2022 ASA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet

American Shorthorn Association 2022 Annual Meeting, Forum & Awards Banquet

Shelby Diehm

director of youth activities, director of marketing & communications

The American Shorthorn Association 150th Anniversary Celebration officially came to an end during the 2022 ASA Annual Meeting, Forum & Awards Banquet. We kicked it off with a social on November 18th at the Hilton Kansas City Airport. Breeders enjoyed drinks, hors d’oeuvres and conversations with friends in a relaxing atmosphere.

On November 19th, the day began with the review and closing remarks of the 150th Anniversary Celebration. Joe Bales, Toby Jordan and Rick Leone shared the highlights of a great year celebrating the history of the Shorthorn breed. Rick Leone also presented details of the National Western CatchA-Calf with Shorthorn cattle involvement. It was a great way to wrap up the anniversary and look forward to the future of the breed. Next up was Bryce Schumann to discuss the ASA 2022 Strategic Plan. He shared the details of the board meeting held in June as the board discussed goals they have for the breed in the next few years. This plan includes four initiatives; increase revenue to enhance and develop core business opportunities, create a better equipped and motivated breeder, build high brand equity for ASA and Shorthorn, and establish Shorthorns as the preferred breed for commercial crossbreeding programs.

After learning about the strategic plan attendees listened to two different speakers discussing genetics. First was Dr. David Kendall, ST Genetics Director of Genetic Advancement spoke about advancement using genomics via zoom. Next was Dr. Tamar Crum, a geneticist at Acuity Swine, discussed Genetic Improvement in the Swine Industry relating it back to the cattle industry.

After the speakers and lunch, the Annual Meeting began with Montie Soules, Executive Secretary/CEO of ASA giving the state of the association report. The top five states for registrations are Ohio with 1,587 registrations, Indiana with 1,286 registrations, Iowa with 1,078 registrations, Kansas with 1,011 registrations and Illinois with 929 registrations. He also discussed how our membership continues to grow each year. The nominating committee submitted three candidates for available board positions. John Russell, Texas, and Lee Miller, Ohio were both up for re-election and Rick Osterday, South Dakota, was a new nominee. They were all selected to serve a three-year term on the ASA board. The board elected new officers for the nine-member board. The new president is John Sonderman of Nebraska, and the vice-president is Toby Jordan of Indiana. The remaining board members are Joe Bales of Tennessee, Dave Greenhorn of Ohio, Mark Gordon of Illinois, Lee Miller of Ohio, John Russell of Texas, Jeff Bedwell of Oklahoma, and Rick Osterday of South Dakota. Following the Annual Meeting was a social and the awards banquet. Many breeders were recognized for their accomplishments over the past year. Awards were presented for Century Club, Performance Awards and Show Awards. Our Heritage Award went Doyle Hendrickson and was presented to his family. The Merit Award went to Darryl Rahn. The Builders of the Breed were Jeff Bedwell, Cory Bollum, and Greg Crawford.

Make plans to join us in 2023 in conjunction with the American Royal. The Annual Meeting will be October 21st in Kansas City. We look forward to seeing everyone there again! =

Front Row Left to Right:

John Russell John Sonderman, President Toby Jordan, Vice President Montie D. Soules, ASA Executive Secretary/CEO

Back Row Left to Right:

Jeff Bedwell Joe Bales, Executive Director Rick Osterday Lee Miller

Not Picture: Mark Gordon and Dave Greenhorn

Retiring Board of Director

Special thanks to retiring Board of Director for his time and commitment to the ASA, Jerrell Crow.

Thank you to Joe Bales for your direction and leadership in your role as 2021-2022 President.

Retiring Presidential Term

The Century Club Award is given to breeders with 100 registrations or more.

Farm/Name 2021-22

Jungels Shorthorn Farm 429 registered Loving Polled Shorthorns 300 registered Byland 166 registered Waukaru Farms Inc. 156 registered Lazy Bar F Shorthorns 146 registered Paint Valley Farms 144 registered Stangl Shorthorns 133 registered DTR Cattle Company 132 registered Martindell Farms LLC. 132 registered Dale Studer Family 131 registered Bar N Cattle Company 114 registered Hugh W Moore & Sons 114 registered Gilman Shorthorns 110 registered TJ Land & Cattle Company 103 registered Peak View Ranch Inc 103 registered Matthew & Stacy Bigelow 103 registered

Performance Awards

Performance awards are given to animals that meet certain qualifications for each category. This list was published in the November 2022 Shorthorn Country.

