The American Hereford Association Hall of Merit Award is presented annually to men and women who have influenced the Hereford Breed and the cattle industry all together. They might not be Hereford breeders specifically, but they have greatly impacted the breed throughout their years. The recipients are announced each year at the AHA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO.
Signal Mountain, Tenn.
Jack Hedrick, cattle sales manager and owner of JDH Marketing Services LLC, Signal Mountain, Tenn., has deep roots in the Hereford breed. His grandfather, Perry Hedrick, was a polled Hereford Pioneer Breeder, and his father, Roscoe “Rusty” Hedrick, managed many notable Hereford herds. Jack was young when his dad joined legendary polled Hereford breeder M.P. “Hot” Moore at Circle M Ranch in Senatobia, Miss.,
as a herdsman.
Even at an early age, Jack was always drawn to sale day. As a ranch manager’s kid, Jack witnessed firsthand the hard work, creative marketing and professionalism poured into each successful sale. Circle M Ranch sales often averaged more than $6,000 per head — a sizable investment in those times — and Jack vividly recalls the excitement generated by those high-selling lots.
In 1966, the Hedrick family left Circle M and moved to Damascus, Md., to join Col. E. Brooke Lee’s Silver Springs Farms. When Washington D.C. began to encroach upon the farm, the Hedrick family moved a portion of Lee’s cowherd to a farm in Columbus, Miss., where Jack met his wife, Mary Helen.
While in Columbus, the Hedricks started their own Hereford operation called Yikes Farms. Struck with the economic inflation of the ’70s, Rusty started working cattle sales. In 1975, just a couple of years out of high school, Jack hit the road doing the same, working with Bill Maerli from Missouri.
While working sales, Jack met Eddie Sims of National Cattle Services Inc., from Elgin, Okla. Jack went to work for Sims in 1978, hauling chutes and equipment between sales to prepare cattle with Eddie’s brother, Dale “Slim” Sims. Under the tutelage of the Sims brothers, Jack learned about sale management and made many industry connections. Those connections would become even more important when Jack started providing sale management, consulting and ring service through his own sales marketing company, JDH Marketing Services LLC, in 1988, after a decade with National Cattle Services.
Jack views sales management as a team sport where managers call upon the best in the industry in their trades — photographers, catalog designers, videographers, auctioneers, clippers, fitters, ring help and auctioneers — to help prepare for a successful event.
“I think Jack’s greatest attributes are his personality and dedication to do the best job possible for all his employers,” writes Walt McKellar, CMR Herefords, in his letter to the selection committee. “This dedication and integrity has earned him a special place in all aspects of our industry. He has been the ultimate mentor and friend throughout my life, and I know he has done the same for so many others.”
More than four decades later, Jack has worked his entire life in the cattle sales industry and has never received a salaried, bi-weekly paycheck. Instead, like the farms and ranches he serves, Jack depended on robust markets and successful sales. He currently resides in Signal Mountain with his wife of 43 years, Mary Helen. Their son, Dustin, and his wife, Carleigh, also live in Signal Mountain with their two sons, Thom and Monte.
Jack says the farmers and ranchers he served have always been the most rewarding part of his job. There are several sales he has worked for more than 35 straight years. The sort of tenacity and grit it takes to ride the ups and downs of the livestock industry is something Jack not only learned from his clients but admires about them.
Mark McClintock, San Angelo, Texas, has spent a lifetime working in the Hereford breed, with stints at Bright Bros. Herefords, California; Lone Star Herefords, Texas; and Rocking Chair Ranch, Texas.
McClintock’s roots trace back to a racetrack on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where his father was a horse trainer and jockey. However, from an early age, he knew he preferred bovine over equine. McClintock grew up showing cattle and attended Cal Poly University, where he studied animal science and even cut his long, beloved locks to judge on the livestock judging team. Since then, he has traveled the world to evaluate cattle of every shape, size and color.
After college, McClintock worked for Bright Herefords in California before becoming the herdsman for Lone Star Herefords. While on the road fitting and showing cattle, he met his wife, Teresa, at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS), and she joined McClintock at Lone Star. The couple has two sons, Ryan and Mason.
The McClintocks went to west Texas to work for the Rocking Chair Ranch (RCR) in the early ’80s. There, McClintock was tasked with building a herd of elite Hereford cattle. McClintock won Hereford Herdsman of the Year in 1981 and over the next 25 years, built and maintained the RCR Hereford herd. Patience paid off, and RCR raised the grand and reserve champion horned females at the 2000 Junior National Hereford Expo in Tulsa, Okla., and the reserve champion female at the NWSS. In addition to raising elite females, McClintock was an essential part of establishing a market for RCR’s bulls, often selling Hereford sires to Brahman breeders to create the ultimate Southern cross.
After finishing his tenure with Rocking Chair Ranch in 2009, McClintock continued marketing cattle and started a consulting business. From coast to coast, McClintock has assisted Hereford breeders of all sizes with their marketing efforts, while continuing to judge major cattle shows.
Today, McClintock is still a tireless supporter of the breed. He lives and breathes Hereford cattle.
“Mark McClintock truly loves Hereford cattle and the people within this breed,” writes Jason Hoffman, Hoffman Ranch, in his letter to the selection committee. “I couldn’t think of a better person who exemplifies the Hall of Merit qualifications than Mark. He is respected by breeders around the world and has devoted his life to creating the best cattle he can with his natural ability.”
David Hawkins, Ph.D., East Lansing, Mich., is an industry leader. Dr. Hawkins was raised on a farm in southwest Ohio and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from The Ohio State University (OSU). In 1965, he enrolled in a doctorate program at Michigan State University (MSU). Upon graduation, he joined the MSU animal science faculty where he served in many roles during his career.
Dr. Hawkins led the MSU livestock judging team for seven years and served as the coordinator of undergraduate programs in animal science for 21 years. He also served as a professor and advisor. From 1973 until his retirement in 2007, Dr. Hawkins oversaw the MSU Purebred Beef Cattle Center, which maintained Hereford and Angus herds. Under his leadership, the MSU Angus and Hereford programs became recognized as a source of world-renowned cattle. Dr. Hawkins worked to produce elite genetics for the Hereford breed, leading the university to exhibit more than 60 grand or reserve national champion bulls and females.
Dr. Hawkins has been invited to judge most of the major beef cattle breed shows in the United States plus national shows in Australia, Canada and Denmark. He has judged cattle in 36 states, seven national breed shows, six junior national breed shows, and is the only person ever to have twice judged national Angus shows at the North American International Livestock Exposition and National Western Stock Show.
At the university, Dr. Hawkins taught nine courses and, over the years, served as an advisor for almost 2,000 students. He authored or co-authored 42 papers and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals, 81 papers in experiment station reports, 11 Extension publications and 80 articles in other publications.
Additionally, Dr. Hawkins served on the Michigan Hereford Association board of directors and was a founding member of the Michigan Beef Expo, Michigan Purebred Beef Breed Council and Michigan Bull Test Committee.
