Members Seek Leadership Positions to Lead Breed

The following RAAA members have expressed their desire to run for the board of directors.

Candidate for President Kyley DeVoe

Kyley DeVoe is seeking election to the position of President of the Red Angus Association of America.

DeVoe and his wife, Brenna, along with their daughters, Karlee and Kenedy, live on their family’s ranch, 3K Land & Cattle, in Justin, Texas.

3K Land & Cattle is a seedstock operation started in the early 1980s by Brenna’s parents, Wayne and Judy Kay Ferguson.

The DeVoes manage the daily operations of the ranch and maintain an intensive AI and embryo transfer breeding program, continually striving to produce top-end genetics.

DeVoe has been a very active member of the RAAA, as well as serving the Texas Red Angus Association Board for many years in various positions and committees.

On the national level, he has served on the Show and Sale, Promotions, Junior Activities and Awards Committees.

DeVoe served six years on the national board of directors and sat on the Executive Committee his final two years.

Currently, he is serving on the Strategic Planning and Affiliate Promotions Committees and, when submitting his nomination materials, stated, “It would be my honor to continue to serve the Red Angus breed and its members as the board president.”

Candidate for Region A - West Keith Hickle

Keith Hickle of Auburn, Washington, is seeking election for the Region A board seat.

Hickle is a first-generation rancher along with his wife, Brook, and three sons, Clay, Cole and Carson. He was born and raised on the Enumclaw plateau in western Washington, seated at the base of the Cascade Mountain range and Mt. Rainier. The area has a strong history in dairy farming, and that is where Hickle discovered his love of agriculture.

As a young man, he dreamed that agriculture would become the way of life for his future family. After meeting and marrying Brook, they began to piece together what would someday become Rocking Bar H Ranch. They began with a small group of commercial cows and in 2005 decided to transition into the purebred business.

The decision to make the change to the Red Angus breed was an easy one. There were no Red Angus cattle in the nearby area at that time; but today you will find Red Angus herds scattered all over western Washington, with Hickle being directly or indirectly involved in most of their startups. To say that Keith is sold out to the Red Angus breed would be an understatement.

The Hickles run 70 registered cows and market their yearling bulls in Montana each spring. They utilize AI and embryo transfer to continually develop and improve genetics. Like many in the Red Angus breed, they focus on the female, with a strong emphasis on feet and udders.

Being first-generation ranchers, Keith and Brook knew that diversification would be important for growth and success. They operate a custom farm- ing business, hay business and have partnered with their oldest son, Clay, in a trucking company in recent years; each of these endeavors complement the cattle business. The Hickles said it’s a blessing to have each of their three boys working alongside them.

Locally, Hickle has served as a board member for Northwest Bible Church since 2008, holding positions as both treasurer and chairman. He also served a term on the Western States Red Angus Association board.

He is honored by this opportunity to serve RAAA members and represent the breed in a position of leadership.

Candidate for Area 4 – Southwest

Tony Ballinger

Tony Ballinger is seeking re-election to the director seat of Area 4 –Southwest.

Ballinger and his wife, Allison, have lived on her family’s third-generation-owned ranch in Morgan Mill, Texas, since they married in 1998. They started a commercial Red Angus herd in the late 90s, and through the years began focusing more on Red Angus genetics, which led to their now purebred herd as well as a highly Red Angus-influenced commercial herd and Cross B Cattle Company LLC.

Ballinger has worked in the feed industry since 1997 for MoorMans/ ADM. He served as president of Texas Red Angus Association for two years, as well as on the Lone Star Ag Credit board of directors. He is also a board member of the Morgan Mill ISD as well as the Morgan Mill Water Board.

Both Tony and Allison graduated from Tarleton State University, with Tony earning a master’s in animal science in 1997. Allison has a photography business she started in 2003 that fo-

ENDORSED BY MAJOR PACKERS