Pictured are those who were present to receive their award for the 2021 performance animals. Century Club Honorees

Peak View Ranch, Inc. Gilman Shorthorns Loving Polled Shorthorns Haumont Shorthorns Byland Paint Valley Farms Waukaru Farms, Inc. Kruse Ranch Stangl Shorthorns Dale Studer Family The Bollum Family

Nick and Kristin Mizner Hendrickson TST/Nile Valley Farms Dover Ranch, Corp Y Lazy Y Shorthorns Luke Beckler Nathan Studer & Jenny Studer Austin Studer Brock Studer Prairie View Shorthorn Farm Hugh W Moore Jr & Sons Derek Miller Bert L. Moore J. Phillip Bowman & Family Leveldale Farms

Listed and pictured are those who were present to receive their awards. The full list of these winners were published in the May/June 2022 Shorthorn Country.

Division, Animal Name, Owner Northeast Region

Shorthorn Female of the Year & Senior Female Champion: DVW Pretty Perfect 230, Megan Keeney

Southeast Region

Shorthorn Female of the Year & Junior Female Champion: RFSS Myrtle Baby 191H, Respite Farm, Inc Junior Heifer Calf Champion: AST Lovely Rose 121, Jaclyn Thomas. Senior Bull Calf Champion: Sharben Forward 1172 ET, Sharben Shorthorns ShorthornPlus Female of the Year & Senior Heifer Calf Champion: Schab’s Drama Queen, Austin Schabbing & Collin Schabbing/Schabbing Shorthorn Farms

North Central Region

Shorthorn Female of the Year & Senior Heifer Calf Champion: MM Amanda Maid HC 126H, Brock David Studer Early Spring Heifer Calf Champion: DSF Party Gal 57J, Brock David Studer Junior Heifer Calf Champion: BFS Carmele Pro 113, Emily Bollum Senior Female Champion: BFS Dazzle Fool RP 006, The Bollum Family Shorthorn Bull of the Year & Senior Bull Calf Champion: WJM Southern Comfort C14H, 6B Farms & William Milashoski Early Spring Bull Calf Champion: Studer’s Jaw Dropper 48J, Nathan Studer & Jenny Studer Junior Bull Champion: Studer’s Hammer Time 43H, Nathan Studer & Jenny Studer ShorthornPlus Female of the Year & Intermediate Champion: Reever’s Lady 5H ET, Rylee Nicole German ShorthornPlus Senior Female Champion: CMA Advanced Evolution, Abigail Green ShorthornPlus Junior Bull Champion: FJT Red Roan Warning 960H, Jaci Tweeten

South Central Region

Early Spring Heifer Calf Champion: BWS Clair’s Clare 2021-A ET, Bye Well Shorthorns Junior Heifer Calf Champion: LDB Merci’s Georgia 103 ET, Lane Blankinship Intermediate Female Champion: CCF Valentina C14H, Crow Creek Farms Shorthorn Bull of the Year & Junior Bull Calf Champion: LDB Merci’s Pendleton 104, Lane Blankinship Late Spring Bull Calf Champion: KGH CMoney 1102, Kimberly Holland Senior Bull Calf Champion: 4S Cassanova’s Reward 2031, Abbi Scott Junior Bull Champion: FFF Chelada 2012, Filippo Family Farms & Crow Creek Farms Senior Bull Champion: ASM Maga, J. Armstrong Cattle ShorthornPlus Early Spring Heifer Calf Champion: CCF Joni C09I, Crow Creek Farms ShorthornPlus Senior Female Champion: LDB Merci’s Serena 923, Lane Blankinship ShorthornPlus Bull of the Year & Senior Bull Champion: Baker’s Sparklebutt, Kara Lea Baker

West Region

Early Spring Heifer Calf Champion: Peakview Goldie 48921, Peak View Ranch Inc. Shorthorn Cow/Calf Pair Champion: Jazzy Crimson Clover, BAG Farms LLC Shorthorn Bull of the Year & Early Spring Bull Calf Champion: Peakview Game Plan 48421, Peak View Ranch Inc. Northeast Region

Southeast Region

North Central Region

South Central Region

Listed and pictured are those who were present to receive their awards. The full list of these winners were published in the May/June 2022 Shorthorn Country.