Dr. Hawkins’ portrait hangs in the Saddle and Sirloin Gallery in Louisville, Ky., and his list of honors and accolades is long, with awards from the American Society of Animal Science, MSU and OSU, among others. He served as superintendent of the National Senior College Judging Contest for 10 years.
He and his wife Kathleen have two daughters, Lisa and Jennifer.
Dr. Hawkins is a friend, teacher, mentor and leader to many, and his impact goes far beyond any showring or classroom.
“Dr. Hawkins has a deep passion for the livestock industry, and in particular Hereford cattle, but perhaps most importantly, his unparalleled desire to help shape and mold the next generation of agricultural leaders is second to none,” writes Cody Lowderman, livestock marketer and auctioneer, in his letter to the selection committee. “His ability to embrace new technology and trends, while still blending the core values and principles known in the agriculture community is a true gift.”
Don grew up in southeast Missouri on a diversified farming operation. Don’s family grew crops and Hereford cattle, and they exhibited at local livestock shows. Don graduated from high school in 1965 and attended Southeast Missouri State University for three years, before transferring to Missouri State University (Mizzou) in 1968. It was at Mizzou that Don joined the livestock judging team and met Glenn Richardson. Don developed a close relationship with Glenn and graduated from Mizzou in 1970.
In 1971, Don got a life-changing call from Glenn to return to Mizzou as a graduate assistant coaching the livestock judging team. When Glenn switched jobs about a month into Don’s tenure – Don took over Glenn’s students and coached the Mizzou livestock judging team to a national championship in 1971. Upon finishing his time at Mizzou, Don joined the Drovers Journal in 1972 as a fieldman and worked with the publication for six years. While working for the Drovers Journal, Don gathered experience selling advertising and working livestock sales. In April of 1973, Don and his wife, Linda, were married.
Don then joined Eddie Sims with National Cattle Services Inc. to provide ring service, marketing and photography. Don developed his photography skills at National Cattle Services, and he stayed with the company until 1982, when he started his own business, Birk Enterprises. As catalogs have gone from printing in black and white to color and live auctions have transitioned to online sales, Don has been there through it all.
A pioneer in the livestock photography industry, Don worked with Hereford breeders exclusively until the late ‘90s, when he began working with cattle of all breeds. Don has spent many years working with breeders from across the U.S., providing ring service and picturing cattle. Some of Don’s first clients were Glenkirk Farms, Maysville, Mo., ACE Polled Herefords, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Mohican Farms, Glenmont, Ohio, and Beartooth Ranch, Columbus, Mont. Since getting that call from Glenn to return to Mizzou, Don’s career has spanned 51 years. While Don enjoys the cattle, he is especially passionate about the breeders, ranchers and business owners he’s been able to meet throughout his travels.
Dale took an interest in cattle at a very early age under the tutelage of his father, Ralph, who was an accomplished herdsman who managed the 250 polled Hereford cows on their farm in Stith Valley. Dale attended cattle shows and sales with his father beginning at the age of six. His early interest in the cattle business sparked a lifelong, passionate career in the Hereford breed.
Dale would work long hours on the family farm, and then groomed a show string of cattle. He would load his string into a gooseneck trailer and show across the state of Kentucky. He showed at as many as 14 county fairs each summer, including the Kentucky State Fair, where he won many awards. Dale and his father had a keen eye for evaluating and selecting top genetics in the Hereford breed.
Dale is the oldest of three children. He graduated from Meade County High School in 1970, where he was president of the Meade County FFA chapter. He was later elected Kentucky State FFA President. Dale attended the University of Kentucky, where he was president of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, active in the Block and Bridle Club and a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa senior honorary. He graduated with bachelor’s degrees in animal science and agricultural education in 1974. Upon graduation, Dale returned to the farm where he continued building the family’s purebred Hereford herd. However, he was eager to expand his horizons beyond his family’s herd.
Dale is a master marketer and has been a passionate promoter of the Hereford breed for most of his life. Dale’s original post-graduation plan was to teach high school agriculture classes. However, when one of Dale’s mentors, A.W. “Ham” Hamilton, was preparing to retire, he encouraged Dale to attend auctioneer school. The class was two weeks long and Dale graduated in January of 1975. He auctioneered for the first time at the Kentucky Hereford Association’s annual meeting, selling directory advertisements.
In the years following, Dale spent his time selecting cattle, auctioning cattle, photographing cattle and assisting breeders. His loyalty to the Hereford breed, cattle marketing skills and cow sense would propel him to become one of the preeminent auctioneers in North America.
Dale has three children and seven grandchildren. He currently resides on a 50-acre farm in Mays Lick, Ky., with his partner, lover and friend, Elizabeth. Dale is involved in his community and was a magistrate on Meade County’s fiscal court. He also served many years as the Meade County Fair Board manager. Dale has worked with Hereford breeders big and small from coast to coast and all across Canada. He is a mentor and friend to many and has an unmatched passion for Hereford cattle.
The Birdwell legacy started with a land drawing and a five-year commitment. The family made their home in Fletcher, Okla., by drawing a quarter section from a lottery for the land available for settlement. Thanks to the Homestead Act of 1862, the Birdwells just needed to live and work the land for five years before it became theirs. Jim continues to live and farm on the property originally gained by his great grandfather.
He still has the original deed, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. Jim attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) to study agricultural education. After graduation, he headed to Union City, Okla., to teach high school agriculture courses. Jim had a quick-kindled friendship with the owner of the local service station, as well as with those who frequented the gathering place for coffee and conversation. Jim would go to the station after school, and all the farmers would be there. Not only did Jim befriend the owner of the station, but he also taught his son in school.
Little did he know, he would soon be introduced to someone new: his future wife, the station owner’s daughter Jeanne. Jim and Jeanne married, and in 1972, they made the move from Union City to Fletcher to buy the land across from the family’s homestead.
The couple has been there since. Jim taught high school students for five years, but the Lord had other plans for his future. Ed Meacham was the head of the Western field staff of the American Polled Hereford Association (APHA). He called Jim about an opening on the field staff, which Jim accepted. Jim had to sell $20,000 worth of advertising. The drawback was you could buy a page of advertising for about $300 at that time. Jim served APHA members in Oklahoma and Kansas from 1972 to 1975 before he found his true calling.
Jim travelled with Eddie Sims, auctioneer and owner of National Cattle Services, Inc. Eddie gave Jim a new appreciation for the auction business. Fortunately for Jim, Eddie’s business expanded at an opportune time, and he was able to begin work with National Cattle Services, Inc., in 1975. Jim didn’t attend an official auctioneering school, but he learned the business and listened to several different auctioneers. He would practice while traveling up and down the road and developed a chant that didn’t run people out of the barn. Just three years after joining National Cattle Services, Jim decided to use his cattle marketing skills to launch his own auction business in the summer of ’78.
