KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mile High City hosted the Hereford breed Jan. 15-17 for the 2026 National Western Stock Show (NWSS). Judge Mark Core, Pleasantville, Iowa, evaluated the 106-head female show and 54-head bull show in the NWSS’s new CoBank Arena Jan. 17. Hereford exhibitors showed 426 head throughout the three-day show in Denver, Colo.

“To take a breed like this that has so many good, practical things they have provided the industry forever, then continue to make them better — the power and shape I have seen since eight o’clock this morning is impressive,” Core said before selecting the final champions of the day.

Bull show

BR GKB Lucchese L177 ET by KLD RW Marksman D87 ET, born June 2, 2023, was named the grand champion polled bull. Exhibited by Barber Ranch, Channing, Texas, and GKB Cattle, Desdemona, Texas, the entry also won the senior bull division. Colyer Herefords, Bruneau, Idaho, and Storey Hereford Ranch, Bozeman, Mont., claimed the reserve grand champion polled bull and champion yearling bull titles with C SHR 2111 Tohono 4130, a Feb. 11, 2024, son of C Cuda Belle 2111.

Stellpflug All That ET won grand champion in the horned bull show and champion in the senior bull division. Shown by Hoffman Ranch, Thedford, Neb.; Lindskov’s LT Ranch, Isabel, S.D.; and Buck Cattle Co., Madill, Okla., he is a Jan. 30, 2023, son of JDH AH Benton 8G ET. Hannah and Hadley Harrison, Montague, Calif., exhibited the reserve grand horned and champion intermediate yearling bull, HL Big County 2421 ET. Their bull is a May 17, 2024, son of BR ER Big Country 007 ET.

Female show

Grand champion horned female and champion senior heifer calf honors went to CMCC Make A Splash 4072M, shown by Kennedy Hoffman, Thedford, Neb. Born Nov. 12, 2024, and sired by KJ 753D Tomahawk 605K ET, Hoffman’s female was also grand champion in the junior show. Will Freking, Alpha, Minn., grabbed the reserve grand champion horned female banner with FCC Nora 5863 ET. His champion spring heifer calf is a March 20, 2025, daughter of ECR 628 Ivys Advance 8923 ET.

Gunnar and Fallon Gohr, Madras, Ore., with BK CMCC Magic Touch 450M ET received the grand champion polled female slap. The March 3, 2024, daughter of MCM H BK Stinger K12 ET, was also the champion spring yearling female. FTZS Linda 251N ET, a Feb. 28, 2025, daughter of CH High Roller 756 ET exhibited by Lander Fitzsimmons, Perry, Okla., was the reserve grand champion polled female. The duo first won the junior heifer calf division.

Other show awards

Following the selection of champions, Will Freking, Alpha, Minn, and Cruz Colyer, Bruneau, Idaho, shared premier horned breeder honors. Colyer was also premier horned exhibitor. Buck Cattle Co. was named premier polled breeder, and Fallon and Gunnar Gohr received the premier polled exhibitor title.

Visit Hereford.org to view full results from the 2026 NWSS.

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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^Ò (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 press releases and photos, visit Hereford.org/media.

Find the full press release and images here.