Division, Animal Name, Owner

Purebred Females

Early Spring Heifer Calf Champion: Little Cedar EF Margie WW 2124, John M. Allen Senior Heifer Calf Champion: CF Mona Lisa 0119 TP X ET, Gabriella & Richard Valentino Leone Intermediate Female Champion: SULL Special Chelsie 0453H ET, Keagan Steck Junior Female Champion: SS Max Rosa 029 ET, Cash Lehrman & Kane Aegerter

Purebred Bulls

Late Spring Bull Calf Champion: KGH CMoney 1102, Kimberly Holland Early Spring Bull Calf Champion: Peakview Game Plan, Peak View Ranch Inc Senior Bull Calf Champion: WJM Southern Comfort C14H, 6B Farms & William Milashoski Junior Bull Champion: CF Maskerade 070 BW X, Cates Farms & LSA Shorthorns Senior Bull Champion: ASM Maga, J. Armstrong Cattle

ShorthornPlus Females

Senior Heifer Calf Champion: B/R KRE Dream Lady S 1020 ET, Emma Arnett Intermediate Female Champion (Tie): AC RC Cindy’s Fancy Girl, Addison Campbell Intermediate Female Champion (Tie): Reever’s Lady 5H ET, Rylee Nicole German

ShorthornPlus Bulls

Junior Bull Calf Champion: SMCK Ralphie 01DR ET, Caitlynn Kruyer Junior Bull Champion: SMCK Jameson, Caitlynn Kruyer Senior Bull Champion: Baker’s Sparklebutt, Kara Lea Baker

National Shorthorn Show Female of the Year

SULL Special Chelsie 0453H ET, Keagan Steck, Woodstock, Minn.

National Shorthorn Show Bull of the Year

CF Maskerade 070 BW X, Cates Farms, Modoc, Ind. & LSA Shorthorns, Royse City, Texas.

National ShorthornPlus Show Female of the Year

CF Mona Lisa Primo 115 X ET, Houston Ferree, Sullivan, Ind.

National ShorthornPlus Show Bull of the Year

SMCK Jameson, Caitlynn Kruyer, Holly, Mich.

Purebred Females

ShorthornPlus Females Purebred Bulls

ShorthornPlus Bulls

The Shorthorn Heritage Award recognizes Shorthorn members who have shown exceptional leadership for Shorthorn activities in a state or regional area. These honorees are persons that have shown exceptional passion in all areas of the breed. Award recipients have promoted the breed by taking leadership roles within their respective geographical areas. They are individuals that can be given credit to helping with the longterm success of the breed at any level. They have attended functions, been a mainstay, and have shown their passion and love for the breed and the people in the breed. A Heritage Award winner is a true Shorthorn enthusiast who has positively impacted the breed to the benefit of all Shorthorn breeders.

Doyle Hendrickson

Merit Award 2022

Doyle Hendrickson was born and raised with Shorthorns in Nebraska on January 3, 1933. The farm name, “Nile Valley”, comes from his grandfather, David Hendrickson, of Cairo, NE. In 1903, Doyle’s Great-Great Grandfather H.S. Balcom went to England with the owner of Ravenwood Shorthorns from Missouri and bought cows from the Rose of Sharon cow family. His Grandpa David bought several offspring from those cows at a Balcom dispersal sale. Some of Doyle’s fondest childhood memories are riding with Grandpa David on the Bettendorf wagon seat driven by a team of mules, discussing livestock care and evaluation. He spoke about linear evaluation and the benefits of a uniform, quality herd. Dad was only 6 when his grandpa passed but those lessons and love of farming stayed with him for a lifetime. The metal wagon seat now resides at Nile Valley Farm in Sedalia, MO.

