October 22, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – To commemorate 50 years in the Hereford business, 12 farms and ranches were named Golden Breeders for their steadfast commitment to the breed during the American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Membership …
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – To commemorate 50 years in the Hereford business, 12 farms and ranches were named Golden Breeders for their steadfast commitment to the breed during the American Hereford Association (AHA) Annual Membership Meeting in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 21.
This year’s Golden Breeders are:
B&C Cattle Co., Miami, Texas
B&C Cattle Company is a dual-purpose operation located in Miami, Texas, specializing in registered Hereford cattle for both the commercial cattle ranchers and seedstock producers. B&C Cattle Co. is owned and operated by Bill and Edie Breeding, along with their son, Chad Breeding: grandson, Austin; and wife, Abby; Blayke, Wyatt, Lillian and Blair. B&C Cattle Co. has been raising registered Herefords since 1957 and has accomplished many milestones along the way, including numerous national champion titles at the National Western Stock Show and Cattlemen’s Congress.
C&L Hereford Ranch, Ixonia, Wis.
C&L Hereford Ranch began with Charles and Lorna Folkman. The couple built their cow herd with daughters of the RWJ K9 bull from Calderon Curran in Grass Lake, Mich., and female purchases from regional state shows and sales. They shared herd sires with Arnold Jorns, who ran his herd alongside theirs. The Folkman family’s first exposure to AI was purchasing six packages of semen of the breed icon Enforcer 107H. Eventually, the ranch began exhibiting at state and regional shows, and relocated its cattle to the ranch’s current location in Ixonia, Wis. Steve Folkman currently operates the ranch, and has served the Hereford breed in multiple capacities. Jill Folkman, Steve’s wife, served on the National Hereford Women (NHW) board. The most important aspect of the ranch is family. Steve and Jill’s children, Nicky, Ali, Curtis and Austin Folkman are involved in all aspects of the daily operation.
Double OO Herefords, Eugene, Ore.
As a junior high school student in the early 1960s, Mike Owen and his father, Don, started Double OO Herefords in Eugene, Ore. Mike began raising Hereford steers and heifers as 4-H projects. After graduating college in 1969, the operation expanded with the purchase of more property. Mike began working with Willard Wolf from the AHA to find and purchase herd bulls. When his children, Jessica and Jed, were growing up, he became a 4-H leader of the same club he belonged to as a youngster. He has mentored countless kids, taking pride in ensuring there were quality Hereford steers in the club each year. As demand grew for Double OO’s bulls, Mike began taking them to the Red Bluff, National Western Stock Show and Klamath Falls bull sales. Mike is still a consignor at Klamath Falls today, having exhibited many champion pen and halter bulls. Mike has been honored as Consignor of the Year as well.
Everhart Farms, Waldron, Ind.
Harry and Betty Everhart knew if they were going to raise six children the right way, they should invest in Hereford cattle and put the kids to work. In 1968, Harry bought a bull and two heifers at the Indiana State Sale. Even though they raised commercial cattle and hogs when they were first married, these were the first registered animals the couple ever owned. In 1971, Harry and family became lifetime members of the AHA and each of their children showed their Hereford heifers at state and national events. The cattle were an important part of utilizing less productive Indiana soil not suited for record-breaking state corn production and giving responsibility to their children. Betty and Harry consider their children, Katrina, Bruce, Chris, Cindy, Diana and Tim, to be their greatest accomplishments. A lifetime of Hereford friends continue to follow their family and herd as their legacy lives on with Hereford cattle and through their 14 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
High Country Farm, Sanford, N.C.
High Country Farm began with Claud Austin and his daughter, Claudia. Claud owned commercial cattle for several years but bought his first purebred polled Hereford cow in 1969. Claud started showing cattle in 1971 at the Caldwell County Fair and did not miss a year until the fair stopped having an open show in 2009. Claudia joined him in the showring at the age of 10. After that, Claud preferred to work the chutes and let his daughter do most of the showing. After Claudia graduated from North Carolina State University, they expanded their show circuit to include shows in eastern Tennessee and North Carolina. With only 12 brood cows, they had several grand or reserve champions at these fairs over the years. When Claudia became too old to show at junior shows, Claud lent many show heifers to juniors over the following 30 years. Claudia has continued that tradition after Claud’s passing in 2014. Claudia still maintains a small Hereford herd in the North Carolina mountains and plans to carry on High Country Farm as long as she can, fulfilling Claud’s dreams.
Hutton Ranch, Ainsworth, Neb.
Ed and Rovern Hutton purchased their first registered Hereford heifers in the early 1970s. They raised registered Herefords through the years, and maintained a successful commercial Hereford herd. All five of their children showed Hereford cattle. Ed served as a past president of the South Carolina Hereford Association and served for many years as the association’s treasurer. After Ed and Rovern passed, their son, Jim, and his wife, Susan, continued to expand the herd. Currently, Jim and Susan’s sons, Houston and Harrison, the third generation, are running the day-to-day management of the ranch.
Madsen’s Herefords, Saint Ansgar, Iowa
Lester Madsen’s first Hereford heifer was a homebred daughter of an Anxiety 4th Bull purchased from Carroll Iverson in Colo, Iowa. She won a purple ribbon at the Mitchell County Fair in 1960. Lester graduated with an agricultural business degree and an army ROTC commission from Iowa State University in 1968. After a tour of duty in Vietnam and two tours in Korea, he was discharged having obtained the rank of captain. He returned home and began operating and managing the family farm. Lester expanded the farming operation and focused on producing hard working, problem-free Hereford breeding stock. Madsen’s Herefords continue to produce the hard working, problem-free Hereford breeding stock demanded by today’s commercial breeders.
