KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dvorak Herefords, Lake Andes, S.D., showed the best carload of Hereford bulls Jan. 16 in the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) Yards. Jensen Ranch, Courtland, Kan., topped the pen-of-three bull show, and Storey Hereford Ranch, Bozeman, Mont., won the pen-of-three female show in Denver, Colo.

Judges Cliff Copeland, Nara Visa, N.M.; Fred Larson, Spring Valley, Wis.; and Steve Lambert, Oroville, Calif., sorted a total of 158 Hereford cattle — seven carloads, 17 female pens and 17 bull pens — to find the 2026 NWSS champions.

“I tell you today, no matter what your breeding program is, these bulls here and these females we saw earlier this morning will keep you in this business for long time,” Lambert said before the announcement of the champion pen-of-three bulls.

In the carload show, Dvorak Herefords won grand champion with their group of champion senior bull calves sired by JDH AH Lincoln 106H ET, RST Final Print 0016, Birdwell New Standard 2912 ET and JW 1857 Merit 21134. This pen weighed 1,349 pounds on average, with a weight per day of age (WDA) of 3.34 and average scrotal circumference (SC) measuring 37.50 centimeters. Landgren Ranch, Bartlett, Neb., was the reserve grand champion carload and champion in the spring bull calf division with a group sired by Land Chief 2097, UPS Voyager, Land Makers Mark 2072ET, Land Frisco 3060, UPS Taylor Made ET and JDH AH Lincoln 106H ET. The group of bulls weighed an average of 1,069 pounds with a 3.54 WDA and average SC of 34.80 centimeters.

Jensen Ranch and their group by KJ 753D Tomahawk 605K ET rose to the top of the pen-of-three bull show. The champion junior bull calf pen tipped the scales with a 1,307-pound average weight, 3.62 WDA and average SC of 39.30 centimeters. A group of senior bull calves sired by BR Rare Air 2174 and Innisfail Trademark 1939 ET exhibited by Barber Ranch, Channing, Texas, took home the reserve grand champion pen-of-three bull banner. With an average weight of 1,510 pounds and 3.40 WDA, the Barber Ranch pen measured an average SC of 38.70 centimeters.

Storey Hereford Ranch showed the grand champion pen-of-three females with a group sired by C Reign Maker 3210 ET. The champion junior heifer calf pen posted an average weight of 983 pounds and WDA of 2.80. Delaney Herefords Inc., Lake Benton, Minn., and Atkins Herefords, Tea, S.D., claimed the reserve grand champion pen-of-three females with a group sired by Stellpflug Gunsmoke 222 ET, RST Final Print 0016 and Churchill W4 Sherman 2157K ET. Their pen, also from the junior heifer calf division, weighed an average of 888 pounds with a WDA of 2.47.

Visit Hereford.org to view full results from the NWSS Hereford show in the Yards.

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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.