Red is the New Black

Two days after the grand opening of the HW Hutchison Stockyard Event Center, the Witwer Show Arena is already helping dreams come true.

Garrett Knebel, owner of Harmony Hill, saw his crew’s hard work and dedication pay off today after winning the Grand Champion Pen of Three Red Angus Bulls title at the 2022 National Western Stock Show. Harmony Hill, a multi-generational, 175 head Red Angus and Hereford operation in the Gallatin Valley near Bozeman, Montana, has operated for the past 135 years – a testament to the family’s dedication to the cattle industry.

Knebel originally began to make his mark on the industry by raising Black Angus and Simmental cattle. However, he fell in love with a woman and uncovered a deep love for the Red Angus and Hereford breed cattle his now wife grew up raising. “If anybody doesn’t know, red is the new black,” Knebel states, “I’ve raised several different breeds of cattle and I truly believe Red Angus cattle are incredible cows that will continue to improve the beef industry for a long time.”

While there are over 70 cattle breed registries in the United States, Knebel highly regards the Red Angus breed and its association. He notes, “One of the neatest things about the Red Angus cattle industry is that it is the most commercially focused breed association in the United States. I’ve found that other associations tend to make their registered breeders number one but the Red Angus Association ensures their commercial producers are number one. I think that is incredibly important for the strength of the breed as a whole as it moves forward to continue to supply commercial and red angus bulls to the commercial industry.”

When asked what keeps Knebel in this business he pondered for a few moments and said, “I would rather be around cattle than people. I have a true connection with cows and I just absolutely love it and the livestock industry.” Harmony Hill and Knebel not only have a deep connection to the Red Angus breed, they have a special appreciation for the National Western as well. “In the last year or two, COVID-19 has derailed a lot of peoples plans. Everybody in the country had to decide where to take their penned cattle and put them on display,” Knebel states, “There is absolutely no other stock show or livestock gathering in the county that compares to the National Western Stock Show. There’s just nothing else like it and there never will be. The improvements on campus have been absolutely incredible and have made my job a lot easier. I really look forward to returning to the National Western for many years to come.”

By Becca Paine, 2022 Media Scholar