A Word from the CEO…Dustin Hurlbut

by Dustin Hurlbut, CEO, American Chianina Association

Whirlwind is the word I would use to describe 2022 to this point. It seems like we just rang in the New Year and it is already May! I think the saying goes time flies when you are having fun; but I think it should be time flies when you are busy! Between working and having a 7- and 2-year-old, most weeks I don’t know which direction I am headed. I definitely know there is no time to relax!

We had a great show in Ft Worth with our entries up some from the previous years. Ft Worth is always a fun time with great places to eat. We found Coopers BBQ Pit in the stockyards by recommendation and boy was it amazing. I highly recommend that you stop by and give it a try if you have never been there. Also be sure to check out the pictures and banners on the walls on some past champions of the FWSS Chianina shows. A neat touch!

I was back home after Ft. Worth for 3 days and then it was off to the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, S.D. This show always draws a large crowd of commercial cattleman and ranchers to town for the breed sales and the rodeos throughout the week. The Chianina show was small in number but mighty in quality! The heifers averaged $7,200 and the bulls averaged $3,900. While in Rapid City I drove out for a herd visit at Brandon Rocks at Long Valley, S.D. I always enjoy going to Brandon’s to look thru his bulls and heifers. He had roughly 125 of Chiangus-sired heifers in a pen and you want to talk about a uniform set from top to bottom! It was exciting to see a set of heifers of that quantity in one place. If you get the chance to stop by this is a must see set of cows. Brandon sells his bulls privately and they are a heck of a set.

Next I was off to Kearney, Neb., for the Nebraska Cattlemans Classic. The staff there does an outstanding job of running the breed shows and sales throughout the week. We again didn’t have many numbers however we had a good crowd on hand to bid on the bulls offered. They averaged just over $4,000. While I did not get to visit Lyle & Stephanie Sexton after NCC (I was under the weather), the had a great online sale sending cattle to multiple states. Their operation is also a must see if you are out and about looking for Chi and Chiangus seedstock.

Next up was a trip to Melroe Farms in Gwinner, N.D., to look at their bulls before their sale. Their operation never disappoints. They had a very stout, functional set of Chiangus bulls offered this year. The replacement heifers across the fence were a flat awesome set of females and it appeared there were a few of them that would have been pretty competitive in the show ring if that’s what you were looking for. I then stopped by Jordan and Amanda Holt’s to look at the Chiangus bulls and heifers they offered in their online sale held in March. Demand was very good there as well with the top bull bringing $5,000.

After a brief stay at home, it was time to prepare for our annual spring board meeting held in Platte City. I enjoy these in person meetings because it gets everyone away from the hustle and bustle of having them in conjunction with a show, giving board members a chance to interact with one another and talk about what is working for them at home as far as breeding decisions go.

Then it was off to look through Justin Holt’s bulls and heifers for his upcoming annual sale. Like normal the weather was not the best while I was there, with the wind

blowing over 50 mph that day, but that didn’t stop us from going thru bulls, heifers and some new babies that were on the ground. Very impressive set of bulls and heifers like you have come to expect from Justin.

Dennis Clarahan’s sale is always a highlight of my trips. He has some of the best carcass bulls the breed has to offer. If you are looking to add pounds to your calf crop, background or retain ownership in them, these bulls work! As you go through the sale book, you will see there are many of the bulls in top 10 percent of the breed for weaning weight, yearling weight and marbling. Dennis and family always roll out the red carpet for hospitality for everyone and it is great to see so many breeders and to catch up with them while at the sale.

One special thing to note. 2022 is the 50th Anniversary of the American Chianina Association (the first annual membership meeting was June 9-10, 1972) and the staff is preparing for a big celebration. Be on the lookout at Junior Nationals for some things to kick off the birthday party, then join us in Louisville in November for a celebration in conjunction with our National Show!

See you down the road.

~ Dustin

Oklahoma City, Okla. • March 14, 2022 • Judge: Charlie Boyd Jr. & Tyler Cates

Supreme Champion Influence Female Grand Champion Chianina Female GOF Miss Dolly 215H Exhibited by Madilyn Norvell, Tuttle, Okla. Third Overall Influence Female Reserve Champion Chianina Female JSUL PCC Dat Style 0356H ET Exhibited by Bret Pembrook, Fairview, Okla.