June 2019
the herd sire
Longhorn
Drover
The Official Online Magazine of the International Texas Longhorn Association
about the cover
This months cover consists of a collage of pictures provided by John and Christy Randolph and Gary Lake of herd sires they feel represent the breed well.. If you have a photo you think would make a good cover photo, please email your image in jpg format to staff@itla.com for a chance to be featured. Please include the photographers name, and the date and location the photograph was taken, as well as any other information needed to properly credit the photographer if the photo is selected.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS 08 10 11 12 20 24 27
Letter from the President Exciting Announcements
Meet Your Directors Meet Connie Olive
Letter from the Youth Director
Information for Youth, Parents, and Donors
The Herd Sire
An Article by Kacie Ging
Longhorn News
Announcements and Fun!
Youth Spotlight
Get to know Kaleb Morris
Events
What’s Going On?
Drover Longhorn
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Beautiful, cool Colorado . . . Where would you rather be this August?
August 9-10, 2019 Latigo Trails Equestrian Center
Colorado Springs, Colorado
7:00 am Latigo Grill Opens
7:00 am Cattle viewing; Latigo Grill opens
9:30 am 2019 Rocky Mountain Winchester Futurity
11:00 am 20th annual Rocky Mountain Select Texas Longhorn Sale
5:00 pm Rocky Mountain Select Heifer Sale and Semper Fi Banquet
SALE INFO
FUTURITY INFO
Charlie Searle
Marlene Reynolds
719/649-0058
719/510-2151
charliesearle02@gmail.com cowgirlmama83@gmail.com
www.searleranch.com/SelectSale
Join us for THE Longhorn Rendezvous of the year, in the shadow of Pikes Peak and the Colorado Rockies. Proud to have the SEMPER FI FUND on board again this year ‌ see you in August!
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Letter from the
President F
or almost 30 years the ITLA has made its Longhorn mark by excelling in member services. Because the ITLA continues to travel the good trail, we are now also being noticed for the contributions we bring to the entire agricultural community. The Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, Mr. Sid Miller, has accepted an invitation to join us in Sulphur Springs for the 2019 Convention and Championship Show. We mean it when we say our gathering is the event you do not want to miss. I am pleased to announce that Ms. Cori Garcia has accepted the position of office manager for the ITLA. Cori brings to the ITLA many years of office management experience, a deep love for the Longhorn breed, and a desire to set the industry standard in member services. Please join me in welcoming Cori to the ITLA. By now you have seen the vision of the Longhorn Drover on line magazine. Thank you to the Drover staff, advertisers, and contributors for making this possible. The Longhorn Drover continues a long standing tradition of providing benefits without an increase in association pricing.
Contact the Drover staff directly at longhorndrover@gmail.com to advertise, submit content, provide e-mails for others to enjoy the magazine, or to let the Drover staff know you appreciate the effort.
2019 Officers Larry Smith II
Lizz Huntzberry
Vice President President Term: 2019 Term: 2019 Smithsburg, MD Celina, TX 240-291-1952 254-396-9185 larrypsmith2@yahoo.com lizzhuntzberry@yahoo.com
Russell Hooks
Secretary Term: 2020 McGregor, TX 409-381-0616 russellh@longhornroundup.com
John Moxley
Treasurer Term: 2021 New Market, MD 240-446-9950 crosswrenchranch@msn.com
2019 Board of Directors John Moxley
Joel Dickinson
Gordon Musgrove
Dan Grove
Dick Lowe
John Nelson
T.J. Farnsworth
Terry Brink
Connie Olive
Russell Hooks
Joe Dowling
Mike Tomey
Director at Large #1 Term: 2021 New Market, MD 240-446-9950 crosswrenchranch@msn.com
Region 2 Term: 2019 Bailey, NC 252-373-2926 dan@grovecattle.com
Region 5 Term: 2019 Mountain Home, UT 435-503-5229 tj@chapman-const.com
Region 8 Term: 2020 McGregor, TX 409-381-0616 russellh@longhornroundup.com
Director at Large #2 Term: 2020 Barnsville, OH 740-758-5858 joel_d@texaslonghorn.com
Region 3 Term: 2020 Horton, MI 517-688-3030 info@rrrlonghorns.com Region 6 Term: 2020 Frederick, OK 580-335-5732 brinkauction@gmail.com
Region 9 Term: 2021 Caldwell, TX 979-273-0277 dowlingoe@yahoo.com
Region 1 Term: 2020 Patricia, AB 403-363-1729 onetreeranch@gmail.com
Region 4 Term: 2021 Wellington, CO 970-897-2441 jnelson@enganalytics.com Region 7 Term: 2020 Big Sandy, TX 903-780-0665 connie_olive@aol.com
Past President Director Term: 1 year Bedford, IN 812-583-4622 tomeyfarms@yahoo.com
Meet your Directors Connie Olive was raised in the North Central area of Texas and has been involved with horses and cattle all her life. She and her husband, Bruce, moved to Alberta, Canada where they worked on his family’s ranch and trained horses for ten years.