Between Jim’s contacts in the registered cattle business and advertising efforts, he was able to auction at a variety of sales until his retirement in the fall of 2020. His many years of service to the livestock industry across the United States and Canada will not be soon forgotten. The cattle business has always been a stronghold for the Birdwell family. Joel and Jamie, the two Birdwell children, both attended OSU, just like Jim and Jeanne, and stayed connected to the cattle business upon graduation. The Birdwell children also maintain a close connection with the Hereford breed. With the five Birdwell grandchildren growing up around the business, the legacy of the family lives on.
Col. Kevin Wendt, Ohio auctioneer and longtime friend, worked many auctions with John Meents over the years. Kevin learned from John to be honest and tell the truth;
have faith that things will work out, but always be honest. After turning his tassel at Purdue University, John landed his first livestock marketing job as a fieldman for the American Yorkshire Club (AYC) in 1978. The first sale he worked was the record-shattering McGraw Yorkshire production sale that sold more than 760 head for $283,195 — a record that still stands as the most breeding hogs sold in a single production sale.
Before the sale, John received the best advice a young ringman can receive from legendary swine auctioneers, Col. Mark Pickel and Col. Dan Baker — remember who bid and what they bid. Armed with these words of wisdom, John traveled 98,000 miles in his 11 months of AYC employment. Then he was tapped by another livestock legend, Neil Orth, to join the Drovers Journal fieldstaff.
At the time John joined, the publication was hoping to create a swine-specific sister publication. John dove in, driving many miles, visiting with producers about their stock for sale and learning about effective ways to use print advertisements. John cut his teeth in the industry with livestock merchandising legends such as Wade Houser, Jay George, Jay Carlson, Lyle Eiten and Ken Torr. Although John’s role at Drovers changed to be cattle-centric rather than swine focused, his dedication to helping producers find ways to sell stock never wavered. For 12 years, John did just that until the Drovers fieldstaff dissolved in 1991. After Drovers, John worked briefly for the American Polled Hereford Association before the many nights away from his young family called him home to Ohio, where he joined a local country store called, Hochstettlers.
At Hochstettlers, he peddled pet feed, and at home, he and his wife Peg raised their children, Jay, MaeLyda and Emily. The livestock industry didn’t forget John’s marketing talents, though. Previous American Hereford Association (AHA) executive vice president Craig Huffhines called to see if he would work the ring at one sale. But, that one sale turned into another, then another, then another before John was offered a role as the AHA Upper Midwest Region field representative. On Aug. 1, 2000, he officially started with the Association.
Every state newsletter column John penned ends with the sentence, “Make your cattle better today because you have to market them tomorrow,” a sentiment John believed throughout his entire livestock marketing career. Whether a breeder registered two calves a year or 200 with the Association, John made himself available as a resource, sounding board and friend to AHA members. He worked hard to sell their animals both in the sale ring and privately, offered industry insights for advertising and breeding decisions and cheered on multiple generations of Hereford showmen and women.
Today, John’s home is in Jenera, Ohio. He and Peg live across the road from her parents, and the couple run a few crossbred cows and bale hay on their rolling, grassy acres. Looking back over his years as a field representative, often putting 50,000 to 60,000 miles on his car each year, he hopes to be remembered for one thing: fairness. No matter if you registered one animal or 200 animals, John wanted to treat everyone equally. The qualities John embodied as a member of the fieldstaff, are those worthy of his induction into the American Hereford Association Hall of Merit.
The late Burke Healey, or “Mr. Hereford” as he is fondly remembered, is recognized as a visionary of the Hereford breed and the beef industry at large.
Burke’s journey in the Hereford breed began in 1950 at the age of 18 when he and his younger brother Skip purchased the Flying L Ranch located in Davis, Okla. The partnership continued through 1988 at which time they decided to bring their children into the operations. It was then Burke renamed his portion to the Southern Cross Ranch. Burke’s children continue the operation today.
A respected cattleman, Burke was ahead of his time in recording quantitative measurements and using cutting-edge data to evaluate and to improve his herd’s genetics. One of his most notable achievements is developing the frame score chart, a tool widely adopted by the beef industry.
This past president of the American Hereford Association led the way in forming the Whole Herd Total Performance Records (TPRTM) program during his tenure on the Board. Peers and fellow directors Guy Colyer, Jack Holden, Vern Rausch and Dale Venhuizen credit Burke as a pioneer in performance testing and as an instrumental leader in the merger of the national horned and polled associations. Burke’s other influential ideas included performance pedigrees and making data available online.
As an industry leader, Burke was very active in the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) and was one of the 15 people who wrote the original Long Range Plan for the beef industry. His efforts earned him numerous awards, including the BIF Continuing Service and Pioneer awards, BEEF Magazine’s Trailblazer of the Year and recognition in Bob deBaca’s book Courageous Cattlemen, which described the key influencers of the U.S. beef performance movement. Burton Eller of Virginia, a former executive vice president of the National Cattlemen’s Association, says, “Burke was never afraid to stand up to advocate for a promising new idea or to defend a tried and true principle. He always had both feet planted firmly on solid ground and was a true thinker for Herefords and for the beef industry.”
At home, Burke was very active in community organizations and was often the name behind an anonymous donation supporting the emerging leaders of local 4-H and FFA programs. Roger Stuber of North Dakota describes Burke as “a man who gave more than he got” who was “honest, willing, dedicated to purpose and a true Hereford leader.”
Bob Drake, past president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, remembers Burke as a mentor, teacher and an individual who could relate to every part of the cattle industry. He says, “When we lost Burke Healey, we lost a giant who represented the Hereford industry, all of the cattle industry and all of agriculture.”
Although Burke has been posthumously inducted into the Hereford Hall of Merit, his firm belief in Hereford cattle and their contribution to the genetic pool of the nation’s beef herd is a legacy that will continue to live on.
Known across the country as the face of the Texas Hereford Association, Jack Chastain is considered the driving force behind the Hereford breed in the Southwest.
An admired ambassador of the breed, Jack began his storied career more than 50 years ago when he was named the executive secretary of the THA in 1973. He has spent his dynamic lifetime promoting and supporting Hereford producers at every level from purebred to commercial breeders to Certified Hereford Beef markets. His ability to effectively network with all segments of the industry has been a binding force as the THA continues to be a national leader in junior and senior memberships and registrations.
As many put it, when you think of the THA, you think of Jack. He has played a huge role in elevating the national Hereford show at the Fort Worth Stock Show and in building its prestige. The Texas membership meeting at the Fort Worth Stock Show is a true testament to the Chastain family’s passion, enthusiasm and drive to better the THA and the breed.
Jack has traveled countless hours to sales and shows across the country to keep THA and AHA members at the forefront of the industry. In fact, when he first took office, he journeyed throughout the state to meet every producer in the THA membership to study their herds. When not on the road, he can be found in the Fort Worth office organizing the THA magazine and striving to get new members for the adult and junior associations.