Leroux Herefords, Hotchkiss, Colo.
Leroux Herefords is owned by Mike and Ann Leroux, and their two children, Laura and Daniel. In 1965, the Roy Leroux family began registering Hereford cattle as Leroux Herefords. In the 1950s, Roy and his children ran registered Hereford cattle with the Leroux children all being members of the junior Hereford association. The two youngest children, Linda and Mike, continued raising, showing and selling Hereford cattle. Roy, Lucille and Mike continued buying small herds. Bulls and additional cows were purchased from the Ferry Carpenter herd as well as other well-known producers. In 1976, Mike began purchasing the ranch and completed the purchase in 2008. Mike has been using AI since 1976. In 2010, Mike, Ann, Daniel and Laura formed an operating company, Leroux Land and Cattle LLC, but still register cattle as Leroux Herefords. In 2008, they sold their commercial cattle and purchased more registered Hereford females.
Rhyneland Farms, Charlotte, N.C.
Bob Rhyne skipped class one day during high school in 1953, and went to the North Carolina State Hereford Sale and purchased his first registered horned Hereford heifer. While he and his family already had some commercial Hereford cows, this was the beginning of his registered herd. From there, Rhyneland Farms continued to grow. Bob served as president and secretary of both the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association and the North Carolina Polled Hereford Association. He bred sought after cattle, and continued to build his reputation as a respected cattleman. Today, the farm is primarily operated by Bob; his daughter, Kim Eudy; and granddaughters, Alexis and Courtney Eudy. Bob instilled his love and passion for the breed in the girls. They currently run around 150 brood cows and continue to utilize AI and ET methods.
Phil and Chris Rottman, Fremont, Mich.
While at Michigan State University, Phil Rottman had the privilege of being a member of the winning livestock judging team at the 1967 American Royal — coached by Dr. Harlan Ritchie and Dr. David Hawkins. Upon graduation he was instrumental in starting the polled Hereford herd at the Cummings Farm in Fremont, Mich. Phil and Chris married in 1971 and began their polled Hereford herd in 1973 with the purchase of 10 bred cows and rented ground from Chris’ parents, which is now the home farm in Fremont. The couple has three children and six grandchildren.
SCH Polled Herefords, Hagerstown, Md.
SCH Polled Herefords owner, Sam Hunter, has Hereford roots that begin as a young kid from northern Pennsylvania. He caught the “bug” for the bald-faced breed after winning a Hereford steer calf at a high school livestock judging contest. From there, his passion for livestock and the cattle industry only grew. By 1974, he found himself in Maryland to manage Huckleberry Hall Farm, where part of SCH Polled Herefords currently sits. Following Huckleberry Hall Farm’s dispersal sale in the mid-1980s, Sam had about 20 head of Hereford cattle, and SCH Polled Herefords found its home on a part of the acreage. Now raising Hereford cattle on approximately 70 acres, Sam and his wife, Linda, breed around 35-40 cows each year.
Williams Hilltop Farms, Rushford, Minn.
The Williams Hilltop Farms was established in 1934 by William (Bill) and Arlie Williams near Rochester, Minn. They operated a diversified farm with a dairy herd, hogs, chickens and sheep. In the mid-1950s they added a small herd of Herefords, which evolved into a polled Hereford operation. In 1969 the Williams sold the farm to their sons, Augie and Bob. Today, they have a herd of about 70 polled Hereford cows in Rochester and Rushford, Minn. They are active in several local and state breed associations in addition to the AHA. As second-generation Hereford breeders, the Williams are proud of their long participation in the AHA and pleased to see the continual improvement of the breed through the years.
In celebration of 100 years in the Hereford business, one Hereford breeder was honored for their centennial commitment during the AHA Annual Membership Meeting in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 21.
This year’s Century Breeder is:
Johnson Hereford Farm, Milford, Iowa
The Johnson family has raised Hereford cattle for 105 years on their farm near Milford, Iowa. E.O. Johnson and his wife, Esther, started the breeding program in 1918. They purchased 10 registered cows and a bull and walked them home 30 miles from Sioux Rapids, Iowa. E.O.’s son, Dale, went into partnership with his dad in 1941. Jack, E.O.’s grandson, showed champion steers at the local county fair in the early ’60s. Jack graduated from veterinary school in 1970, and he and Lynne got married that summer. In 1977, he moved home and went into partnership with his dad, Dale. He and Lynne have four sons, Jim, Chris, Louis and Tom, who grew up taking care of the cows and calves and showing Herefords at the county fairs. The cow herd presently consists of around 50 cows of which 10 are AHA Dams of Distinction (DODs) and many others are daughters or granddaughters of DODs. Today, Jack’s grandkids are now involved in showing the Hereford cattle. Grandson, Wyatt, won the AHA Shootout contest in 2018 with a set of Johnson steers.
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The American Hereford Association, with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the largest U.S. beef breed associations. The not-for-profit organization along with its subsidiaries — Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC, Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI) and American Beef Records Association (ABRA) — provides programs and services for its members and their customers, while promoting the Hereford breed and supporting education, youth and research. For more information about the Association, visit Hereford.org. For pictures and additional news releases, visit www.Hereford.org/media.