After that time, they returned to Texas with their four children where they continued to break and train horses. It was during that time that Connie studied to become a registered nurse. As a nurse she has worked in several departments; obstetrics, labor and delivery, nursery, and emergency care. She is presently working as a clinical instructor for the Vocational Nursing Education program at Tyler. Junior College.
Connie Olive Region 7 Term: 2020 Big Sandy, TX 903-780-0665 connie_olive@aol.com
It was 1995 when Connie and Bruce became involved with longhorn cattle. Bruce took a job working for Mickey Wood of Wildwood Ranch in Lindale, TX. Soon after, they purchased eight Longhorn cows of their own from local breeder Roberta Gard. They became even more involved with longhorns when Bruce became ranch manager of Bolen Longhorns. During those years they were able to breed and improve their small longhorn herd and attend longhorn activities around the country. They also became part of a small group of breeders to organize and promote the original Winchester Longhorn Heifer Futurity. From the start, Connie and Bruce have maintained a small purebred herd of longhorn cattle and felt fortunate to have accomplished so much with them throughout the years. Connie enjoys meeting and “talking cattle” with Longhorn People from around the world. But, she especially enjoys showing Longhorn Cattle with several of her twelve grandchildren and traveling to shows and futurities with some of her friends.
ATTENTION DIRECTORS If you have not yet been featured in the “Meet Your Directors” section of the Longhorn Drover, please send your bios to longhorndrover@gmail.com. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to connect with the members and allow them to get to know just a little bit more about why you are the perfect fit for this position!
Letter from the
Youth Director
Howdy
Well, Spring has quickly come to an end and summer break for all you youth exhibitors finally begins. It’s time to relax, enjoy a break from school, and … oh ya, start weaning your new show calves. With that being said, the ITLA Championship Show & Convention is just around the corner and we have a fantastic contest for all of you to participate in. It doesn’t matter where you live, every current youth member can join in on the fun. The youth member that sales the highest dollar amount of sponsorship packages for the 2019 Championship Show & Convention, will win a longhorn calf. That’s right… a FREE calf. The sponsorship forms are available at www.itla.com under the 2019 Convention tab. Here’s a direct link to the forms as well http://www.itla.com/Sites/438/docs/new%20Approved%20-%20ITLA%202019%20Show%20Sponsor%20FormEd.pdf. Print off several copies and start selling those sponsorship packages.