Jack and his wife, Lyn, are recognized as some of the most generous and proactive youth supporters in the breed and are longstanding Texas Junior Hereford Association advisors. They have operated Mockingbird Hill Herefords since their marriage in 1975, and this year added their son, Lee, daughter-in-law, Candace, and their two grandsons, Jackson and Griffin, to the operation, now called Chastain Cattle Company. Their grandsons are the sixth generation to operate on land deeded to the Chastain family in 1853, and which has been home to Herefords since 1930.
Together, the family has built a legacy of Hereford cattle reaching far beyond their roots in Fort Worth. Their devotion to serving the membership and progressing the THA and the breed as a whole is unrivaled. Kyle and Michael Pérez of Pérez Cattle Company note, “When Jack finally decides to retire, there will be a hole as large as Texas in the association that may never be totally filled. There has never been anyone more deserving and dedicated to this great breed.”
Born and raised as the fourth generation of his family to live in Green Ridge, Missouri, Jim Reed and his wife, Linda, began raising Hereford cattle in 1962. For the last 44 years, Reed Enterprises has been the operation’s genetic marketing arm by providing semen and AI certificates. The couple also operates Midwest Cattle Service and Reed Farms.
At the request of Mark Dempsey with the Missouri Ruralist, Jim worked his first sale as a college student for Harry and Hal Nichols in 1963. From that moment, he was forever hooked as a ringman.
Jim came on board as the Beef Superintendent for the Missouri State Fair in 1972, where he dedicated 17 years to serving fairgoers and the beef industry. One of his most memorable moments was President Ronald Reagan’s visit to the fair, where Reagan’s secret service took over the beef cattle office. Another iconic moment was the fair’s 1974 Hereford show, which featured 411 head of polled Herefords and more than 100 head of horned Herefords. Jim now serves on the Missouri State Fair Foundation board of directors, where he remains dedicated to cultivating the next generation of agriculture through preservation, education and improvement initiatives.
In partnership with close friend Bill Maerli of Owensville, Missouri, Jim and Linda formed Midwest Cattle Service in 1975 to manage polled Hereford and Simmental sales throughout the United States. Although Bill left to pursue other interests, Jim and Linda continued to grow the business as a husband and wife team and have helped market millions of dollars worth of Hereford genetics. Jim has worked with breeders to hold successful production and consignment sales, organized small groups of breeders to host joint sales, and has screened cattle and managed major sales throughout the country.
Jim has been a trustful source for information and trends across the breed, and many aspiring Hereford breeders have sought his advice on sale cattle selection and production sale traditions. A testament to his commitment to Hereford breeders is his ability to remember the names, hometowns and even street addresses of his peers. He continues to serve as a consultant and ringman at sales nationwide while producing and promoting Hereford genetics everywhere he goes.
“Jim is a true influencer of the breed,” says Marty Lueck, manager of Journagan Ranch of Missouri State University. “Jim and Linda have supported our Hereford breed for a lifetime. They continue to be a catalyst for the Hereford breed and our breeders programs.”
The AHA honored Jay George of Lebo, Kan., as the newest member of the Hereford Hall of Merit, a prestigious award which commends those who have played an avid role in shaping the Hereford breed and cattle industry. George was recognized at the AHA Hereford Honorees Reception during the AHA Annual Meeting and Conference.
Described as a “true marketeer,” George has covered the entire spectrum of livestock marketing throughout his 40-year career. Raised on his family’s Hereford ranch in Lebo, George was active in 4-H and FFA showing and judging livestock. He continued to be involved in the livestock industry at Kansas State University (K-State), where he competed on the livestock and meats judging teams, served as the president of the Block & Bridle club and worked at the Purebred Beef Barn.
After graduating with a degree in animal science in 1973, George worked as a fieldman for the AHA, covering the Dakotas and Upper Midwest territories. During his 10 years with the AHA, he developed skills as a marketer and photographer, and many “JG” photos have since graced the covers of breed journals, livestock publications and national ad campaigns. In 1984, he joined United Livestock Brokers, Inc., where his ahead-of-the-curve breeder marketing programs introduced the newest tools and data available for genetic selection.
George served as the Tri-State Livestock News director of field services and was on the board of directors for the Central States Fair and Black Hills Stock Show. He played a major role in initiating the Black Hills Stock Show Hall of Fame, Foundation and the pen bull and commercial heifer shows. George moved back to his family’s Kansas ranch in 2008 after 30 years in Rapid City, S.D. He continues United Livestock Brokers sales management, is an active partner in the family cow-calf operation and pursues his own Santa Fe Ranch performance Quarter Horse breeding program.
“George is a true believer in white-faced cattle,” Bob Harrell says. “He has committed his life to the promotion and betterment of the breed.”
After graduating with a degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University, Eddie Sims started his career in the Hereford breed as a fieldman for the American Polled Hereford Association. Since then, he has dedicated his life to promoting Hereford cattle.
He established National Cattle Services in 1968 and quickly became one of the industry’s leading auctioneers. Through National Cattle Services, he has sold and managed purebred cattle sales in 44 states and seven Canadian provinces. As an auctioneer and sale manager, Sims has been instrumental in influencing the value and quality of Hereford cattle for the past 50 years.
Along with his wife, Ruth, he helped to found the Junior Hereford Association of Oklahoma (JHAO). He, Ruth and their children and grandchildren are active in both the National Junior Hereford Association and the JHAO. Sims is quick to volunteer his auctioning services to help raise money for junior activities and scholarships. His commitment to the Mile High Night Sale in Denver has benefitted the Hereford Youth Foundation of America.
After graduating from Kansas State University, Dwayne Deitz began his career as a fieldman for Drovers Journal. He then transitioned to a fieldman position for the Western Livestock Journal in 1969, where he visited many ranches and traveled to many cattle sales throughout the United States. After a five-year stint as a fieldman for the American Angus Association, Dietz became a fieldman for the AHA in 1979. His territory covered Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and parts of Alberta, Canada. It was during his years at the AHA that he became recognized as one of the best cattle marketers in the country.
His passion and excitement for the Hereford breed was infectious. His commitment to serving those around him has influenced industry professionals across the country. After retiring from the AHA in 1992, Deitz began promoting and selling Herefords and has been instrumental in helping several Hereford breeders begin their herds. In 2006 he began selling commercial advertising for the Western Ag Reporter in Billings, Mont., where he still works today.
Deitz and his wife, Janet, have six children and eight greatgrandchildren.
Handel is the third generation of the Handel Hereford family. He attended South Dakota State University where he was involved in Block and Bridle, Little International, the rodeo club, the livestock judging team and the meats judging team. While at SDSU, Handel began traveling and working sale rings across the country. To date, he has worked more than 5,000 sales.
In 1970, Handel began a 33-year career as a field representative with the American Hereford Association and the Hereford Journal. He traveled across the United States, worked with the adult and junior organizations and conducted many state, national and international tours. Art was instrumental in starting the South Dakota Junior Hereford Association and was an adult advisor for the program for many years. Art also buys Hereford and Hereford-influenced feeder calves for feed yards in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
John owned John Ascuaga’s Nugget hotel and casino in Reno, Nev., for more than 50 years, which has hosted the Western Nugget National Hereford Show for more than 45 years. The son of a Basque immigrant sheepherder, John is a self-made man who built an entertainment empire in Reno as well as a large ranching enterprise.