After Serving in the Military, Doyle came home and gave Alice Hinkson a diamond ring. They were wed on August 28, 1955. Soon after they bought a registered Shorthorn cow and bull at a dispersal sale. Doyle would keep his eye on sale bills around the country, including purchase of Page’s Imperial Rose 3rd X and three daughters from Sand Springs, Oklahoma in 1963.

In 1972, Doyle & Alice moved the family and Shorthorn herd from the Hendrickson homestead of Cairo, NE, to the present farm at Sedalia, Mo. The name Nile Valley became a play on words that tied the old location to the new. Once established in the heart of Fescue country where ample grass grows, Doyle transitioned his cows from bunk line fed to exclusively grass grazing.

For 42 years, he and Alice milked those cows, then on his 65th birthday in 1998, on a cold January morning, Doyle decided to not retire, but just change course. After the milking stopped, Doyle called his older cousins to try to re-invent their grandpa David’s linear measuring detail of the beef cows. This is one of Nile Valley’s key selection methods for a uniform working cow herd. Complex weights and measures and attention to detail in record keeping has been a family project directed by Doyle’s passion and vision. They have nearly 27 years of herd information recorded and cataloged by Alice and Doyle. Julie now imports data collected at the chute and scales.” This passion and attention to detail was usually accompanied by the phrase, “Ya gotta do what ya love and love what ya do.

Nile Valley Shorthorns is home to 28 Performance Awarded cows, offering several cow families that have remained viable contributors through the transition from milking to beef. In June 2020, the Hendrickson’s were acknowledged for their long history and their success with the Shorthorn breed when the Missouri Shorthorn Association (MSA), during a tour of the cow herd at Nile Valley, named Doyle the 2020 Breeder of the year. From 1983 to 1997, he received the top-Quality Milk Award 11 times. In 2000 and 2002, he bred the top gain heifer and in 2002, 2005 and 2006, Nile Valley earned Premier Breeder & Exhibitor honors at the National Dual-Purpose Shows. In 2007, the Hendrickson’s were named Dual Purpose Breeder of the Year; and proclaimed Citizen of the Year in 2008. He was always reading to keep up on the latest trends and data and searching sale catalogs for that perfect cow or bull.

Additionally, the Hendrickson’s have faithfully donated their time to serve and promote the Shorthorn breed in multiple ways, including Doyle serving three terms on the American Milking Shorthorn Society (AMSS) board of directors.

From 4-H leader to church elder to Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Official Beef House dish washer for many years; Doyle, with the help of Alice, dedicated a lifetime of service to his community and to his Shorthorn cattle. A Memorial Contribution was given to the Shorthorn Youth Development Fund.

Doyle had a heart of gold that bled red, white, and roan. He is survived by his wife, Alice, of Sedalia who still presides at the farm. Additionally, survived by two sons, John Hendrickson and spouse, Sue of Centralia, IL., James Hendrickson and spouse, Debbie, of Oxford, MI., and one daughter, Julie Carpenter of Sedalia and her spouse, Mark Carpenter of New London, MO. Also surviving are three grandchildren; Kyle Hendrickson of Hillsborough NC, Jesse Hendrickson of Brooklyn, NY, and Allyson Sampson attending the University of Missouri, majoring in Animal Science. Other survivors include three step granddaughters, Christina, Ruby, and Kim and their six children and six grandchildren. =

The Shorthorn Merit Award recognizes individuals who support and promote the cattle industry. This award honors those beef cattle industry leaders who have specifically assisted and had a positive influence on the Shorthorn breed. These individuals have been exceptional supporters and dedicated friends of the Shorthorn breed for many years.

Darryl Rahn

Darryl Rahn was born and raised on a livestock and grain farm in Lanark, Illinois. His parents, Willard and Ruth Rahn, worked the farm that had been in the family since 1868. His love of Shorthorns began with the purchase of a Shorthorn heifer when he was seven years old from the McGinty Family of Mt Carroll, Illinois. During the early years of the herd, Darryl exhibited Shorthorns throughout Illinois and showed at the Chicago International for the first time at the age of 13.

His herd grew to number 30 cows with a herd bull he purchased from Wernacres in Lena, Illinois by the time he entered college. His herd paid 100% of his college education. He graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Agri-Business and Education.

