Twenty Years in the Making

stockshowLivestock Shows, NWSS Livestock Blog

Wednesday night wasn’t just a big night for the Rodgers and Lackey family who won Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Junior Market Swine, respectively. In the background, another family was experiencing overwhelming emotions. That family is the Heimer’s, led by Jesse Heimer of Heimer Hampshires based in Taylor, Missouri, who raised both champion pigs, and began this tradition of winning … Read More

An Insiders Perspective

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Joe Epperly studies the exhibitors in the first class of the Junior Market Steer Show and pulls calves to be placed. The kicker: he’s not the judge.  Epperly is the chosen ring manager of today’s steer show. His job is to coordinate between the three actual judges and the livestock coordinator for tallying scores. He also makes sure that the judges get … Read More

Tibetan Sauce

stockshowIn The Yards, NWSS Livestock Blog

A1 Steak Sauce is found on tables of meat eaters across the country. However, one particular Steak Sauce will not be eaten. Kylie Wagner of Bo Creek Ranch in Lenora, Kansas, has brought her 2-year-old pet steer yak named Steak Sauce with the ear tag A1 to the National Western Yak Pen Show.  “Steak Sauce” was originally in the butcher … Read More

So You Think you’re a Cattle Breed Expert?

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They’re not miniature, they’re mainly black, and naturally polled. Can you guess which breed of cattle I’m describing?  According to the American Aberdeen website, the Lowline breed originated from Australia in 1929 and were developed from the Angus breed. There was a study conducted at the Trangie Agriculture Research Center in Australia to determine whether a smaller or larger animal … Read More

A Dynamic Duo

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Today at the Simmental Female Show, a dynamic duo was judging. Father and daughter team John Grimes and Lindsey Hall, respectively, judged the Simmental Percentage and Purebred Female Open Shows.  Grimes said that he and his daughter have judged plenty of times together at home, but this is the first time to do it in the show ring.  “We hardly … Read More

Being Apart of Something Bigger

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The National Western Swine Show would not be possible without the help of many volunteers and organizations who play a role in this great industry.  As being an affiliate show with the National Swine Registry (NSR), there are certain rules exhibitors must follow in order to exhibit at the National Western, one of which is having a valid pedigree for … Read More

A Lifetime of Passion

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Ben Cooley, the judge for the Salers Jr. Breeding Heifer Show, has judged much more than the Salers show.  Cooley judged the Junior South Devon show last week and is also the Superintendent for the collegiate livestock judging contest. His passion for judging comes from growing up in 4-H and FFA programs.  “I went to college and was part of a … Read More

A Breed Known for its Meat

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Wagyu cattle have been coming to the National Western Stock Show for seven years and they certainly don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.  Wagyu were first introduced to the United States in 1975 when two black and two red bulls were imported from Japan. In the 1990’s, several more imports of Wagyu were entering into the states.   … Read More

The Many Hats of Dr. Aaron Cooper

stockshowLivestock Shows, NWSS Livestock Blog

Judge today, owner of an international cattle-consulting company tomorrow.  These are just a few of the hats Dr. Aaron Cooper wears. Cooper grew up in San Angelo, Texas, on a cow-calf operation and cotton farm. His passion for the livestock industry then lead him to pursue his degree at Texas A&M University where he was apart of the 2004 National … Read More