Know anyone that would like to donate a great heifer to the “Elite Heifer Sale” ? This will also count toward your sponsorship package sales totals. Each heifer you sign up will be calculated as a $1,000 in your total. Here’s the link to the heifer donation form http://www.itla.com/Sites/438/docs/2019%20ITLA%20Heifer%20 Donation%20Form.pdf Please be sure to write your name and ITLA Youth Membership number on every form you turn in so you can receive credit for that sponsorship. There are some great activities that are being planned for all the youth at the Championship Show, so stay tuned for more information, show details, and entry forms. Until next time, see you all down the trail. Sincerely,
Cori Garcia Cori Garcia ITLA Youth Director
Image submitted by Gary Lake
The Herd Sire By Kacie Ging
Running a successful breeding program with Texas Longhorn cattle, or any breed, requires careful planning and an understanding of the goals of the breeder. Arguably one of the most important aspects of a breeding program is the choice of which herd sire to use. “A herd sire should be defined as a bull that will have a longterm effect in the profitability of an operation and should have traits that are attractive to other breeders with regard to genetics, confirmation, horn, etcetera,” says ITLA Lifetime Members John and Christy Randolph of Lonesome Pines Ranch. The herd sire’s purpose is to breed all of the cows in the herd. This means his genetics will influence every calf that is born. Because of the herd sire’s power to make or break a calf crop, he is viewed by many breeders as the most important investment a breeder could make. “You know as life progresses and you meet that special person and
Image submitted by Gary Lake you are considering spending the rest of your life with this person. Well that would be the second most important decision you’re ever going to make. Right behind the decision of what herd sire to use,” says longtime breeder Jimmy Jones. Selecting a herd sire is very important, and with so many options out there, it can be an intimidating choice to make. The good news is there are several
Image submitted by Gary Lake
seasoned breeders out there willing to share their expertise. As with any aspect of running a breeding program, the number one piece of advice is always to have set goals for the operation. “A breeding plan is like a road map,” says Jones. “To take you from where you are to where you want to go.” Knowing what you have and where you are is just as, if not more, important as knowing where it is that you are wanting to go with your program says Jones. A breeder has to be able to understand his or her own herd before knowing what steps to take to improve. “A general rule of thumb is that you should be prepared to choose a bull that is better than any cow in your herd and probably will cost as much as any three top cows,” says former ITLA Vice President and former MSTLA President, Gary Lake. “After all, natural bred cattle only have one
calf per year, but the bull will be half of everything in the herd.” With that amount of influence, selecting a herd sire requires knit picking and careful evaluation of the potential candidates. “We look for a bull that has good muscling that extends from his head down to the backside and thickness throughout,” say the Randolph’s. “He should stand square on all four legs and when walking, the back foot should hit the front foot track.” A bull with correct conformation and structure will be able to serve his purpose in the herd with ease. Not only are the traits passed down to his calves, but they also are what allows the bull to do his job. Tracking, the way the bull walks, is important for long-term productivity.
Kettle’s Tattoo. Submitted by John and Christy Randolph.
“We also look for good shoulders that is an indicator of good capacity in the rib cage,” say the Randolph’s. “A bull should have shoulders that are about two inches, or more, wider than his rump. Wide shoulders indicate masculinity in bulls and is a high indicator of reproductive efficiency.”
Image submitted by Gary Lake
A masculine neck and correct muscling of the body will emphasize the power of the animal and reveal its production value. Animals with less masculinity and more of a steer look are typically not good producers.
“It is important to take note of the shape of the testes,” say the Randolph’s. “They should be uniform in size and should not have one or both rotated around.”
In addition to conformation, scrotal and testicular development are vital when selecting a herd sire.
The testicles of a Texas Longhorn bull should be full, equal in size, and proportionate to the growth of the animal says Lake. They should not be narrow.
“Scrotal circumference is a valuable indicator of a bull’s fertility,” says the Randolph’s. “Generally speaking, a yearling bull should exceed a scrotal circumference of about 30 centimeters, or at least that’s what the experts say.” As a young herd sire matures, the scrotal circumference
will increase. The shape and uniformity should remain consistent say the Randolph’s. With Texas Longhorn cattle, there is one trait to consider that other breeds don’t have, and that is horn development. “In our current market it appears that horn is the single most valuable factor in any Longhorn bull or cow,” says Lake. “And if you’re in this for profit you have to raise what the market demands. Horn is important as it is in the breed’s very name, but it is possible to lose the other traits important to the breed, if a breeder is breeding for only one trait. A good balance of all Texas Longhorn traits should be the ultimate goal.
It is possible to produce lengthy horns from a moderate horned bull say the Randolph’s. In the same way, it is possible that an incredibly long horned bull could produce calves with much shorter horns. “In today’s environment, the horn seems to be the value indicator,” say the Randolph’s. “Top sales in our Longhorn auctions are measured by horn, horn, horn; however, there are many other very valuable traits that should not be overlooked when selecting a herd sire.” The way that an animal currently appears is not the only information to take into consideration. Some traits are carried by the bull but do not necessarily show on him himself but can be found in the bull’s pedigree.