Following graduation, Darryl and his wife Carole married and began their journey in family life. They have two children, Andy and Angela, and four grandchildren. He continued to own Shorthorn cattle. Their son, Andy exhibited the Reserve Champion Steer at a Junior National in Ohio and two years later raised an All-American Junior heifer calf. Angela was also involved in 4-H and showed cattle locally.

Darryl took a position as cow herd manager at Questing Hills Farm in Illinois with Don Cagwin, who was the farm manager at that time. This began a relationship with Don that has lasted to the present. When Cagwin left the farm to begin Cagwin Cattle Services, he asked Darryl to join him as a partner in the firm. This began an over 20-year run as a firm that managed Shorthorn sales throughout the United States and Canada.

Early in that time, Darryl was contacted by Sherman Berg who was at that time running the Shorthorn Country. Sherman asked Darryl to be an advertising representative for the magazine as he traveled with CCS. This began an association with the Shorthorn Country that continues today.

Darryl’s love of the Shorthorn Breed has never wavered, and he cherishes all the great people he has met and the friendships he has made over the years. Congratulations to Darryl Rahn for being our 2022 Merit Award Winner. =

Greg Crawford

Cory Bollum

When we think of someone who has relentlessly committed to the foundational future of the Shorthorn breed by investing time in both people and cattle, Greg Crawford of Crawford Family Shorthorns, should be at the top of that list.

Greg’s passion for the Shorthorn breed was ignited as a young 4-H member when he showed a Shorthorn heifer. Yet, the first bricks were really put into place when Greg’s kids were old enough to show, and thus, Crawford Family Shorthorns was born.

The spark was quickly passed through multiple generations of the Crawford Family. His daughters, Bev (Crawford) Pearson and Gwen Crawford, were both encouraged to be active in the breed. Starting with holding roles in the Nebraska Junior Shorthorn Association, promoting the breed as the Nebraska Shorthorn Lassie Queen and being on the National Junior Board. Gwen went on to continue her involvement in the breed after her junior years where she held the position of Director of Junior Activities for the American Shorthorn Association. She is currently a trustee of the Shorthorn Foundation. Proof of the love for the breed has been shared down through even his grandchildren. Two of his grandchildren - Gerrit Pearson and Brooke (Pearson) Gillmore – both served terms on the National Junior Shorthorn Board.

Over the years, Greg has been to 31 National Junior Shorthorn Shows, hauling a trailer to 30 of those! Even when Greg did not have a child or grandchild showing, he would help juniors who had the desire to be involved and take them to state and national shows. He looks forward to getting the opportunity to continue the tradition by taking his now 2-year-old Great Grand Child, Kaden Gillmore once he is old enough to show.

Greg’s exhibition and leadership roles have extended to local, state and national levels. He has served as the Shorthorn breed representative and a consigner at the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic every year since it started in 1991. He was one of the founders of the Nebraska Junior Beef Expo and has been the Shorthorn breed representative for the last 25 years. His passion for the youth and the breed is also shown by his dedication to the Nebraska Junior Shorthorn Association by serving as their advisor since the 1990’s when his daughters aged out. He has also held the summer field day at his farm multiple years.

A fourth-generation exhibitor at the Lancaster County Fair, Greg continued to extend his service as 4-H Beef Superintendent for the last 25 years. Greg has also attended the Nebraska State Fair for over seven decades, winning numerous banners in both the bull and heifer arena. In addition, he acts as the Shorthorn breed representative for the Nebraska State Fair. This past year he was honored by being chosen as the Grand Marshall of the Nebraska State Fair Parade.

Greg and his family have exhibited at the North American International Livestock Exposition, as well as the National Western Stock Show where he had the honor of having the Reserve Champion Pen of Three Bulls two consecutive years.

Greg was a part of the Highlights of the Heartland Sale from 1996 – 2009, hosting it at his farm on multiple occasions before joining the Durham Nation Production Sale in North Dakota at which he currently sells females. He also sells bulls and heifers at the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic and by private treaty. Crawford Family Shorthorns has grown to a 40-cow herd with sought-after genetics.

