Annual Meeting

Brett Barber owns and operates Barber Hereford Ranch with his parents, Dale and Mary, and his siblings, Terri, Jason and Justin. The family raises and markets about 150 registered Hereford bulls annually through two production sales, along with approximately 50 registered Hereford females. 

Their ranch in the arid, High Plains instills ruggedness in their cow herd, which grazes on native grasses at 3,800 feet elevation. The Barbers added Angus so their commercial customers can buy both breeds to build complementary crossbreeding programs. Barber Ranch partners with its cattle buyers and fellow breeders to collect valuable data on their cattle’s commercial performance. The Barbers also farm corn, Nutri-cane and sudex grass hay and wheat. 

Brett and his wife, Carla, have five children, ages 19-28, including Rylee, Bryden and Aidyn Barber, and Emma and Grayson Carley.

Rylee and her husband, Austin Matheny, operate Matheny Herefords in Kentucky. Bryden works at Carroll Cattle Co., in Oklahoma and aspires to return to the ranch. Emma, a former assistant judging coach at West Texas A&M, studies chiropractic medicine. Grayson is pursuing an automotive career in Idaho. Aidyn is a Texas Tech student and an NJHA director.

Brett received a bachelor’s in animal science from Texas A&M University, where he competed on the meats and livestock evaluation teams. He earned a master’s degree at Michigan State University (MSU), and he spent 12 years at the helm of the MSU cow herd. He managed Ankony Land’s purebred cattle operation in Georgia before returning to Barber Ranch.

Brett has served on the executive committee of the Texas Hereford Association and as the president of the Michigan Polled Hereford Association. He is a member of the Dallam Hartley junior livestock show committee, a Moore County Junior Livestock Association board member, a 4-H and FFA supporter and a community cleanup volunteer and a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church.

Brett has officiated livestock shows in 40 states and four countries. He was the reserve high-scoring individual in the American Royal judging contest, and he topped senior showmanship during the 1987 American Junior Hereford Association show. Barber Ranch received the Century Award from the Texas Department of Agriculture. The family has bred and exhibited countless national champions, including the National Western supreme champions, BR Gabrielle 5082 and BR Belle Air 6011.

Contact Information: 806-681-2457, brettbarber69@gmail.com

Andy Beck is the third generation of the Beck family to raise Hereford cattle. His grandfather, Clarence, purchased the first set of Herefords in 1940. Andy’s dad, Gene partnered with Bill Powell in 1979 to form Beck-Powell Polled Herefords. Today, Andy has 100-head of Hereford cows, which are split into spring- and fall-calving groups. 

Andy strives to produce sound, fertile, easy fleshing cows that milk well and are well-suited for purebred breeders and commercial cattlemen alike. Beck-Powell Polled Herefords use artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) to help drive genetic improvement, and the operation selects cattle that utilize resources efficiently.  The cow herd grazes all spring and summer and winters on hay and mineral without supplemental feed. Andy markets the cattle private treaty and has attracted buyers from several states and Canada. 

Andy and his wife of 37 years, Betsy, have one son, Cody. Cody currently resides in Oklahoma with his wife, Taylor, and their two children, Reagan (3) and Preston (newborn). Cody enjoyed an extensive youth show career attending every Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE) from 2000 until 2014. 

Andy served on the Indiana Hereford Association board for 12 years and was the president when the Indiana horned and polled associations merged. Betsy served on the National Pollette board and was on the strategic planning committee for the merger of the horned and polled women’s associations. 

Andy and Betsy served as Indiana junior Hereford advisors and spent six years as NJHA advisors.

Outside of the Hereford industry, Andy is a county commissioner and president of the board. He also serves on the county planning, health, and solid waste district boards, plus FFA Advisory.  In the past, he served on the school board, including a year as president, the local 4-H fair board and school alumni association.

Andy has been honored for his service with several awards including: the 2014 Hereford Junior Advisors of the Year, 2003 Indiana Hereford Family of the Year and the 2007 Honorary Chapter FFA Degree for the North Putnam FFA chapter.

