THIS ISSUE:
May/June 2025
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: David Mool
Vice President: Brad Evans
Secretary: Clay Sellmeyer
Business Manager: Doug Turner
Past President: Carla Jurgenson
Auxiliary Pres.: Cindy Anderson
Junior Advisor: Stacy Lemenager
Bureau County: Vaughn Kiner
Central Illinois: Luke Lemenager
Logan County : Carla Jurgenson
Northern Illinois: Jarad Carroll Wabash Valley: Open
Directors at Large:
Eric McClure
Aaron Schafer
Travis Fruhling
T J Curtin
Chris Cassady
Bodee Schlipf
Brad Evans
Tracey Rawlings
Chad Horsley
Sam Brumleve
Scott Anderson
Dan Naughton
CONTACT
To place advertisements or your latest Angus news contact: Olivia Hoots Illinois Beef Editor Illinois Beef Association 217-787-4280 olivia@illinoisbeef.com www.illinoisbeef.com
ON THE COVER
by Zach Arnold. Located at Kramer Farms, 2024 IBA Farm Family of the Year.
UPCOMING EVENTS
www.illinoisangus.com for a list of other
and Angus sales this summer.
Photo
Message from your President
It is with great pleasure that I step into the shoes of our past president Carla Jurgenson and will do my best to keep up with all her initiatives including a brief presidents message. As the spring sales season winds down it really does not matter which sector of the beef industry you are involved in, it is hard to imagine a more exciting time to be part of the Angus family.
With the winter months behind us, growing pastures and warmer days ahead it is always encouraging to reflect on the calf crop that has been produced.
The Central Illinois Angus Association would welcome everyone to attend this year's event held at the Interstate Center in Bloomington Illinois June 5-7. This year's Angus Roll of Victory Show will be hosted by the CIAA Preview Show with the Illinois Junior Angus Association Field Day held the following day. It is always a great event to gather with friends and family, as well as to cheer on the juniors with a new year's show string. Other upcoming events to be held later in the year would include the Second Annual Fall Female Sale scheduled for Saturday, December 6, at Fairview Sale Barn, additional details to follow.
Hoping everyone has had a safe calving season, a successful breeding season and I look forward to visiting with many of you during the upcoming show season. Best Regards,
Your President, Dave Mool
dmool@icloud.com | (309) 275-0614
Association Updates
Illinois Angus Association Conference and Banquet
Everything from meat to marketing at the second annual Illinois Angus Association Conference and Banquet held March 8 in Springfield.
More than 100 Angus breeders and juniors met in Springfield for the second annual Illinois Angus Association Conference and Annual Meeting. The conference, held Saturday, March 8, marked the second year of a new format for the state Angus association to hold a separate event for their Annual Meeting and Banquet away from the Illinois Beef Expo.
The Illinois junior members were treated to a lunch and meat cutting demonstration at local Springfield steakhouse, Mariah’s Steakhouse & Pasta. The steakhouse’s head waiter, who is also a certified butcher, gave the kids a demonstration on where meat cuts come from, and then they got to cut their own steaks, and try different kinds of meat from Waygu Australian meat to Angus ribeyes. The junior members came back with a full stomach and National Junior Angus Association Directors Anne
Dameron and Sawyer Styles woke them up with Angus trivia quizzes they could play together on their phone.
Dr. Daniel Clark, Certified Angus Beef and former Illinois Junior Angus member, gave a meat cutting demonstration to the adults showing how to capture more value from different primal cuts, especially as producers are marketing specific cuts to retail or consumers directly. In addition, Dr. Clark covered a myriad of topics about how producers can capture value using Certified Angus Beef marketing tools. He then spoke separately to the Illinois Junior Association members about what consumers really think about purchasing and eating beef, and gave some examples of how to discuss beef challenges with consumers.
Benji Lemmon, President of Angus Media, spoke on how producers holding online sales or marketing cattle privately can
The juniors try premium steaks at Mariah's Steakhouse and Pasta. Meat cutting demonstration by Mariah's head butcher.