As you can see, Greg has shown his devotion to the breed through leadership, support of youth programs and by careful genetic selection in his own herd, to name a few. Our hats off to Greg for this welldeserved recognition as a 2022 Builder of the Breed. =

Cory Bollum was raised on a diversified crop and livestock farm near Goodhue, Minnesota. He was an active member in 4-H, FFA, and the Junior Shorthorn association. He earned his B.S. degree in Agricultural Business with minors in Animal Science, Economics, Farm Management, and Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Cory has worked at Hormel Foods for over 31 years in various positions and currently is the Director of Pork Operations and Procurement, based in Austin, Minnesota.

Shorthorns have always been a part of Bollum’s life as he grew up with them as a part of the 5th generation family farm established at the current farm location in Goodhue, Minnesota, homesteaded in 1863. He attributes much of the family’s success to the many lessons learned from those previous generations, especially his Grandpa Walter and even more so from his dad, Curtis. They both instilled insistent hard-core values on treating people honestly and fairly and cull the cowherd excessively hard on dispositions and udders.

Bollum Family Shorthorns ownership today consists of the 3 siblings (Cory, Carl, and LeAnn) and their families. Cory and Mary and their 3 children Connor, Josh, and Emily. Carl and Becca and their 2 children Lane and Faith. Despite being busy in their respective professional lives they are all active in many different livestock activities and all are involved in Agriculture. The Bollum family has exhibited cattle at many regional and national shows across the country. And most proudly have exhibited cattle at the Minnesota State Fair for over 80 years. They have had many years of great success and most humbly have been awarded the “Premier Breeder” plaque 14 of the last 16 years of the state fair. Like in previous generations all the children have been very active in 4-H, FFA, and Junior Shorthorn activities among many other sports and activities. This upcoming year marks a very special year for BFS, as it will be Emily’s last year at Junior Nationals and Lane’s first!

The operation today runs over 600 acres, and the cow herd consists of 125 cows, mostly all purebreds and just a few commercial cows used as recips. They have performance tested for the last 30+ years and have ultra-sounded all the heifers and bulls for the last 10+ years. They have marketed their cattle and genetics throughout the United States and Canada. They were one of the major consignors to the Shorthorn Pride sale. They have consigned to The Revival sale for most of its 20+ years of existence and they also have held their own annual online “Red, White, and Roan” production sale for the last 13 years.

One of the things Cory is the proudest of is to be a small part of BFS historic past and to have the ability to pass the operation on to the next generation(s)! Bollum is excited about the future of the Shorthorn breed, by utilizing all the genomic tools and information that are available today in conjunction with all the great people and breeders involved in this breed. He says they have been blessed to have met so many wonderful people that are a special part of our Shorthorn family. Congrats to Cory! =

Jeff Bedwell

Jeff spent most of his youth growing up west of Okeene, Oklahoma, with his parents and 2 brothers on a diversified wheat and livestock farm that included Shorthorn cattle, Hampshire Sheep, Hampshire and Duroc hogs. Jeff was an active member of the Okeene FFA where he received the State FFA Degree and was a finalist for the State Star in Production Agriculture.

Following High School, Jeff attended and graduated from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College where he received an Associates degree in Animal Science and Ag Education. He then received a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education from Oklahoma State University.

Jeff and Diane were married in 1984 and returned to Okeene to become a part of the Bedwell family farm. For the next 4 years, Bedwell Shorthorns exhibited extensively across the United States with Jeff also taking along custom-fit cattle from customers and Shorthorn friends. That period of Bedwell Shorthorns culminated with a herd reduction and Jeff accepting a position at NEO A&M College as an Agriculture and Biological Science Instructor as well as the Assistant Livestock Judging Coach working alongside Jary Douglas. Jary had been Jeff’s Livestock team coach while attending NEO and played a huge role in Jeff’s judging success while in college. In the time that Jary and Jeff worked as a team, they enjoyed coaching 3 National Champion Teams that included a multitude of National Contest wins.

While teaching and coaching at NEO, Jeff recognized that a different approach to the breeding program was paying off and that his father Jack was needing help with promotion of the herd once again. In 1994 Jeff and his family exhibited the Res. National Champion Female at the Ft Worth Stock Show on a female named JB Teri Star 303ET. She went on to become a mainstay in the Bedwell herd of which at one time over ½ the cow herd would carry the “Teri Star” name.

