Many of you know how much the Hereford breed means to me. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to serve the IHA as President for the coming year. I would like to thank the retiring board members for the work they have put into the association. I also want to welcome the newly elected directors to the board. The time and dedication it takes to serve the Hereford breed and its members is very fulfilling and I would like to ask everyone involved to consider serving on the board of directors also.
We just had our annual meeting and banquet at the Illinois Beef Expo on February 22. It was very well attended with 135 people present. We awarded the Breeder of the Year and Hall of Fame inductions. They were as follows:
• Yale Young presented Crane Herefords with Breeder of the Year
• Scott Torrance honored Dave and Susan Anderson as Hall of Fame inductee
The Illinois Hereford Women had a silent auction and there was also a live auction hosted by the IHA that both drew a lot of attention. I would like to thank everyone who bid and/or purchased items at these auctions. The money raised helps to support the IJHA and promote Hereford cattle in the state of Illinois.
I would encourage everyone to make a trip to Northern Illinois this year. June 13-15 is the IJHA Preview Show in Belvidere and August 23-24 is the Illinois Hereford Tour based in the Rockford area.
Please be sure to think about your consignments for the Winter Classic Sale at Carthage. If you have any questions on this sale reach out to Noah Benedict. With calving season wrapping up, make sure you market your calves for their full value. The Greater Midwest Certified Hereford Feeder Calf Sale has been doing that year in and year out. Remember to talk with your customers to get them involved with this sale also. It is one of the best ways to promote your genetics and the Hereford breed. I hope everyone has a good spring and follow it up with a better summer. Feel free to contact myself or any of the board members if there is anything we can assist you with.
Thanks,
Craig Crutcher, Illinois Hereford Association President
CATCHING UP WITH CORBIN
Greetings everyone,
As is typical for this time of year, I am writing to you amid heavy traffic season. Herd visits, sales, and various state and local meetings continue to fill the schedule. Meanwhile, we at AHA are preparing for an active summer filled with junior preview shows/activities, the Junior National Hereford Expo, and more opportunities to visit your operations to see calf crop progress. Personally, spring rivals fall for me on the list of favorite seasons: grass begins to come back to life, Mother Nature usually starts to be more cooperative for many of us, and the excitement for the next generation of calves on the farm is high.
Corbin Cowles, American Hereford Association Territory 5 Field Staff
As we have progressed through another spring sale season, the results have given us a narrative that is undeniable: the influence of Hereford genetics is commanding a premium. Baldie females, regardless of whether they have been open, bred, or with calf at side, the premium buyers are paying for them is significant. Most notably, we sold 17 BWF yearling females at the Sandrock Ranch sale in Wisconsin on 4/13 for an average of $4,112. Past this, numerous sales have seen the same kind of heifers creep close to or over the $3,000 threshold, with bred and production females progressively higher. In depth results from numerous sales can be found on the AHA website under the Sale Results tab. Moral of the story: your seedstock are worth a premium because their influence is creating more dollars of revenue for the commercial cattle business. From my vantage point, I’m as confident as ever the demand for Hereford genetics will remain strong.
As we get towards the summer months and begin preparing for the fall sale season, now is the time to think about marketing plans. HPI is eager to discuss how we can help put together a strategic plan of digital and print media to help get your offering in front of as many eyes as possible. Additionally, we have a few spots available between the two Illinois breeder pages in the Hereford World; feel free to give me a call to discuss those opportunities as well. If I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out.
All the best,
-Corbin Cowles
Illinois Hereford Association 2025 Tour
August 23rd and 24th - Northern, IL
August 23, 2025: Day 1
Storey Show Cattle 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Lunch, with Herd Visit to follow
Address: 7456 East Townsend Road, Stockton, IL 61085
The Storey Family invites you to join us for lunch during the 2025 Illinois Hereford Tour. Come walk through our herd of registered cow calf pairs. At Storey Show Cattle we strive to raise quality Hereford females that are able to excel in the show ring while also adding value to our cow herd. We can’t wait to see everyone at this year's tour.
