told we could not be completive on a national level. We were told we needed to be from the Midwest. With many Junior National and National Champions later – I’ve learned as long as you’re willing to work nothing can get in your way. BRED AND OWNED Recently, I’ve personally been on a campaign to exhibit my bred and owned heifers on the National level. To me, this is the true test of how selecting cows that can also be show heifers has paid off for us. And, all of the 2021 OKC champions are out of my past show heifers. I love how they are coming full circle. LUCY COW FAMILY – 610D Dam of 3 OKC Champion’s! The Lucy Cow Family is currently one of my greatest blessings. Lucy 610D required a lot of faith from my dad and myself. She was skinny, not great haired yet, there was something special about her. Craig (Steck) played a large role in assuring dad and I she was one we needed. He always focuses on selecting ones that have the ability to do great things in and out of the ring. Lucy 610D went on to the first Supreme Champion in both the Open and Junior Shows at the World Beef Expo, the AOB Champion in Kansas City and the AOB Champion in Louisville in 2017. At the 2021 Cattlemen’s Congress, her daughters were the
Grand and Reserve Grand MaineTainers, and the Reserve Grand Champion Foundation Simmental. Not sure, how many cows have been the dam of three breed champions at one national show and these are just out of her second and third calf crop. Her first daughter was a Bismarck that I campaigned to many titles in 2019. CHELSIE COW FAMILY The Chelsie cows or the “Red’s” as we call them here, are super special to me. We have four full sisters that all won at the national level and continue to raise daughters that are doing the same. Recently the “Original Red or 210Z” as some know her produced the Reserve Grand Champion Shorthorn Female “Bob” at this year’s Cattlemen’s Congress for Keagan Steck. Keagan has a heck of a run with Bob, as she was the named Reserve National Champion as a calf at the National Western Stock Show, won the American Royal and was Reserve Grand Champion at the 2020 NAILE. It’s special that Keagan shows a daughter of 210Z, as we purchased her mother from his parents – Craig and Stephanie Steck and their partner Kevin Heath. COCO COW FAMILY Coco is one of our all-time favorite Hereford females and I remember when we were looking to purchase her from Randy and Jamie Mullinix with Purple Reign Cattle Company. My dad always committed so much
of his time traveling the country to seek out these amazing females for our program. He also relied on several great cattlemen, like Jim Bloomberg, for their opinion on her. They all felt the way we did--she was special and could be an asset in our herd and would be the donor we needed when the show halter was taken off. Sure enough, CoCo is the dam of the Supreme Champion Open Female at the 2021 Cattlemen’s Congress for Lauren May and Purple Reign Cattle Company.
Lauren’s CoCo daughter is an embryo calf raised by Purple Reign. I am so excited for their success. Each one of these cow families and the many others that reside in Prairie Grove, Arkansas on our family ranch are blessings to me and my family. They have brought a great deal of show ring success home, which I am forever grateful for. Most importantly, they have brought the opportunity to know the best people in the industry. •
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