“Many things dictate what animal should be kept as a herd sire but the two most overlooked are pedigree and disposition,” says Lake. “A potential sire needs to have a strong maternal pedigree. Cows that not only have horn, color and conformation, but display those traits three to five generations back.” Lake is not the only breeder who advises researching a potential herd sire’s pedigree. “Don’t bring anything into your program that you do not want. Look at the pedigree. Don’t stop at who the sire and dam are. Look into the pedigree. Look deep into the pedigree,” says Jones. “Every animal in that pedigree will have some influence in his calves. Study the effects of the mating that have been done in that pedigree.
Image submitted by Gary Lake
Find the animals that did the best job of improving the animals that follow them in the pedigree.”
towards selecting a herd sire. After all, the traits the bull exhibits are not the only traits he carries.
Many breeders like to reference the mother as the major influencer of a bull’s production capacity. The traits of good longhorn females will be carried in the bull’s DNA. This includes the traits important to longhorn females such as udder development, calving ease, and motherly instincts says Lake.
“The individual, while important, is built and reproduced by the pedigree,” says Lake.
“A good bull absolutely has to have a great mom,” says Jones. Researching the pedigree may seem like a long and difficult task, but it will pay off when it is put
To make selecting a herd sire a bit easier, seasoned breeders shared their opinions on what traits should absolutely be avoided. This allows a breeder to narrow down the prospects to only the absolute best options. “The bull should not be standing with his back knees touching when relaxed,” say the Randolph’s. “This is a trait that will be passed down to his offspring.”
A bull’s feet and legs are important to him being able to do his job. If the bull cannot stand or walk correctly it will create efficiency problems for him. The bull’s calves will be a generation of Texas Longhorns with standing and tracking problems. “Avoid sickle hocked, cow hocked or post legged animals,” say the Randolph’s. “Sickle hocked leg structure is one in which the back leg joints are set with too much angle. Cow hocked means that the shanks of the hind legs are very close. Post legged animals have a condition in which the joints are not set correctly and prevent the legs from bending properly.”
Image submitted by Gary Lake
Another important issue would be to watch the testicles. Avoid any bull that has twisted testicles, or a bull that is missing a testicle say the Randolph’s. The attitude and behavior of a bull can have an effect over the entire herd, so disposition is an important factor that can make weeding out lesser bulls easier. “Does the bull have a disposition problem? Does he take off running as soon as he hears you coming? Then you should run, too,” say the Randolph’s. Beyond the breed itself, Texas Longhorn cattle have the potential to benefit the cattle industry.
“Nothing will make a commercial breeder sleep well like breeding to a longhorn bull,” says Lake. “Especially on first calf heifers and not worrying about calving problems!” Lake points out that Texas Longhorn cattle offer production traits such as calving ease, browse utilization, disease resistance, longevity, and much more. “When you think about it, every commercial cattleman wants all those traits in his herd,” says Lake. “I wonder why more don’t use the amazing Longhorn.” In conclusion, Texas Longhorn herd sires are an important factor
in any breeder’s program and should be researched heavily before making a selection. A good herd sire can carry a program a long way. “You are in charge of your program. Only you,” says Jones. “If you want to be successful in your program, prove it. Put the effort in it. Listen. Look. Ask. Learn.”
Obituaries
Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends in the loss of Ralph Nelson Chain. Ralph Nelson Chain was born Jan 5,1927, to Lenard and Grace Chain. After an incredible 91 years of life, Saturday evening December 8th, 2018 his maker called him home. Ralph was born, lived his entire life, and will be buried on the 160 acres that his grandfather traded a shotgun and $50.00 for in 1893. He attended grade school at Con Six 6 and graduated high school at Seiling Ok. After high school he attended Harding University in Searcy Arkansas. He aspired to be a missionary but ended up coming back home to run the ranch. On May 17, 1953 he talked Darla England (who he always introduced as “his first wife”) into marrying him and moved her from the big city of Seiling out to the Ranch. Of this union two children were born, Andrea Dianne and Monte Nelson. In their 65 years of marriage he never set still. Ralph loved to travel and drug Darla and family members around the world. He always said the best part of the trip was coming home.