Thousand Hills Herefords 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Herd Visit
Address: 1709 Summit Dr, Stockton, IL 61085
A cowherd consisting of 35-head that concentrates on carcass merit and confirmation. A high priority has been placed on teat and udder scores, longevity, and cow families when purchasing herd sires. For the first time, Thousand Hills Herefords was named a Gold TPR Breeder, alongside having three cows on the Dam of Distinction list. This program is placing a growing emphasis on Genomically tested EPD’s and Ultrasound Data as well.
Perks Ranch 5:00 pm
Herd Visit, Live OPU Demonstration by SVS Repro, AHA Update, and Dinner
Address: 12526 N Weldon Rd, Rockford, IL 61102
Perks Ranch consists of 600 acres of rolling grass pastures, cropland, and protected forests, and runs around 120 head of registered Hereford cows and commercial cows used for the ET program as recipients. The ranch hosts a female production sale the 2nd Saturday in October each year, featuring a strong set of show heifers, replacement females, and bred cows, and an annual bull sale each year in March. The ranch was founded in 1961 by The Doug Perks family and managed and operated by The Tom Boatman family.
August 24, 2025: Day 2
Richardson Farms 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Herd Visit
Address: 7789 Coon Trail Rd, Capron, IL 61012
Richardson Farms got its start after the purchase of an open heifer in the fall of 2012. The operation has now grown to around 20 head of cows. We take pride in exhibiting bred and owned heifers at the state and national level. Additionally, we market all other calves to local show families and Hereford breeders. Select heifer and steer prospects are available by private treaty in the fall, while frozen genetics are available year-round.
Mud Creek Farms 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Herd Visit
Address: 6372 Edwardsville Rd, German Valley, IL 61039
Mud Creek Farms has been breeding Hereford cattle for over 30 years and currently runs around 30 cows. We’ve focused on marketing show cattle, replacement females, bulls, and freezer beef. We greatly appreciate the relationships we’ve built over the years with fellow Hereford breeders and look forward to hosting them on the tour!
* Anyone who attends all 5 tour stops will be entered for the chance to win a $250 sale credit for the 2025 IHA Winter Classic Sale *
Hotel Block Information for the evening of August 23rd: Holiday Inn Rockford, an IHG Hotel - 7550 E State St - Rockford, IL 61108
Rate: $119/night plus night
Block Name: Perks Ranch
IJHA
ILLINOIS JUNIORS BUILD ON THEIR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN TEXAS
We are extremely proud of three of our very own IJHA officer team, Kendall and Kade Boatman, and Shawn Crutcher, who represented our association at the 2025 BOLD (Building On Leadership Development) Conference April 3-6, 2025. The fourday event was held at GKB’s High Point Ranch in Desdemona, Texas, where attendees focused on leadership development and heard from inspiring industry professionals.
Despite travel delays and unpredictable weather, the conference kicked off Thursday evening with a warm welcome from hosts Gary and Kathy Buchholz. The night concluded with a fun activity as participants teamed up to write and perform their own movie trailers.
Friday began bright and early with a team-building breakfast, followed by a motivational session with World Champion Rodeo Athlete Tyson Durfey teaching attendees how to “Build Their Future.” Attendees also heard from keynote speaker, Cheryl Mitchell, who set the tone for a day filled with leadership workshops hosted by the NJHA Board of Directors, where participants explored different leadership styles and learned how to grow as leaders. That evening, everyone enjoyed a tour of GKB Cattle’s operations and wrapped up the day with fish fry and a fun night.
Saturday focused on career exploration and professional development through roundtable discussions with Gary and Kathy, Cody Jensen, Sara Radar, and Kane Aegeter. The afternoon included a tour of the GKB Cattle Sale Facility, one-on-one resume reviews, and mock interviews designed to strengthen communication and interview skills. The evening concluded with a Certified Hereford Beef steak dinner and a NJHA dance and karaoke night.
The conference wrapped up Sunday morning with a final closing session led by Tyler Norvell, President of OYE & the Onward Foundation, sending attendees home inspired and ready to lead.