All the juniors who attended the lunch at Mariah's. NJAA board members Anne Dameron and Sawyer Styles quiz juniors.
capitalize on tools from Angus Media services. Using online publishing tools and their suite of services can help to increase visibility for a sale. Benji gave the Illinois junior members some advice on professionalism in the workplace and how to make a good first impression.
Finally, Dave Guyer and Ashtin Webster provided some tips and tricks for hosting a successful online sale on their platform, Show Circuit Online Sales. They provided statistics of visibility for different tactics used, timing of a sale, and the importance of good photos, videos and information to make a sale go from good to great. Dave and Ashtin also spoke to junior members about what they look for when hiring someone to their team, and Dave offered some life advice to the junior members that had them hanging on his every word.
Both adult and junior organizations held their annual meeting separately, where new directors for each association were elected. Illinois Junior Angus Association officers elected include President Max Dameron, First Vice President Brenna Bartlow, Second Vice President Ben Sellmeyer, Secretary Ella Eathington, Treasurer Audrey Curtin, Show Secretary Jack Sellmeyer, Reporter Addison Bartlow and Directors Danielle Alberts, Reese Anderson, Macie Barlow, Brodie Bergman, Curtner Bergmann, Madeline Bergmann, Macie Carroll, Will Curtin, Madison Huls, Cohen Kirchner, Kyle Kirchner, Claire Kuipers, Grayson Leake, Will Miller, Anna Parr, Logan Suits and Conner Suits. Illinois Angus Association officers include President David Mool, Vice President Brad Evans, Secretary Clay Sellmeyer, Treasurer Doug Turner, Past President Carla Jurgenson, Directors Vaughan Kiner, Luke Lemenager, Jarad Carroll, Eric McClure, Aaron Schafer, Travis Fruhling, T.J. Curtin, Chris Cassady, Bodee Schlipf, Brad Evans, Tracey Rawlings, Chad Horsley, Sam Brumleve, Scott Anderson and Dan Naughton.
The annual banquet was then held after a joint social hour. Angus producers and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Miller and State Representative Chris Miller both offered a few insights to politics and the national and state level. President Carla Jorgensen gave the Stan Prox Memorial Award to incoming president David Mool, Highlights from the Illinois Angus Auxiliary and Illinois Junior Associations were given. New Illinois Angus royalty was crowned for the first time by outgoing queen Audrey Curtin. New queen Macie Carroll, Ebonettes Anna Parr, Claire Kuipers and Kylee Kirchner, and Princess Madison Huls. The Illinois Junior Angus Family of the Year was given to the Lemenager Family. The Illinois Junior Angus Appreciation Award was given to outgoing American Angus Association Regional Manager and Current Chief Operating Officer Casey Jentz. The Illinois Angus Association also gave a parting gift to Casey for his work with our Illinois association. Finally the Illinois Junior Angus Association auctioned off sponsorship of their National Junior Angus show t-shirts, which yielded $6,775 and the Central Illinois Angus Association held their annual Seeds of the Future auction that funds the Central Illinois Angus Preview Show and yielded more than $20,000.
Thanks are definitely due to the sponsors of this event. Premier sponsors include Vita Ferm, Fairview Sale Barn, Transova Genetics, Illinois Beef Association and Umbarger Feeds. Gold sponsors include Channel Seeds, Hopedale AgriCenter, Early Bird Feed and Fertilizer, Illinois Junior Angus Association and Angus Media. Silver sponsors include Riverode Sales, Sloan Implement and Green Prairie Animal Clinic.
Dr. Danial Clark gives meat cutting demonstration to IAA producers.
Angus Media President, Benji Lemmon, teaches producers how to use their online tools.
Dave Guyer gives online sale tips to producers with his daughter, Ashtin.
NJAA Board Members Anne Dameron and Sawyer Styles ready for the IAA Annual Banquet.
Congresswoman Mary Miller presents a national policy update.
State Representative Chris Miller presents a state policy update.
Reese Anderson presents an Appreciation Award to past AAA Regional Manager, Casey Jentz, as he moves to new role as COO of AAA.
The two auctions held during the March event brought in nearly $27,000.
Your 2025 IJAA Board of Directors.
Your 2025 IAA Queen Macie Carroll (center), Princess Madison Huls and ebonettes.