His father emigrated from Spain in 1914; his wife joined him two years later, and they raised John and his three siblings on a farm in Idaho. John started in the hotel industry as a bellman in McCall, Idaho, while attending college.
He followed family friend Dick Graves to Nevada. Dick opened the Nugget in 1955, and three years of growth later, moved it across the street to its current location. By 1960 Dick was ready to retire and sold the business for $3,775,000 to John, who at the time was only 34 years old. He put nothing down on the loan and still managed to pay it off in seven years.
In 2007 John was honored as a Lifetime Cattleman by the Western States Hereford Association during the Western Nugget National Hereford Show and Sale in Reno.
Cheryl Thomas, Western States Hereford Association secretary/treasurer, says, “John is the reason the Western Nugget National Hereford Show and Sale takes place. It all started with a Hereford bull sale in a tent in the Nugget parking lot in 1967, which evolved into the sale on the stage inside.”
John, and his wife of 56 years, Rose, live at their Jacks Valley Ranch, 50 miles south of Reno near Carson City, Nev. That ranch is one of three originally owned by John. At one time they had 1,700 head of Hereford-based commercial cows and a small flock of sheep. Today the ranch includes 300 head of Herford cattle.
In Cheryl’s nomination, she quoted John’s son Stephen, writing, “Dad is 89 years young and still continues to be actively involved with ranch activities including checking cattle and changing water. Although the casino was the reason many know dad’s name, ranching has always been his passion and the foundation of it all.”
As of Jan. 1, 2014, the Ascuaga family sold the Nugget to Global Gaming & Hospitality. Under John’s leadership, the casino had grown into one of the largest northern Nevada hotel casinos with more than 1,600 hotel rooms, 75,000 square feet of casino gaming, nine restaurants and much, much more.
“Even though I missed John’s tenure in the registered Hereford business with Jacks Valley Ranch, it has been a pleasure to get to know him,” says Mark Holt, AHA western region fieldman. “Watching his face fill with pride as the curtain rises, and the Nugget stage is filled with Herefords, has been one of my more memorable moments the last 12 years while serving as fieldman. John’s dedication to the Hereford breed in the West is second to none.”
John and Rose have four children — Camille, Michonne, John and Stephen.
James F. (Jim) Boyd was raised on a livestock and grain farm near Arnett, Okla. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University. After graduation he worked for and eventually managed several cattle operations before accepting a position with the AHA in 1972 as a fieldman serving west Texas and New Mexico.
Upon his retirement in December 2003, Jim had dedicated more than 30 years to promoting the Hereford breed and doing all he could to support, encourage and get the highest bid for each lot.
“Jim had the uncanny ability to work with diverse breeders and make them feel good about being in the business,” says Craig Huffhines, AHA executive vice president. “The eternal optimist, Jim was one of the most positive promoters of the Hereford breed. His relationships were strong with the managers of some of the largest, most historic ranches in the country, yet he would take the time to help a new breeder or a youngster coming up through the youth program.”
John Dudley of Dudley Bros., Comanche, Texas, wrote in his letter to the AHA Board about Jim’s nomination, “I am happy to offer my support of his nomination. Certainly Mr. Boyd is the grand example of the ‘Old Guard’ and very deserving of this recognition.”
Jim was the Fort Worth National Show honoree in 2004 and the Livestock Marketing Association’s Marketer of the Year at the 2004 National Western Stock Show in Denver. He was also awarded the title “Friend of Texas Hereford Association” in 2012.
Dorian is a professor of animal science at Iowa State University. In 1981 he earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from Massey University in his home country of New Zealand and then a doctorate from Cornell in 1988. He was named to the Jay Lush Endowed Chair in Animal Breeding and Genetics at Iowa State in 2007. He is also the executive director of the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium.
Dorian’s current research project is to improve the accuracy of predicted genetic and phenotypic merit using high-density genomic information. Generally his work focuses on the portfolio of endeavors that are involved in the design, enhancement, implementation and monitoring of genetic improvement programs. These include aspects of genetics, economics, statistics and biology. Attention is directed to variance component estimation, prediction of breeding values, development of breeding objectives, exploitation of breed/heterosis effects and breeding industry structure, primarily in regard to their application to the national improvement of beef cattle, but other species are also considered.
His Hereford connection comes from his research. Dorian has been instrumental in developing and implementing genomic information into the Hereford genetic evaluation. His work has allowed Hereford to be the first beef breed to develop and market its own genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (GE-EPDs).
AHA Chief Operating Officer and Director of Breed Improvement Jack Ward explains Dorian’s influence on the Hereford breed: “This may be the most important genetic improvement tool that has ever been developed, and with his leadership, the AHA has positioned itself to utilize this information to continue to identify genetics within the breed that will be useful to the seedstock industry and ultimately continue to create demand for Hereford genetics within the commercial industry. Dorian is recognized worldwide for his expertise in the area of genomics, and the AHA has been fortunate to work side by side with him.”
H.H. “Hop” Dickenson, Overland Park, Kan., was inducted into the Hereford Hall of Merit. Hop Dickenson spent a lifetime dedicated to serving the Hereford breed. He worked for the Hereford association in various roles for 38 years, 24 as chief executive officer.
Dickenson began working for the Association in the 1950s, first as fieldman and then as secretary for state Hereford associations in the Southeast. He spent two years overseas in military service, and when he returned, he worked as an Extension beef cattle specialist for Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
In 1960 he returned to Association work as field representative for the American Hereford Journal. He next served as an Association fieldman for the same territory and then switched to the Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri territory.
In 1968 he moved to the Association headquarters as general manager of the American Hereford Journal. Next, he assumed responsibilities as the Association’s director of marketing. Then, in July of 1974, he was appointed the chief executive officer, a position he would continue for 24 years.
No doubt the Association went through ups and downs during those nearly three decades, but Dickenson was correct when he wrote in his farewell column in the August 1997 issue of the Hereford World: “I am confident you are about to see a big burst of demand toward Herefords and I hate to miss out on this upswing.”
Gary Smith, retired Monfort Endowed Chair Professor from Colorado State University, says, “I’ll remember Hop most for his willingness to risk his personal career and a lifetime of breed association achievements for a chance to demonstrate a breed’s ability to carve out for itself a prosperous future – by providing a consistently palatable product to those who eat beef.”
Considered the father of Certified Hereford Beef (CHB®), Dickenson is regarded as a breed association trailblazer. He was also responsible for introducing the total performance recording (TPR) and expected progeny difference (EPD) systems and was a driving force in bringing the two populations of Hereford people and the cattle they raise together for the good of the industry.
T.D. “Dusty” Rich, Albuquerque, N.M., was inducted into the Hereford Hall of Merit. Dusty served as the APHA president for 10 years — 1979-89.