We are truly grateful to Gary and Kathy Buchholz for their generous hospitality and unwavering commitment to youth in agriculture. A sincere thank you also goes to the National Junior Hereford Association and everyone who made this event possible for all their dedication and hard work in organizing such a meaningful and impactful event.
2025 JUNIOR NATIONAL HEREFORD EXPO SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, JULY 12
2 p.m. Gates open for tack trailers to arrive and set up in barns - West Wing & Pavilion
6 p.m. Cattle may arrive into tie-outs through the night
SUNDAY, JULY 13
7 a.m. NJHA Board and Candidate Orientation Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Hereford Bowl Check-In & Written Test - W3 & W4
9 a.m. Bred-and-Owned Show - Broadbent Arena Cow-Calf Pairs, Bred-and-Owned Females, Produce of Dam Group - Ring 1 Steer Show followed by Bred-and-Owned Bulls - Ring 2
*Buckle and Awards Ceremony honoring CHB Cooking Challenge, Photo & Poster, prior to selection of the Bred-and-Owned Top Five Females
THURSDAY, JULY 17
7:30 a.m. Owned Female Show - Broadbent Arena
*Buckle and Awards Ceremony honoring Future Professionals, Speech and Judging Contests, will follow the selection of the Division 3 Polled Females
7:30 a.m. Conclusion of Owned Female Show Broadbent Arena
*Buckle and Awards Ceremony recognizing Herdsman of the Year, Walter and Joe Lewis High Point Senior, GKB Super States, Golden Pitchfork and the Bob Norton Excellence Award will be held prior to the champion drives
I L L I N O I
S J U N I O
2025 PREVIEW SHOW UPDATES
ADDRESS:
Boone County Fairgrounds
8847 IL-76
Belvidere, IL 61008
SCHEDULE
THURSDAY:
6:00 p.m. - Grounds open for set up.
FRIDAY:
CHANGE: 1:00-3:00 p.m. - Check-in
Hereford Bowl Test - During Check-in
NEW: 3:00-4:00 Fitting Demo
4:30 p m -Fitting Contest
6:00-7:30 p.m. IJHA Fun Night
SATURDAY:
9:00 a m - Opening Ceremonies
9:15 a.m. - Showmanship (youngest to oldest)
Bred and Owned Show begins at the conclusion of showmanship.
ENTRY PROCESS:
Entries will open May 1, 2025 on Showman.app Entries must be completed by June 1, 2025. NO LATE ENTRIES ACCEPTED
$40 PER ENTRY for Owned Heifers, Bulls, Cow/Calf, Steers (this includes bedding)
$25 PER ENTRY for Bred & Owned Heifers (this includes bedding) You can also pay your IJHA dues at this time Dues are $10/junior
Show Order: Cow/Calf, Bulls, B&O Heifers, Steers
Scholarship Interviews
5:30 p m - Junior Meeting
7:00 p m Banquet-held in show ring
SUNDAY:
7:45 a m - Group photo at photo backdrop
8:00 a.m. - Owned Heifer Show
SHOW HOSTS:
Tom Boatman Family
Jamie Richardson Family
ILLINOIS JUNIOR HEREFORD ASSOCIATION
2025 PREVIEW SHOW UPDATES
LODGING:
HOTELS:
A block of rooms are available at the following location: -Holiday Inn - $119 815-398-2200 - Room Block under IL Hereford Preview Show Group
CAMPING:
$45/night
30 or 50 amp (includes water & electric) Reserve spots on Showman during entry process
PHOTO BACKDROP
AUCTION:
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
Due June 1, 2025
See more details on Showman.app Scholarships
Sam Taylor Memorial Scholarship
Wayne Sage Memorial Scholarship
Chris Stephens Memorial Scholarship
Faces of Leadership Travel Scholarship
Junior Prospect Award
We will be auctioning off the backdrop via a silent auction. The silent auction will open during check-in and remain open until the conclusion of the Owned Heifer Show. This year will be a Casino Theme--”BET ON HEREFORD”
Speech Contest sponsored by the IL Hereford Women
Illustrated Speech Advanced Speech
Queen & Princess Contest sponsored by the IL Hereford Women