Ralph was a steward of the ranches he operated and loved running his bulldozer aka “his golf cart”. He always said, “It’s all on loan from God and we’re here to take care of it.” He lived his life and ran his business by this quote. Ralph was a fair but shrewd businessman. Throughout his life he enjoyed traveling the country buying cattle and looking for deals to expand the family business. During his life several thousands of acres of ranch and wheat land were acquired making Chain ranch one of the largest in Oklahoma and over into Kansas. He loved preserving his heritage and history. In his later years he enjoyed telling stories, keeping the guys in line and feeding his Longhorns and Elk. On July 3, 1966 Ralph attended the famous TLBAA promotional Centennial Trail Drive Longhorn Sale in Dodge City, KS. There he fell in love with the big black bull Don Quixote, purchased him and
started a Longhorn herd that grew into the hundreds, featuring black genetics. Later other bloodlines were acquired. Ralph maintained a large herd the rest of his life. Had it not been for Ralph the black influence of Don Quixote would have ended in Dodge City. Ralph was a devout Christian his entire life. He was a member of the Seiling Church of Christ. He served as an elder and spent decades teaching Sunday school. He had a special way of spreading the Word with everyone he met. Ralph was involved in numerous organizations and donated his time generously. He received numerous awards throughout his life but always said Heaven was the award he wanted most.
Please keep the Nelson family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
join itla Today! ITLA offers active memberships for $60.00 and youth memberships for $15.00 that are renewable for a full year, no matter what the date of the renewal is. There are no extra charges for late renewals either.
In order to enhance the education of people on the importance of the Texas Longhorn, ITLA offers Judges Clinics, seminars at the National Convention, and monthly articles in the Longhorn Drover magazine.
ITLA is also working to grow its youth programs, and emphasize the importance of sportsmanship, fun, and family.
The ITLA operates with a functional board of 12 members plus the President, Vice President. Secretary and Treasure. Each year, all ITLA members vote in the annual elections to select members to fill these positions by sending a ballot in the mail, During the annual elections, all members also vote on major issues concerning the association, ensuring everyone has a voice and is heard.
ITLA Registration Certificates offer the option to include an O.C.V. number, birth weight, and even a photograph of the animal. ITLA has affiliates active all across the globe. They host sales, shows, and countless other events.
Click here for your membership application!
Longhorn News ITLA Still Accepting Calf Donations
Become an ITLA Championship Show and Convention T-Shirt Sponsor
The ITLA is still accepting calf donations for the ITLA Championship Show and Convention, both for the youth programs and for the Elite Heifer Sale. Donations for the Elite Heifer Sale must be heifers. For more information on the benefits of being a calf donor and how you can be involved, contact the ITLA office at staff@itla.com.
2019 ITLA Championship Youth Show Calf Donor #1 JayCee Parsons Whiskey River Longhorn Cattle Co. DOB: 04-07-19
2019 ITLA Championship Youth Show Calf Donor #2 Long M Ranch ( Robert & Cindy Manion ) DOB 5-9-19
There are still spots available on the 2019 ITLA Championship Show and Convention T-Shirt available!. It only costs $25.00 to be included on the T-Shirt that everyone will be wearing! For more information contact the ITLA Office at staff
$10.00 Bull Registration As a way of showing our appreciation of our members, ITLA has made all Bull Registration $10.00 for the year of 2019.
Attention Members
2019 ITLA Championship Youth Show - Calf Donor #3 Todd & Rozi Spaid - Twisted Hook Ranch DOB 3-7-19
Emails provided during registration will only be used for ITLA related business such as the release of the monthly Longhorn Drover, association news, reminders about upcoming ITLA events, etc. Any email claiming to be from the ITLA Office or an ITLA Director that does NOT pertain to any ITLA associated news or event is spam and should not be trusted. If you receive an email or message you are not quite sure about, feel free to contact the ITLA office at 254-898-0157 or staff@itla.com.
Merchandise Long Sleeve Shirt
ITLA Cookbook
2019 Texas Longhorn Celebrity Calendar
Hoodie
ITLA Horn Stew Book
ITLA Member Sign
Short Sleeve Shirt
Vest
Stuffed Longhorn Animal
Order forms can be found at www.itla.com Please fill out and email to staff@itla.com
Hey Drovers! Become a 2019 ITLA Championship Show Sponsor The ITLA needs you! Become a 2019 ITLA Championship Show and Convention sponsor and help us help you! Sponsorship levels and benefits are listed below! For any questions you may have, contact the ITLA office at staff@itla.com. Thank you!
