Guy Colyer began his registered herd as a 4-H project while growing up on his family’s commercial Hereford ranch. In 1976, the same year he married his wife, Sherry, they purchased cattle in the Stone Hereford dispersion, BB Cattle Co. and the entire cow herd from Tom and Ardis Dashiell. Together, they built the ranch and cow herd to what it is today. Colyer Hereford and Angus in Bruneau, Idaho, consists of 300 registered Hereford cows and 75 replacement heifers. Guy’s parents, the late Ray and Bonnie Colyer, began building the Angus herd in 1993 to provide two breeds for their commercial customers.

The Colyers have been producing ET calves since 1983, and now more than 90% of their calf crop is a result of AI or ET. Always on the cutting edge, the Colyers hosted the very first internet sale in 2003 to market their females. This February, the Colyers will host their 40th annual bull sale and in October hosted their 18th annual female sale. Their main objective is to produce a volume of range bulls, but they are also proud to have produced the world-record selling Hereford bull as well as having four of the six Hereford bulls that have been two-time Denver champions.

A graduate of the University of Idaho’s animal science department, Guy helped start its “Steer-A-Year” program. He was awarded the U.S. Livestock Industry Leader of the Year in 2017 by the National Western Stock Show. Colyer Hereford and Angus was recognized as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Month for March 2018 on the Senate floor.

Guy has represented the breed in many capacities, including serving on the AHA Board from 1992-1998 He served on the merger committee during that time and also chaired the nominating committee in 2006. He attended the World Hereford Conference in Uruguay in 2017 and went on a trade mission to Mexico in 2018. Being major proponents of Hereford youth, the Colyers have hosted the Idaho Junior State Hereford Field Day and Show for four years and the Northwest Regional Show for two years. They have also hosted the Faces of Leadership Conference, then known as PRIDE.

Guy is quick to note Colyer Hereford and Angus is a family operation with everyone working together. He, Sherry, their children, Kyle and Katie, along with Kyle’s wife, Bobby Jean, and their children, Cruz and Piper, all play an active role in keeping the operation at the forefront.

“You can find Guy driving around in his Jeep Cherokee chewing Redman while checking on cattle any given day, unless there is a Yankees game on TV,” notes Aaron Wilbourn with W6 Herefords. “All kidding aside, Guy is an example of what I think a good cowman is. His family is his priority and what a great family he has.”