sheep in the BBSAI Registry.
- If the Bred-To Sheep belongs to another breeder, submit a properly completed Certificate of Parentage along with the Progeny Testing form and photos.
- For more information about lamb COI, see the Coefficient of Inbreeding page in the Member’s Area.
Photo Requirements for AB Open Registration Forms
- The photos must be sufficient to determine if the candidate sheep and/or progeny meet the BBSAI AB Breed Standards.
- Be sure that photos meet the criteria outlined below. Inadequate photos will result in the delay of application processing.
- The photo must clearly show the front (face/ears/chest/legs), left and right sides of the body (head to rump), rear (tail and legs), and it must be taken sufficiently close to the sheep so that markings are visible.
- The photo must not be blurry or out of focus.
- The file name must include the sheep’s name and number (e.g., 0782.Rocky.jpg).
- The photo must clearly distinguish the sheep being submitted from any other sheep in the photo.
- The photo must be 400 x 300 pixels minimum and 800 x 600 pixels maximum.
- The photo file must be no larger than 2 MB.
How to Crop or Resize a Photo–Windows
How to Crop or Resize a Photo–Macintosh - Both digital and hardcopy photos should be cropped so that the sheep being registered is predominant.
- If using a digital camera, we prefer photos taken at high resolution (best quality) and set to include the date of the photo. See your camera’s instruction manual for details.
- If submitting printed photos, write the sheep ID (name and/or tag number) and date photo was taken on back of each photo.