After being raised on a commercial cow-calf operation near Ringling, Okla., Rich obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oklahoma State University (OSU). Rich then continued his education at Purdue, where his doctoral work was in reproduction physiology and animal breeding.
After college Rich joined the faculty at South Dakota State University (SDSU), where he was named an outstanding teacher in the college of agriculture. After three years at SDSU, he moved to the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center at Overton to conduct research in beef cattle reproduction. After a short time in Texas, Rich returned to his home state of Oklahoma in 1973 to be an Extension animal breeding specialist for OSU. In 1977 he was promoted to professor.
He also was the first manager for Oklahoma Beef Inc., has served on committees for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and has judged more than 200 livestock shows.
He joined the APHA staff in October 1979. During his decade with the Association, the financial situation of the organization was very much improved. The Association’s net worth doubled, and its cash reserved for investments tripled. This improved financial position allowed programs to be continued without raising fees. Also, a comprehensive computerized records program was implemented, allowing registration certificates to include dam and sire summaries, herd profiles, individual EPDs (expected progeny differences) and more.
Rich played a leadership role in opening foreign markets for U.S. beef genetics to Australia, New Zealand and several African countries.
Recently he has served as a nutritionist with Alliance Nutrition Inc. (formerly Moorman’s).
Ed Meacham, Norman, Okla., began his influence as a vocational agriculture instructor at Miami High School in Miami, Okla. He touched the lives of many young people including auctioneers Eddie Sims and C.K. “Sonny” Booth. “He was one of the very best agriculture teachers in Oklahoma and could inspire young people to excel in whatever field they choose,” Booth says. “I can honestly say that I would not have become a successful purebred livestock auctioneer had I not had the four years with Ed.”
After leaving his teaching position, Ed worked for the Record Stockman and then joined the Polled Hereford World staff in the late 1960s. He was later appointed as director of field staff for the Polled Hereford World and remained there until his retirement.
Ed formed Meacham and Associates and managed sales and consulted for many top-notch breeders throughout the U.S. and Canada. “He mentored some of the best ringmen and auctioneers in the country,” says Hereford breeder Jimmie Johnson, Clinton, Okla.
Eddie Sims adds, “Ed dedicated his life to working with Hereford breeders and their families. He assisted a lot of outstanding Hereford programs with their promotional and marketing needs. Ed’s commitment and dedication to our industry allows him to be most deserving for the American Hereford Association Hall of Merit.”
Bob Call and his wife, Dolores, own and operate CBY Polled Herefords in Cushing, Okla., and for many years have donated time and resources to the Hereford breed. More than 40 years ago, Bob entered into the Hereford business. Bob’s day job was that of a certified public account for the Call, Barrick, Ethridge and Webb firm until his retirement.
Bob stepped up his Hereford involvement considerably in 1999 when he assumed the duties as secretary/manager for the Oklahoma Hereford Association. He was instrumental in organizing the first-ever Junior National Hereford Expo in 2000. It was the first year the polled and horned junior shows were combined. Also in 2000, he was elected to the AHA Board of Directors. During his four-year term, he served on the publications committee and as chairman of the finance committee. He assisted in establishing and supporting the PRIDE (Program Reaching Individuals Determined to Excel) Convention and other youth programs. Bob has also served as president of the Hereford Youth Foundation of America (HYFA), working on projects like the gala during the American Royal National Hereford Show.
“Bob Call did not create the HYFA, but he did lead the charge to reform, revitalize and refurbish a stagnant organization into a dynamic, energetic team of individuals committed to the development of youth,” says Lyn Chastain, past president of the American Hereford Women. “He has broken down barriers of self-interest and self-promotion and allowed individuals and groups to find a way to work together for the common good.”
Fellow breeder Norman Durham says, “Bob Call’s tireless efforts and commitments to the Hereford breed have significantly increased and raised the standards of Herefords in the local, national and international beef industry. Few, if any, individuals have given so much to the Hereford breed in our times of need.”
Lovell Kuykendall devoted the vast majority of his working life to the AHA, working in one way or another to benefit the breed for 35 years. Lovell started at the AHA in 1965 as the Association’s assistant director of the youth division, but over the years he would serve the Association in many roles. Two years after being hired, he was promoted to the junior activities director position and then director of field services. In 1973 he took a brief hiatus from the Association to work at a bank but returned about a year later as the director of marketing. He served as director of marketing for about 14 years, working closely with the Genetic Outreach Program and the National Reference Sire Program. In 1987 he was hired as the executive editor of the Hereford Journal. In 1995 after the merger of the horned and polled associations, Lovell was named director of marketing for Certified Hereford Beef LLC and was responsible for the Association’s commercial marketing efforts. He served in this position until his retirement in 2000.
An article written by Hereford World staff thanking Lovell for his service at the time of his retirement in the July 2000 issue says, “One could say Lovell has done it all around here, when you stop and think just how many different parts of the Association he has impacted. Lovell has seen many new faces get their start here and has played a big part in shaping their careers and helping them excel.”
Lovell left the Association to continue the Kuykendall family tradition of raising Herefords in Texas.
Jon Beever, Urbana, Ill., has been working with the AHA researching genetic abnormalities. In 2008 Beever established a test for idiopathic epilepsy (IE), a genetic defect in Hereford cattle after years of studying the patterns of inheritance and then isolating the actual recessive gene that causes the condition.
Beever is a molecular geneticist and associate professor at the University of Illinois. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois in 1986, 1989 and 1996, respectively, all in animal sciences. After earning his doctorate, he remained at the University of Illinois as a professor and researcher. His research emphasis has been on identifying genetic markers in animals, mostly cattle and swine, for diseases as well as economically important traits.
He has received more than 20 grants to further his research and has authored or coauthored 73 journal articles and more than 75 abstracts pertaining to research.
Many of the grants received were for a project Beever is working on with other scientists at the University of Illinois called the Livestock Genome Sequencing Initiative. This project was started about five years ago and is the first step in mapping and sequencing cattle and swine genomes.
In addition to discovering the genetic defect IE for the AHA, Beever worked to identify and develop a test to screen for the molecular defect causing Spider Lamb Syndrome in sheep and the genetic defect causing Tibial Hemimelia in bovines, among others. He is currently working on identifying the genetic defect called “Curly Calf Syndrome” for the American Angus Association.
Beever has done all this as well as teaching classes and advising undergraduate and graduate students.
He has also served on the board of directors for the Illinois Beef Association and the Illinois Partners for Agricultural Literacy.
Beever’s dedication to helping the AHA and the beef industry deal with genetic abnormalities is much appreciated by AHA staff and cattlemen everywhere. Director of Breed Improvement and Chief Operating Officer Jack Ward says, “His expertise in the area of molecular genetics has changed attitudes of cattlemen throughout the industry and has allowed breeders to make genetic improvement without the worries of incorporating genetic issues.”