Contact Information: 765-720-1696, abcbeck92@gmail.com

Larry Cunningham is the second-generation stockman behind Cunningham Herefords, Spring City, Tenn. The Cunningham Herefords’ headquarters was originally purchased by Larry’s father in 1947 after World War II, along with two Hereford heifers. Hereford cattle have been a staple ever since.

Today, Larry focuses on making cattle that will produce and perform for commercial cattle producers. He uses performance testing, AI and ET to drive the improvement on his 100-head operation. Each year, he sends bulls and heifers to the University of Tennessee’s performance test and markets cattle through that sale. He has also utilized Virginia Tech’s performance testing program and will sell cattle private treaty.

Larry has three children with his ex-wife, Michelle: daughter, Latel, and twin sons, Jim and Teed. Larry enjoys being a grandpa to his grandson, Finn, and is happy to see his twins take an interest in Cunningham Herefords as third-generation cattlemen.

Outside of raising Hereford cattle, Larry manages a breeder hen operation, which raises grandparent stock for one of the largest poultry genetic providers in the country. He comes from a diverse livestock background. When he was younger Larry had a farrow to feeder hog operation with his family, in addition to fitting and clipping show and sale cattle throughout the South. His love of livestock prompted Larry to pursue a degree in animal science from the University of Tennessee, where he won many awards as a member of the livestock judging team. He then passed his animal evaluation skills onto younger generations, coaching three state champion 4-H judging teams and sorting cattle shows in numerous states.

After college, Larry joined Farm Credit and launched his career in the banking and finance industry. He spent nearly 20 years as the organization’s chief credit officer before he retired from Farm Credit in 2012. Then, he spent eight years as a commercial lending specialist. Today, he uses his multiple accounting accreditations, farm real estate appraisal qualifications and analytical mind to consult for clients.

Larry also offered his talents to numerous boards, including the Tennessee Beef Council, for four terms, the Tennessee Hereford Association, on which he served two terms, and the state and national Beef Checkoff, each of which he served for two, six-year terms. As a Tennessee Beef Council director, he used his expertise to help the council find a new location, underwrite its purchase, remodel and receive rental income to offset their brick-and-mortar expense. Larry has served as president of numerous organizations, including the Tennessee Beef Council and the Tennessee 4-H Foundation.

Contact Information: 423-605-9241, cunninghamphfarm@aol.com

Mark Ehlke sits at the helm of Ehlke Herefords, Townsend, Mont. The ranch runs 300-plus cows, including recips. Ehlke Herefords markets 45-50 Hereford bulls annually and hosts the Montana Made sale each fall. Montana Made offers predominately bred heifers, in addition to an elite sire or two and some select open females. The ranch strives to produce Hereford cattle that excel for their customers and fit their environments. Mark doesn’t chase industry trends with his cow herd; instead, he uses all traits, measured and unmeasured, to make genetic selections.

Ehlke Herefords is a family operation. Mark’s wife, Della, oversees the ranch’s administrative responsibilities. The couple’s daughter, Lacey Jo Jepson and her husband, Zach, are actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the family’s ranch, in addition to running their own cow herd. Their other two daughters: Jen Hofer, and her husband, Ross; and Jane’a Merkel, and her husband, Jake; reside nearby in Bozeman and Helena, respectively.

Mark has served as a Montana Hereford Association board member for several years and has been a member of the association for more than three decades.

Ehlke Herefords has also been a long-time member of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the Montana Chamber of Commerce. The ranch sponsors community events and organizations, including the Montana State University Extension and the Broadwater County Fair and Rodeo. Mark actively served his community as a member of the Broadwater 4-H livestock committee for 10 years, the vice president and member of the of the Broadwater Missouri River Users Association (irrigation water board) for six terms, and a founding member or the original board of trustees to the Trailhead Christian Church.