Auxiliary President Cindy Anderson gives an Illinois Angus Auxiliary update.
Outgoing Angus Queen, Audrey Curtin, gives outgoing speech.
2024 IAA President Carla Jurgenson hands parting gift to Casey Jentz.
2024 President Carla Jorgensen gives IAA Stan Prox Memorial Award to 2025 President David Mool at the IAA Annual Conference and Banquet.
Anne Dameron presents the Luke and Stacy Lemenager family the IAA Family of the Year award.
Murray Named Angus Regional Manager for Great Lake States
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin cattlemen welcome new regional manager.
The American Angus Association® hired Tyler Murray in March to fill the role of regional manager for the Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin area. Murray will serve as an Association resource for producers in the region using registered Angus genetics.
“The people. That’s what makes the breed so great,” said Murray reflecting on why he was eager to be a part of the Association’s staff. “I’ve never had a bad day working with the people in this breed.”
The Iowa native grew up showing Angus cattle and maintains a registered Angus herd with his family in Buffalo Center, Iowa. Murray was a member of the National Junior Angus Association and participated in the program’s national show and leadership programs. In 2022, he exhibited the Grand Champion FFA and Open Angus Bull at the Iowa State Fair. These experiences, along with his time as the Association’s 2024 fall regional manager intern, has prepared him for the role. Murray traveled with veteran regional managers during his internship; learning first-hand what it takes to serve all types of producers.
“I learned a lot about how to interact with members,” said Murray. “My favorite part of the internship was getting out to producers’ places and better understanding their operations; it was huge to have that opportunity.”
Murray began serving in the role part time on March 14 under the guidance of Casey Jentz, who served as regional manager for the area for 10 years before being promoted to chief operating officer of the Association earlier this spring. Murray is finishing his degree in animal science at Iowa State University, where he is a member of the Block and Bridle Club and Collegiate Cattlemen’s organization. Following graduation in May, he will transition into the role full time.
“Tyler’s enthusiasm for the Angus breed is contagious. He is very passionate about the cattle business and is eager to become more involved,” said Levi Landers, director of member and field services for the Association. “We saw tremendous professional growth from Tyler during his internship and are fortunate to now have him join our team.”
The Association has 13 regional managers who serve across the United States as full-time staff members of the Association. They work with cattle breeders in their designated regions to promote Angus cattle, help commercial cattlemen utilize Angus programs and assist breeders who want to get started in the Angus business.
Regional managers also work with breeders to ensure their advertising needs are being met through the Angus Journal and Angus Beef Bulletin. They can often be found working at Angus sales and shows, representing the Association at livestock conventions and serving as a liaison between the organization, its membership, users of Angus genetics, industry partners and academia. To view the full list of regional managers serving Angus producers, visit angus.org/about/regional-managers.
Tyler Murray named American Angus Association® regional manager for the Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin region.
Show Results
2025 Mid-Atlantic Junior Angus Classic Regional Preview Show
Harrisonburg, Va. | March 7-9
Photos by Next Level Images
Reserve Grand Champion Owned Female
Purple Saras Dream M01ET
Owned by Kaylie Shelton
Owned Reserve Junior Champion Heifer Division 1
SCC CB Phyllis 438
Owned by Brenna Bartlow
2025 Western National Angus Futurity Super Point ROV Show
Reno, Nev. | March 30
Photos by Next Level Images
Reserve Senior Heifer Calf Champion
SCC Phyllis 3110
Owned by Ella Brooks
Grand Champion Bull
HB Expectation 3012
Owned by Horsley Bros., Illinois; Good Cattle Company, Kansas
MAY BEEF MONTH
BEEF EATERS CLUB
BEEF EATERS CLUB
How to Join
How to Join
Eat out at any restaurant in Illinois and order at least one beef item off the menu and send in a copy of your receipt to the Illinois Beef Association
Club Member Perks
Club Member Perks
Every Beef Eaters Club member gets the annual Beef Eaters Club sticker! Ten lucky members will be selected to win a Summer Grilling Basket, three will be selected to win gift certificates to a listing on the IBA Local Beef Directory, and one member will win the Ultimate Grilling Prize!
Official Rules & Regulations