It became very apparent that a move closer to Okeene was in order. Jeff accepted positions with K 74 Herefords near Edmond and then Pig Improvement Company as Breeding Barn Manager near Okeene and since that time they have remained near Okeene and now Isabella area.

During those years of Jeff and Diane’s Marriage, they were blessed with 3 children. Jared Cody born in 1987, Justin Christopher in 1991, and Jennifer CarolAnne in 1995.

As Jared, Justin and Jennifer became old enough to show, they became members of 4-H and exhibited Shorthorn Cattle but also pigs and market lambs and later Jennifer exhibited market goats. Throughout, their 4-H and FFA careers, the kids exhibited mostly home-raised Shorthorn steers and heifers at all levels from the Local, County to the State and National Shows where they were blessed by many successful show adventures.

In 1998, Jeff became the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Agriculture Educator in Major County and remained there for 9 years before accepting the Ag Educator position in Garfield County where he served a total of 6 years. As an Ag Educator, Jeff was recognized with the Distinguished Service Award by the Oklahoma County Agents Association and the National Association of Agriculture County Agents. During his 15-year career as an OCES Ag Educator, Jeff was also recognized by the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association with the “Wheat Improvement Award” and the Oklahoma FFA Association with Honorary State FFA Degree.

The early 2000s were great years for the Bedwell’s. The annual Shorthorn 500 sale was begun with Double J Ranch and continued by the Freed and Crow families at the Brooks Sales facility in Marietta, Oklahoma until 2019. In 2004, the purchase of COR Fear Factor led to the Bedwell’s first National Champion Bull with Fear Factor being Slapped Champion at the North American in 2004. In 2006, the Bedwell’s exhibited RB Speedway also to the Res National Champion spot at the National Western.

In 2016 the Bedwell’s enjoyed even more success when Jennifer’s Heifer “Patsy”, aka CYT Magical Max Rosa ET, was congratulated as the Res. Champion at the National Western and then Champion at the Fort Worth Stock Show.

Since 2016 Jeff has served farmers and ranchers in the region as an Agronomist. First at Land Run Farmers Co-op in Waukomis and currently at Nutrien Ag Solutions in Fairview.

Throughout all the opportunities and changes that have occurred during Jeff’s professional career, raising their 3 children with his wife Diane went hand in hand with husbandry of raising Shorthorn Cattle near Okeene and Isabella.

As a Shorthorn Breeder, Jeff has been honored to have been invited and to have evaluated cattle at shows in the United States, Australia, and Canada. He has evaluated National shows not only for the Shorthorn Breed but also National level Junior and Open shows for the Hereford, Mini-Hereford, Simmental, Maine Anjou, Limousin, Brangus and Brahman breeds.

Jeff believes strongly in giving back to the county and community that have meant so much to the Bedwell family. Jeff is currently serving his 3rd term as a member of the Major County Fair board as well as serving Major County as a Trustee of the Public Facilities Authority.

It has been Jeff’s pleasure to serve as the Chairman for the American Shorthorn Association Show Committee Since 2018 and since the annual meeting last fall in 2021, he is very honored to serve as a Senior Board Member of the American Shorthorn Association.

In 2020, the Bedwell’s were approached by the Blankenship Family and the Aegerter Family about having an annual sale together. The result of those discussions is “The Lasting Impressions Sale” of which the most recent and most successful was just held at the Bedwell’s facility west of Isabella in late October.

With the success of the Lasting Impressions Sale and with demand for good Shorthorn genetics growing, Jeff and Diane have chosen to expand and diversify their genetic base by aggressively pursuing and purchasing females, bulls, embryos, and semen from some of the most esteemed shorthorn herds in the US. Since last fall purchases from Studer Shorthorns, Leveldale Shorthorns, Jungels Shorthorns, Byland Shorthorns, Waukaru Shorthorns, Paint Valley Shorthorns and the Bowman Family have begun to have their impact which brings new excitement to the future at the Bedwell’s.

Jeff Bedwell is a fourth-generation Shorthorn Breeder and a Second-generation recipient of the Builder of the Breed recognition proceeded by his father Jack Bedwell in 1985.=