Off the ranch, Mark and Della own Montana Hydraulics, a metal fab and machining company, which has sold products and services across North America.

Contact Information: 406-439-4311, ehlke@mt.net

Steve Lorenzen is a managing partner of Lorenzen Farms, Chrisman, Ill. The operation was founded in 1930 when John Lorenzen Sr., purchased 105 acres. Over the last century, the farm has grown to 5,655 acres, 4,922 of which are tillable farm ground, in addition to the family’s diversified livestock operation, including Hereford and Angus cattle and a nationally recognized Yorkshire pig program, along with 220 acres of custom farming.

Lorenzen Farms’ cow herd consists of 200 Hereford and Angus cows, along with 50 bred heifers. Steve grazes cattle on ground too difficult to farm row crops with the size of today’s equipment. The operation also includes three feeding floors to winter cows and grow replacement heifers, using corn silage and supplemental hay. Most of the herd are spring-calvers with a small group of fall-calving females.

Lorenzen Farms holds a fall production sale to offer bred heifers and some elite heifer calves, along with an online spring bull sale offering their top bulls. The steer calves and heifers which don’t make the replacement cut are sold privately or in the Certified Hereford feeder calf sale in Carthage, Ill.

Steve and his wife, Vicki, have been married for 55 years. The couple has three grown children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Their children and grandchildren have all crossed the country in a Chevrolet exhibiting at junior nationals and national shows. The family attended their first junior national in 1979 and have attended all but one since 1985.

Lorenzen Farms was selected as the Illinois Beef Association’s Seedstock Breeder of the Year in 2021. The farm was also recognized as a member of the Illinois’ Hereford Hall of Fame and Illinois Breeder of the Year multiple times.

Steve served more than 30 years on the school board, including over half as president and secretary. He’s also been elected president of the voter’s assembly of Grace Lutheran Church in Paris, Ill., along with serving as a church trustee and elder. Steve has been a member of the Illinois Hereford board multiple times and held various officer positions. He’s served as a Farm Bureau township director and was a 4-H leader for more than three decades.

Contact Information: 217-822-2803, lf3@ecicwireless.com

Ryan McGuffee, owns and operates McGuffee Herefords, New Hebron, Miss. The third-generation cattleman got started in the Hereford breed with a single heifer he purchased in 1977 as his 4-H project.

With nearly 50 years in the business, McGuffee Herefords is and always has been a family affair. Ryan’s parents, Joe and Delores, still play an active role in the operation, along with his wife, Angie, their son, Walker, and his wife, Mary Jo.

Today, McGuffee Herefords consists of a 285-head registered Hereford herd and a 500-head black baldy commercial herd. The operation utilizes extensive AI and ET programs, producing more than 150 ET calves each year. By investing heavily in AI and ET, the McGuffees ensure they maintain focus on quality genetics and an emphasis on maternal ability, carcass strength and above-breed-average genomic profiles.

McGuffee Herefords supplies more than 80 registered Hereford bulls annually to some of the most prolific commercial operations in the Southeast. In 2024, McGuffee Herefords hosted a female production sale for the first time in 35 years, along with their inaugural commercial bull sale. Oct. 31 this year will mark McGuffee’s third annual bull and female sale. Additionally, Ryan offers cattle privately.

McGuffee Herefords has also seen showring success. Ryan, along with partner, Pérez Cattle Co., exhibited the 2024 American Royal champion Hereford bull, KRM 9160 Follow Me 8G L35 ET.

The McGuffee family is a dedicated supporter of Hereford youth. Walker was an active NJHA member and showed at the JNHE. Over the past 30 years, more than 100 young people have been mentored by the McGuffee family as they began their 4-H and FFA careers with a Hereford heifer provided by McGuffee Herefords.