2019 Convention Sponsors Levels
Class Sponsors
Drag Rider-$350
Class Sponsors-$75 (Youth or Open)
A 1/4 page Ad in the show program ($100 value) A 1/2 page Ad in the Longhorn Drover ($150 value) Listed on the Sponsor Page in the Longhorn Drover 2 - Commemoratives Sponsor Badge(s) for all 3 Dinners Digital advertising during all 3 catered dinners and awards banquet. Sponsor provides banner for the arena.
Name listed above the class sponsored Sponsor Recognized during the class Listed as a sponsor on the Thank You page in the Program and Magazine
Out Rider-$500
Class Buckle Sponsors-$150 (Youth or Open)
Champion Buckle Sponsors-$175 (Youth or Open)
1 Full page Ad in the show program ($250 value) 1 Full page Ad in the Longhorn Drover ($200 value) Listed on the Sponsor Page in the Longhorn Drover Banner in the Arena ( 4x4 ), sponsors provides design 2 - Commemoratives Sponsor Badge(s) for all 3 Dinners Digital advertising during all 3 catered dinners and awards banquet. Sponsor provides banner for the arena.
Drover-$750
1-Full page Ad in the show program ($250 value) 1-Full page Ad in the Longhorn Drover ($200 value) 1 - 1/2 page Ad in the Longhorn Drover ($100 value) Listed on the Sponsor Page in the Longhorn Drover Banner in the Arena ( 4x4 ), sponsors provides design 3 - Commemoratives Sponsor Badge(s) for all 3 Dinners Digital advertising during all 3 catered dinners and awards banquet. Sponsor provides banner for the arena.
Point Man-$1,000
1-Full page Ad in the show program ($250 value) 3-Full page Ad in the Longhorn Drover ($600 value) Listed on the Sponsor Page in the Longhorn Drover Banner in the Arena ( 4x6 ), sponsors provides design Banner in Banquet Hall on Saturday Night ( 0x0 ) 4 - Commemoratives Sponsor Badge(s) for all 3 Dinners Digital advertising during all 3 catered dinners and awards banquet. Sponsor provides banner for the arena.
Show Program Advertising (placement ready) Full Page $250 1/2 Page $175 1/4 Page $100
Name listed above the class sponsored Sponsor Recognized during the class Listed on all Buckle Sponsorship Thank You pages in the Program & Magazine. Listed on Buckle Sponsor Banner in the Arena
Name listed above the class sponsored Sponsor Recognized during the class Sponsor Recognized during Buckle Presentation at the Banquet Listed on all Buckle Sponsorship Thank You pages in the Program & Magazine Listed on Buckle Sponsor Banner in the Arena
ITLA Futurity Class Sponsors-$250
Name listed above the class sponsored Sponsor Recognized during the class Listed on listed on Sponsorship Thank You pages in the Program & Magazine 1- 1/2 page ad in the Longhorn Drover ($150 value)
All Star Futurity Class Sponsors-$300
Name listed above the class sponsored Sponsor Recognized during the class Listed on listed on Sponsorship Thank You pages in the Program & Magazine 1- Full page ad in the Longhorn Drover ($200 value)
Kaleb Morris Hello my name is Kaleb Morris. I am 13 years old, and live in Montana. I have always loved Texas Longhorns. I got the blessing from Lin Torgerson in 2016 with my first 2 steers. I had a rough start with these fellas as one got pneumonia and passed away and then the other froze his horns and we didn’t see eye to eye. So Lin Helped me again and I got another 2 steers and that has been a great experience. No one in our area shows longhorns so its been a struggle getting started in the showing. I met Kris Johnson from Wyoming, and he gave me a chance to help show his longhorns at the Nile show in Montana. I have helped him there in 2017 and 2018. I finally got my boys registered so I will have my first chance in 2019 to show them at the Nile along with Kris and his family. I also got a huge blessing and got to Meet Rick and Cori Garcia which have helped me with all the tips on training from halter breaking to training my boy Festus(3 years old) to ride, here in the next year or so I will train my boy Clarence(1 year old) to ride also and maybe turn them into a team to pull a wagon. In 2018 I got brave enough to take my boys to our local fair as my 4H project. No one has ever shown Longhorns there so it was tough for us to compete against the angus cattle. But man we had a great time and they were the talk of the show. That was the 2nd time I rode Festus in front of people, we rode in our first parade for the 4th of july. I had a great time telling and teaching people about this iconic and historic breed. My favorite parts of this breed is their uniqueness, temperament, horns and crazy colors. I am hoping that my future will allow me to have more Longhorns. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful family. I look forward to continuing this journey in the longhorn industry. Sincerely, Kaleb Morris ITLA Youth Member
EVENTS Never Miss a Single One !