Larry Cundiff has conducted genetic and breeding research that has contributed to significant changes in breeding systems and genetic improvement programs used in U.S. beef production. He directed a project that demonstrated the benefits of heterosis from systematic crossing of Herefords, Angus and Shorthorns increased output per cow about 23%. These results contributed significantly to widespread use of crossbred cows in U.S. beef herds.
Cundiff received his bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1961 at Kansas State University and his master’s and doctorate at Oklahoma State University in 1964 and 1966, respectively.
From 1965 to 1967, he was assistant professor of animal science at the University of Kentucky. In 1967 Cundiff joined the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of USDA as regional coordinator of beef cattle breeding research conducted by ARS and 11 land grant universities in the north central U.S. In 1976 he was appointed research leader of the Genetics and Breeding Research Unit at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC).
From 1975 until his retirement in 2007, he served as leader of a Germplasm Evaluation Program in which 36 breeds of cattle were characterized for a comprehensive series of traits of importance in beef production.
Cundiff has served as chairman of the BIF committee on genetic prediction and as the ARS, USDA representative on the BIF board of directors. He has received the BIF Service Award and BIF Pioneer Award, American Society of Animal Science Animal Breeding Award and Fellow Award, USDA-ARS Northern Plains Area Outstanding Scientist of the Year Award, USDA Superior Service Award and the American Polled Hereford Association Hall of Merit Award. Cundiff was recognized by BEEF magazine in 1989 as part of “25 who made a difference” and in 2004 as part of the “top 40” for contributions to the beef industry.
Ward says, “Dr. Cundiff’s work has allowed us to compare EPDs (expected progeny differences) across breeds and has shown the effects of crossbreeding. Also, the AHA used his work to help in the development of the $indexes. He has been and continues to be a true friend of the beef industry.”
When a sudden heart attack took Col. Stanley E. Stout on April 30, 2006, a deafening silence fell over the entire livestock industry. “The Colonel,” as many called him, deeply affected all who heard his auctioneer’s chant or, better yet, heard him declare “sold” for one of their cattle.
Many would agree Stanley made the auction more exciting and interesting. He was a purebred livestock auctioneer, but he was more than that to so many in the cattle industry.
Stanley was raised on a Hereford ranch in Cottonwood Falls, Kan. He graduated from Kansas State University (K-State) and then went to Walter Britton Auctioneer School in Bryan, Texas. After finishing his education, he worked for the AHA showing and managing a Hereford herd in Japan.
After his return to the U.S., Stanley worked in the livestock publications industry as a field representative for Western Livestock Journal and then Drovers Journal before being promoted to head of field staff for Drovers. He later worked as director of advertising for the Charolais Banner. In 1975 he started Stanley E. Stout Auction Services.
Thus began more than 30 years of selling cattle with a joke and a smile. He was the premier auctioneer to have at a production sale and usually filled his calendar with between 140 and 180 sales per year. Keeping that schedule meant a lot of road time in his Cadillac.
He was more than an auctioneer — he was deeply involved in the industry. He worked to revitalize the American Royal Livestock Show. He served on the Board of Governors and worked the sale. Now the exhibitor of the supreme champion heifer at the Royal receives the Stanley Stout Memorial Scholarship.
“Stanley was one of those you never can replace,” says John Vanier, CK Ranch, Brookville, Kan. “He created a lot of enthusiasm for the Hereford breed. He made each auction he called more exciting and there was never a dull minute when he was behind the microphone. He spent his lifetime making people laugh. He was one of a kind and is greatly missed.”
At the time of his death, Stanley was a member of the AHA and a proud supporter of his alma mater, K-State, through the Ahearn Club and Block & Bridle. In honor of his life, K-State has begun a fund-raising effort to build a livestock-marketing center on campus. After the last K-State production sale Stanley conducted he mentioned the need for such a facility.
Stanley was also a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, National Auctioneers Association and Livestock Marketeers. He was a member of the board of directors of the American Royal and an active Chase County, Kan., 4-H alumnus.
His wife, Brenda; son, Justin Stout; three daughters, Jessie Stout, Jamie Felton and Jodie Brethour; six grandchildren; two stepsons and a stepdaughter, along with his friends in the livestock industry, continue to do as he would have wanted and celebrate his accomplishments in life.
The late Guy Shull graduated from Oklahoma A&M College in 1949 and began his career in the purebred livestock industry as a fieldman for the Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman. He also operated Shull Hereford Farm, a family enterprise in Elgin, Okla.
“He incorporated the top genetics into his breeding program and strived to raise cattle that fit the livestock industry, avoiding extremes, while concentrating on birth weight, fertility, udder quality, fleshing ability and disposition,” says Warren Sidwell, president of the Oklahoma Hereford Association. “He was practicing 40-plus years ago what we as an industry are focusing on today.”
Guy held several successful production sales and promoted his cattle at state and national Hereford shows. Among the highlights was exhibiting several class winners at the NWSS.
He not only promoted his Herefords, but others as well, serving as secretary-fieldman for the Oklahoma Hereford Association for 27 years. Through his leadership and marketing efforts Oklahoma Herefords became recognized as a seedstock source on the national level, and Oklahoma breeders during his tenure exhibited several national champion bulls and females. Guy also continuously demonstrated his support for Hereford youth.
For the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA), he served as a committee chairman and helped to organize and conduct the annual OCA summer ranch tours. After his purebred dispersion in the late ’60s, Guy continued to run a commercial operation until his retirement.
Later in his career, Guy diversified and became a purebred livestock auctioneer. Colleague A.J. Smith of the Oklahoma Cowman tells that Guy had a “seventh sense,” knowing exactly what a bidder was willing to pay for an animal. He utilized this sense while crying sales from the early 1960s to the mid-’80s.
“Guy not only strived to breed and market the right kind of Hereford cattle that would positively impact the Hereford breed, but constantly promoted these values to anyone who would listen,” Warren says.
Long before the merger of the horned and polled national Hereford associations, Guy made it known that his pet peeve was the separate promotion of horned and polled animals. He emphasized the need for a unified breed. He also encouraged Hereford breeders to focus on maintaining Hereford purity to provide the most genetic kick in a crossbreeding program.
Warren says, “Although I only became acquainted with Guy late in his career, he gained my respect as he was an individual who may have been very direct with his answers and advice, but was always accurate and to the point.” Warren credits Guy’s knowledge of Hereford cattle and the livestock business, as well his many friends and business associates, as the reasons for his success.
Mike MacNeil, native of New York State, graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture in 1974. He then went to work for Dutchman Hereford Co. in Lauxmont, Pa., until returning to school at Montana State University, where he received a master’s degree in animal science in 1978. He then moved to South Dakota State University (SDSU) to begin work on his doctorate’s degree. In 1980 Mike left SDSU to join the University of Nebraska staff at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC), Clay Center, Neb., as the experiment station statistician.
Mike was awarded his doctorate’s degree from SDSU in 1982 for his work on genetic antagonisms between sex-limited traits. In 1983 he joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service at Clay Center. In 1989, Mike transferred from MARC to Ft. Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory in Miles City, Mont. Here he assumed responsibility for the Line 1 Hereford program.
