From Premium Forages to Supreme Champions: Larry Mastine's Passion Project Reaches New Heights
What does it take to produce a Supreme Champion? For Larry Mastine and his wife Michelle, the answer is decades of commitment, careful genetic selection, and a foundation built on high-quality DLF forage. This summer, their passion project reached new heights on the national stage.
For 32 years, Larry Mastine has helped support Canadian forage producers through his work at DLF. Away from the office, however, he is equally committed to another passion: raising purebred Suffolk sheep.
Together with his wife, Michelle, Larry has spent the past 24 years building their breeding program, carefully selecting genetics and focusing on producing animals capable of succeeding at the highest levels of competition. That dedication paid off in a remarkable way this summer at the 2026 Canadian Sheep Breeders' Association (CSBA) All Canada Sheep Classic in Pictou, Nova Scotia.
The All Canada Sheep Classic is widely recognized as Canada's premier national purebred sheep event. Hosted by a different province each year, it brings together breeders from across the country to showcase and market some of the nation's top genetics. What makes the event unique is that every animal entered must be offered for sale, making both show-ring success and buyer demand equally important measures of achievement.
For Larry and Michelle, this year's event was unforgettable.
Their flock earned the prestigious Supreme Flock title, recognizing the overall strength and consistency of their breeding program. Even more impressively, their ram Mastine Rip 43N was selected as Supreme Champion Ram, standing above representatives from ten different sheep breeds competing at the national event. Public event results also show Mastine Razor 4P was the highest-selling ram, while Mastine Esmee 3P was the top-selling female across all breeds. Additional highlights included the third-highest selling ram (Mastine Rip 43N) and a strong placing for Mastine June 59N, which finished second among Suffolk fall ewe lambs.
While the awards and sale results were exciting, Larry views them as the culmination of years of commitment rather than a single successful weekend.
"Success in livestock breeding doesn't happen overnight," Larry says. "It's the result of years of genetic selection, management decisions, and attention to detail every day."
That attention begins with nutrition.
As someone who has spent decades working with forage products, Larry knows firsthand the impact quality feed can have on animal performance. The Mastines' sheep program relies heavily on forage-based nutrition, specifically DLF Fiber Energy grass mixtures.
He proudly says, "They eat nothing but DLF forages."
High-quality forage provides the foundation for animal health, growth, and performance, helping livestock express the genetic potential that breeders work so hard to develop.
"You can invest in the best genetics available," Larry explains, "but genetics are only part of the equation. To truly see what those animals are capable of, they need the right nutrition from the ground up."
DLF Fiber Energy products were developed to help producers maximize forage quality and animal performance. By combining carefully selected grass species and varieties, the mixtures are designed to deliver highly digestible forage that supports livestock productivity. For Larry, that translates into sheep that maintain condition, grow efficiently, and perform to their full potential.
"We spend years developing our breeding program," he says. "Quality forage helps ensure those genetics have every opportunity to shine."
The 2026 All Canada Sheep Classic represents the latest chapter in a journey that began more than two decades ago. While Larry and Michelle have enjoyed success at the national event before, this year's results stand apart.
Winning Supreme Flock, producing the Supreme Champion Ram, and topping the sale charts is the kind of accomplishment most breeders dream about.
"We've had good years before, but this was certainly our most rewarding Classic. To see our animals recognized at that level among breeders from across Canada was incredibly special."
For Larry's colleagues at DLF, the achievement also serves as a reminder that many of the people behind the company's products are producers themselves. They understand firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing livestock operations because they live them every day.
"I work with these products every day, so I have confidence in what they can do. Our sheep are a reflection of the same forage quality we're recommending to producers," he says.
Whether he's helping customers find the right forage solution or preparing sheep for Canada's most prestigious purebred event, Larry brings the same passion and commitment to success.
And this year, that dedication earned national recognition.