Great Northern Longhorn Classic
Rocky Mountain Select Sale and Futurity
June 21 - 22, 2019 Montello, WI For more information contact: Dan Huntington (715) 853 - 7608
Sale August 9 - 10, 2019 Latigo Trails Arena Colorado Springs, CO For consignment information contact: Charlie Searle (719) 649 - 0058 charliesearle02@gmail.com Stan Searle (719) 649 - 9590 stan@searleranch.com Sale Manager: Gary Lake (719) 314 - 8294 gary@searleranch.com Futurity August 9, 2019 Entries: Marlene Reynolds (719) 510 - 2151 cowgirlmama83@gmail.com
Ohio River Valley Texas Longhorn Association Buckeye Classic Futurity Futurity July 19 | Open Show July 20 Wooster, OH For more information contact: Amber Dunmire bonnieglenfarm@gmail.com (330) 231 - 0345
Midwest Texas Longhorn Association Summer Show July 26 - 27, 2019 Bloomington, IN For more information contact: Courtney Tomey (812) 797 - 8609
Bolen Production Sale August 17, 2019 Fort Worth, TX For more information contact: Brent and Cindy Bolen
Chisholm Trail Texas Longhorn Association Fall Show September 14, 2019 Wise County Fairgrounds 3101 FM 51 Decatur, TX 76234 For more information contact: Danielle Mershon (254) 630 - 0053
ITLA Championship Show and Convention October 9 - 13, 2019 Featuring: Open Haltered Show Open Non-haltered Show Youth Show ITLA Futurity International All Star Futurity Hopkins County Regional Civic Center 1200 Houston Street Sulphur Springs, TX For more information contact: ITLA Office (254) 898 - 0157 staff@itla.com
Affiliates Alberta Texas Longhorn Association
Great Lakes Texas Longhorn Association
Best of Trails Texas Longhorn Association
Indian Territory Texas Longhorn Association
Cody Bailey, President Phone: (780) 361 - 8871 Email: albertatexaslonghorn@gmail.com
John Dvorak, President Phone: (620) 382 - 2067 Email: jpdcrd33@netks.net
Canadian Texas Longhorn Association Deb Lesyk, President Phone: 306-867-3039 Phone: 403-575-0114 Email: office@ctlalonghorns.com Website: www.ctlalonghorns.com
Chisholm Trail Texas Longhorn Association Danielle Mershon, President Phone: 254-630-0053 Email: danielle@whistlingtxlonghorn.com
Johnny Hicks, President Phone: 269-721-3473 Email: hicksamericanbulldogs@yahoo.com
Robert Van Liew, President Phone: 405-420-1720 Email: vanliewranch@gmail.com
The Longhorn Posse
Mikell Deatherage, President Phone: 817-999-1836 Email: luvmyholsteiner@yahoo.com
Midwest Texas Longhorn Association
Tim Mills, President Phone: 419-606-6184 Email: mountainview_longhorns@yahoo.com
Mountain States Texas Longhorn Association Marlene Reynolds, President Phone: 719-510-2151 Email: cowgirlmama83@gmail.com Website: www.MSTLA.org
Northeast Texas Longhorn Association Jodi King, President Phone: 717-475-5819 Email: latimorevalleyfarms@earthlink.net Website: www.netlalonghorns.com
Ohio River Valley Texas Longhorn Association Amber Dunmire, President Phone: 330-231-0345 Email: bonnieglenfarm@gmail.com
Texas Longhorn Association of Ontario Don Flemmington, President Phone: 519-323-7982 Email: don@trelanefarms.com
Top of the West Texas Longhorn Association Shadow Seaman, President Phone: 208-420-2484 Email: victoryranch@earthlink.net