Aspects of Mike’s research that have directly benefited the AHA include: 1) comprehensively and objectively characterizing Line 1 Hereford cattle; 2) facilitating dominate use of Line 1 Hereford cattle in bovine genomics; 3) developing profit indexes for the AHA; 4) estimating the economic value of heterosis; 5) developing guidelines for implementing crossbreeding systems; 6) identifying genetic antagonisms for carcass and maternal traits; 7) evaluating importance of cow families in performance of Hereford cattle; 8) identifying and evaluating new phenotypes for estimation of EPDs (including calving date, metabolizable energy intake of cows and ovulatory follicle size); 9) identifying quantitative trait loci for phenotypes of economic relevance to the beef industry and especially to Hereford breeders; 10) experimentally evaluating the genetic antagonism between birth weight and subsequent growth in Line 1 Hereford cattle; and 11) characterizing consequences of selection to reduce birth weight and increase yearling weight in increasing calving ease, production efficiency and carcass value.
“Dr. MacNeil has been a good friend and inspiration to me as well as many other livestock producers across America,” says Mark Cooper, Cooper Hereford Ranch, Willow Creek, Mont. “He has been a very influential voice for the American producer and is much deserving of this prestigious award.”
John Hough, vice president of Benyshek and Hough Consulting Services, adds, “Mike is one of only a few researchers who truly understands both research theory and its application in the livestock industry.”
Mike has authored, co-authored or edited more than 260 scientific and technical publications. These publications are frequently cited, and resulting technologies have been adopted by government agencies, livestock producers and beef cattle breed associations.
Mike somehow still has time to be active in his church and in the American Society of Animal Science, as well as other professional and civic organizations. He and his wife, Betty, make their home outside Miles City and are the parents of two children, Megan and Brendan.
Dr. G.T. Easley, Sulphur, Okla., the “godfather of artificial insemination (AI)” is known for his work at the Turner Ranch in Oklahoma. As veterinarian he not only took care of herd health, but also worked to perfect the use of AI.
His master’s degree project at the University of Missouri was to breed 300 cows artificially. These Hereford cows were donated by the government to the Indian reservation in Apache, Ariz. The reservation purchased one good Hereford bull to breed the cows. The lofty goal of this project was to improve the herd and produce Hereford range bulls for the reservation. The University of Missouri, working through the Indian agency, convinced the Indians to try AI. Easley then spent the spring and early summer living in a tent at 7,000 feet. He spent his days riding the herd for heat detection and breeding cows with fresh semen collected from one hardworking bull.
Over the years Easley experimented with different methods of storing, diluting and extending solutions as well as methods for freezing and evaluating semen. These are all steps to the process that we use today. The Turner Ranch used AI exclusively for the next 12 years with tremendous benefits to themselves and the Hereford industry.
Easley has maintained his own Hereford herd for more than 50 years and was one of the first Hereford breeders to utilize performance records. His goal was to produce performance Herefords for the commercial producer. His herd selections and improvements led him to produce the first Hereford bull in Oklahoma to test at more than 4 lb. per day gain.
“Dr. Easley has been a lifelong pioneer breeder of Hereford cattle in the great cattle country of southern Oklahoma, popularly known as ‘Hereford heaven,’ and has contributed greatly to the advancement and improvement of the Hereford breed and to the cattle industry in general,” says Cliff Knight, K74 Herefords, Oklahoma City, Okla. “Dr. Easley was a major contributor in the control and elimination of dwarfism in cattle.”
Gary Smith has occupied the Ken and Myra Monfort Endowed Chair in Meat Science at Colorado State University since June 1990. Previously he served as professor (1969-1982) and animal science department head (1982-1990) at Texas A&M University.
Smith’s research interests include red meat safety, carcass evaluation and grading; composition, quality and palatability of red meat; and packaging and retailing of red meat.
Smith was instrumental in proposing the idea to quantify the quality of beef produced from Hereford and Hereford-influenced cattle compared to the rest of the industry. Because of his influence in pushing the project forward, it led to the investment by the American Hereford Association (AHA) to form the Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) program.
Smith has been awarded the Livestock Publications Council Headliner Award and was named one of the “25 Who Made a Difference” by BEEF magazine.
In 1994 he was named one of six “Industry Innovators” by Meat Marketing and Technology magazine. In 2000 he was the recipient of the National Cattlemen’s Foundation 2001 Vision Award, Region 5, and the Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
Smith has served on the board of directors for the Colorado Cattle Feeders Association and as an adviser to the Beef Quality Assurance Advisory Group of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
He is presently a member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for International Organization for Standardization (ISO-9000), Meat And Meat Products Quality Standards for AMS-USDA, was Beef Program Chairman for the 2002 and 2003 International Livestock Congresses and is a member of the Federation of Animal Science Societies’ Scientific Advisory Committee (the FASS Committee on Food Safety, Animal Drugs and Animal Health).
He is a member of the Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and the NCBA.
“Dr. Smith has been a global leader in moving forward food safety and beef quality,” explains Craig Huffhines, AHA executive vice president. “His work has saved lives. His work has moved an industry and his influence on the Hereford breed is strongly felt today and will have influence for years to come.”
Willard Wolf, Spokane, Wash., was one of the “great” breed field representatives. He was born and raised in Oklahoma on a 300-head commercial Hereford operation and graduated from Oklahoma State University (OSU) with a degree in animal science and a minor in business law.
While at OSU he worked part time and summers for the Oklahoma Commission Co. buying and selling feeder and fat cattle at the Oklahoma City Stockyards.
After college he went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a livestock market news reporter working in Oklahoma City, San Francisco and Spokane, Wash. He then transferred to Washington D.C. where he was responsible for the national cattle slaughter estimate and coordinating national cattle industry market news and information.
In 1966 he accepted a position with the Foreign Agriculture Service and a private company that exported cattle, sheep, hogs and horses to foreign countries. While in this role he exported more than 5,000 head of Hereford cattle to Spain, Mexico, Portugal and Honduras.
Two years later Wolf was hired by the American Hereford Association (AHA) as a field representative for the Northwest. He moved his family to Spokane and served the Association in this capacity until 2001.
During his 33 years of service to the AHA, Wolf bought more than $12 million of Hereford bulls and females for ranchers who could not attend sales. He purchased cattle for ranchers in Mexico, Canada and Australia, as well as for cattle producers from across the U.S.
Believing youth are the backbone to the future of the beef industry, Wolf spent a considerable amount of time helping young people develop cattle programs who are now very successful in the Hereford business.
“Although he worked for the AHA for 33 years, we would not say it was a job but rather his life,” say Guy and Sherry Colyer of Colyer Herefords, Bruneau, Idaho. “Since retirement from the AHA his devotion to this breed has not ceased. He continues to promote Herefords throughout the U.S.”
In his retirement Wolf continues working with Hereford breeders, commercial cattlemen and feedlot operators. He still purchases bulls and females and ships thousands of feeder cattle to feedlots for the Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) program.