Outside of McGuffee Herefords, Ryan is president of McGuffee Properties LLC, Mendenhall, Miss., a land development firm he founded upon graduation from the University of Southern Mississippi. Giving back and supporting their community is a pillar of strength for the McGuffee family. Ryan has served on the Mississippi Hereford Association board of directors for many years, dedicated countless hours to helping Mississippi Hereford youth plan to attend the JNHE, co-founded the Mississippi Youth Expo and was awarded the Cattleman of the Year.

Contact Information: 601-668-1000, ryanmcgu@bellsouth.net

Kathryn Belles, Spangle, Wash., is the 19-year-old daughter of Dave and Kris Belles, and she is currently a freshman at the University of Idaho, studying animal science production, rangeland ecology and management. She has exhibited cattle since the third grade and continues to grow more involved in the Washington State Junior Hereford Association, where she currently serves as president, and the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA). She attended the Faces of Leadership conference and the VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE). Kathryn was an active FFA member, holding many leadership positions including Washington FFA State President. In addition to holding state office, she completed her American FFA degree and successfully competed in many contests — topping her state’s rangeland evaluation in 2025.

“I find it crucial to have confident, yet intelligent, spokeswomen involved in our breed, and I would like to be a part of the women who have dedicated their time to the industry,” Kathryn says.

Emma Lewis, Litchfield, Ohio, is the 19-year-old daughter of Dawn Handrosh and Steve Lewis. She is a sophomore at Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), pursuing a degree in agricultural business. Emma has been an active member of the Buckeye Junior Hereford Association and NJHA for the last 11 years. She’s attended several JNHE’s over the last decade, along with the Faces of Leadership conference and the World Hereford Conference. Emma has held several offices and committee roles within the Buckeye Junior Hereford Association and is active in her college and community, taking part in 4-H, Farm Bureau, Girl Scouts, First Friends Church and several community service projects.

“I hope to give back to the industry by promoting the Hereford breed, mentoring youth and advocating for the broader beef industry,” Emma says.

Paisley Musil, Ravenna, Neb., is the 17-year-old daughter of Matthew and Kinsley Musil. She is finishing her studies at Ravenna Public Schools and hopes to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan or Creighton University to pursue nursing and agricultural studies. Paisley is active in 4-H, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), competitive cheer and FFA, where she has served as chapter president. She has attended the JNHE as a part of the Nebraska Junior Hereford Association and credits the organization with strengthening her leadership and commitment to agriculture.

“This role would mean more to me than a title — it would be an opportunity to serve with sincerity, encourage younger members, represent the breed with pride and help others feel the same sense of belonging and purpose that Hereford has given me,” Paisley says.

Mallory Reed, Green Ridge, Mo., the 20-year-old daughter of Craig and Natalie Reed, is a sophomore at the University of Missouri (Mizzou), majoring in international business management with minors in Spanish and agriculture. The seventh-generation farmer has participated in the Faces of Leadership conference and the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout. On campus, Mallory is part of Trulaske College of Business Cornell Leadership Program, which honors the top 2% of business students; Mizzou CEO; Spanish Theatre Club and Pi Beta Phi. She’s also been an active member in FBLA, FFA and 4-H.

“With elegance and education, the National Hereford Queen supports and advocates for the Hereford industry and the community within it,” Mallory says. “If I were selected for this role, I would take it to heart and utilize my platform to my best ability.”

Morgan Styndl, Claremont, Minn., is the 18-year-old daughter of Brian and Michele Styndl. She is a senior at South Central College, majoring in agricultural business and production agriculture. Morgan has assisted with the Minnesota Hereford Association’s Go-Pher the Purple Sale and Midwest Classic Show. She exhibited at the JNHE and hopes to attend the Building on Leadership Development (BOLD) conference. Morgan participated in both 4-H and FFA and enrolled in college classes as a high school student to accelerate her education. She is a member of South Central College’s PAS (Professional Agricultural Students) and volunteers with her church and community.

“I want to contribute to the continued growth and success of the Hereford breed, whether through encouraging the next generation of youth, supporting fellow breeders or simply showing up with honesty, integrity and respect,” Morgan says.