Despite the dry conditions and the ongoing concerns about pastures and hay for winter the CTLA held their annual sale on June 1st. Twenty-six lots were offered for sale after a successful Heifer Jackpot that saw 14 yearling heifers competing for the jackpot buckle. The Final Four heifers in the jack pot were: 1. U7 HC’s Lil Switch Blade- Jan-April class- owned by Derek Overlid of Lloydminster, Sask. 2. 3K Hopscotch 18- Jan-April class- owned by Kristine Fossum- Consort, Alberta 3. Winning Ways- May-December class-owned by new members, Pete and Leann Hildebrand of Hanley, Sask. This heifer sold for $1200 later at the sale. 4. 3K Lucky Bowl 18- May to December class-owned by Kristine Fossum-Consort, Alberta Thank you to HI-PRO Feeds for sponsoring the trophy buckle and Listowel Trophies for the additional awards. The high selling lot in the sale was R10 Sweet Ryley a four year old female with Saltgrass breeding consigned by Deb Lesyk., She was purchased by Gus Joyes of Athabasca, Alberta. The annual meeting had a lot of discussion regarding planning our events for 2019. We welcomed two new directors to the Board, Darryl Swark of Carmen, Manitoba and Cody Bailey of Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Our Board now has representation from four provinces as well as the ITLA and TLBAA Directors for Canada. We were introduced to two new projects that CTLA members have developed, Gordon and Charlene Musgrove are now marketing canned beef which is being successfully distributed in stores in Alberta, and Darryl Swark displayed a new Longhorn garden marker that he helped develop and provided to the members present. The association next big project is the Canadian National Show in November at Agribition and we also hope to support the ATLA at their show in Red Deer in July. It was a busy and successful weekend for the CTLA. CTLA News President Deb Lesyk
Longtime judge Gary Lake leads a Longhorn bull judging seminar during the Freeman Ranch and MSTLA field day on June 15. Participants judged a pen of Freeman Ranch Longhorn bulls.
(Yoder, CO - June 18, 2019) - Last Saturday, Longhorn producers from across the state gathered at the Freeman Ranch headquarters in Yoder, Colo. for the Mountain States Texas Longhorn Association (MSTLA) field day. Guests and MSTLA members enjoyed an educational Multimin presentation by embryologist Darrel DeGrofft DVM, which focused on nutrition and reproduction. Longhorn industry veteran Stan Searle gave a historical account of the Texas Longhorn breed, and longtime judge Gary Lake conducted a bull judging seminar. Attendees also toured the Freeman Ranch corrals where they got an upclose look at Freeman Ranch’s Winning Honor, the fourth biggest horned bull in the world.
Edison Drylanders 4-H Club serves lunch during the Freeman Ranch and MSTLA field day on June 15.
Freeman Ranch provided lunch, and the Edison Drylanders 4-H Club prepared and served the delicious meal. “We are honored to be allowed to host the 2019 Mountain State Longhorn field day. Dr. DeGrofft gave a nice talk about nutrition and improve breeding percentages,” said Freeman Ranch owner Russell Freeman. “Jean Meinzer Edison Drylander 4H leader provided some great food to feed our guest. Thanks to everyone who came out.” About Freeman Ranch: The Freeman Ranch brand was established under the ownership of Russell Freeman’s great grandmother Carolyn Freeman on September 30, 1899.
Barb Fillmore judges a young Freeman Ranch Longhorn bull as part of the judging seminar held during the Freeman Ranch and MSTLA field day.
Today, Freeman Ranch is owned and operated by Russell and Jamie Freeman, and their three sons Whitt, Henry and Jack assist with the day-today ranching duties. The Freeman Ranch headquarters is located southeast of beautiful Colorado Springs; with part of the operation located in historical Kim, Colorado. The well-known brand marks superior quality in both Freeman Ranch’s horse and cattle operations.
On June 15, guests of the Freeman Ranch and MSTLA field day got an up-close look at Freeman Ranch’s Winning Honor. The bull has the fourth longest horns in the world.