For Additional Information, contact:
Kyle Partain, 303-771-3500, ext. 106 or [email protected]
Judy Malone, 303-771-3500, ext. 104 or [email protected]

DENVER, Colo. – Once again, it’s time to start sorting through your photos. Remember that great shot you took during lambing? Or the one you snapped while pushing the sheep to summer range? Or how about the one you’ve been planning to take of the flock out on pasture? They could pay off in the form of a cash award in the 2016 ASI Photo Contest.

More importantly, winning photos will be featured in the Sheep Industry News, earning the top-rated photographers a year’s worth of bragging rights. A year ago, Michael Lark submitted a photo of sheep crossing the Big Wood River on a suspension bridge that earned first place in the action category. More than a dozen admirers of the photo were passed along to the photographer after calling the ASI office in Denver to request a copy of the winning shot.

Rules and prizes for the 2016 contest haven’t changed, but ASI has made one change in the competition’s categories for this year. The shearing category has been changed slightly to fine wool in 2016. Any shot centered around fine wool, be it shearing, baling or fleece related can be entered in this category.

Photographs entered in the contest will be judged on clarity, content, composition and appeal. More than $1,000 will be awarded, with awards of $125 going to the grand-prize winner in each of the five categories listed below; $75 for the first runner-up in each category; and a $50 prize for the second runner-up in each of the five categories. The deadline? Entries must be received in the ASI office by Aug. 22, to be considered.

The winning photos will be highlighted in the October 2016 issue of the Sheep Industry News and will be available on Oct. 1 at www.sheepusa.org. Only the grand-prize winner, first runner-up and second runner-up in each category will be notified of their winnings.

Photographers are advised to submit photographs in large file sizes. Also, judges and ASI staff encourage entrants to provide both horizontal and vertical photos. This will better assure your talented and creative photos can be shared in future issues of the Sheep Industry News.

Below are the five categories in this year’s contest:

1. Action – Photographs of activities such as moving/trailing sheep, lambing, tagging, feeding, etc.
2. Scenic (East) – Photographs of sheep outdoors located east of the Mississippi River. (Photos entered in this category cannot include people.)
3. Scenic (West) – Photographs of sheep outdoors located west of the Mississippi River. (Photos entered in this category cannot include people.)
4. Fine Wool – Photographs that spotlight the strength, beauty and natural magic of American wool, to include shearing, fleece photos or any shot that captures the qualities of fine wool.
5. Open – Photographs with subject matter that does not fall into the four above-listed categories.

Other contest rules:

• ASI can use or reproduce all entries at the discretion of ASI. In addition, entries will not be returned.
• ASI is not required to notify photographers when photos are used in materials.
• Pictures can be submitted via hard copy or electronically.
• All entries must be at least 3″x5″ color or black-and-white high-resolution pictures (larger sizes encouraged).
• Entries must be submitted in the name of the person who took the photograph.
• Entries are limited to two per category per person.
• Only photographs that have been taken in the past six years can be entered.
• Photographs submitted in previous ASI photo contests cannot be re-entered.
• The following information needs to be included with each submission: title of photo; category (from the five listed above) into which it is being entered; photographer’s name; mailing address; phone number; email address; and approximate location/date of photo.

Entries should be emailed to Sheep Industry News Editor Kyle Partain at [email protected] with the subject line of ASI Photo Contest. Those mailing photos should send them to ASI; Attn: Photo Contest; 9785 Maroon Circle, Suite 360; Englewood, CO 80112.

ASI is an equal opportunity employer. It is the national trade organization supported by 45 state sheep associations, benefiting the interests of more than 85,000 sheep producers.