The Romeldale/CVM breed was developed and improved with intention and a deep commitment to breed excellence.
The story of Romeldale/CVM sheep began more than a century ago.
In the early 1900s, A. T. Spencer began to develop a breed of sheep with quality fine fleece (wool) and excellent meat quality. Originally created through crossing high-quality New Zealand Romney rams on his commercial Rambouillet ewes, the foundation flock was exclusively white-wooled.
In the mid-1900s, J. K. Sexton further improved breed productivity through selection for maternal traits and twinning, as well as fleece quality (21-25 micrometer fiber diameter) and quantity (raw fleece weight 10-15 lb).
In the 1960s, Glen Eidman, a partner of J.K. Sexton, discovered a multi-colored, badger-faced ewe in his purebred Romeldale flock. Two years later, a twin ram with the same badger face pattern was born. When bred with the original ewe, the resulting off-spring also displayed badger markings.
Over the subsequent 15 years, Mr. Eidman continued to hone his badger-faced flock, which he called California Variegated Mutant (CVM). No replacement ewes or rams were sold, and only the highest quality genetics were used to replace the nucleus.
In 1982, the CVM flock, which numbered 75, was sold. The sheep were dispersed among a dozen buyers located throughout California.
Since then, purebred Romeldale sheep, including the CVM color variant, have been maintained in only a few flocks.
In order to conserve this endangered breed, we encourage registration of all prime breeding stock.
ARCA registry-eligible sheep must trace direct lineage back to the original Sexton/Eidman flock lines.
Meet the ARCA Board
The American Romeldale/CVM Association (ARCA) is chartered as a non-profit corporation in accordance with the laws of the state of Washington.
The ARCA Board is committed to the conservation and improvement of the Romeldale/CVM breed.
Correy McAtee
President
Correy has raised registered sheep for near 4 decades. Over half of that has included purebred Romeldales, the one breed that has stuck with her shepherding methodology throughout the years.
Robert “Bob” May
Vice President
Pending
Leah Saltzman
Treasurer
Leah raises Romeldale sheep with her family in Oregon, drawn to the breed’s hardiness, strong mothering, and exceptional fiber. She works with ARCA to foster mentorship and advance a regenerative American wool industry.
Kathryn “Katie” Whitlock
Secretary
A newer shepherd, Katie values ARCA’s collaborative approach to stewarding the Romeldale/CVM breed. She draws on her background in research and statistics to support strong systems and engaged membership.
Cody Nicholson
Board Member
Cody began raising registered sheep as a 4-H project and has had Romeldales for over ten years. He values the versatility and marketability the breed has to offer.
Rebecca “Becky” Pennington
Board Member
Pending
Sam Cunningham
Board Member
Pending
Katie Hartman
Junior Board Member
Katie began her sheep journey with a bummer lamb from her uncle when she was three and has grown her flock from there. Her goal is to encourage more youth to explore the wool sheep side of the industry.
American Romeldale/CVM Association, Inc. 