Griffin Anderson shows his Hereford heifer at the 2025 Illinois State Fair. Photo by Devin Bollman.
PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE
As I am writing this, calves are starting to get weaned. When I am out at a customers’ place, the barn lots are beginning to fill up with weaned calves, for a short time. When you are beginning to decide what to do with the calves, keep in mind that there are new rules for the coming spring regarding DNA with the American Hereford Association.
In many of my conversations about the DNA policies, most people will be sending off DNA on all the heifer calves that they are retaining in the herd. By doing this, you will be ahead of the game in future years. If you have any bull calves born after January 1, you will need to have DNA on both the sire and dam recorded with the AHA, if you plan on using that bull calf in a registered herd where offspring by him will be registered.
Always remember that the IJHA Preview Show and Junior Nationals both require that steers have both their sire and dam DNA on record. With this try to be proactive and the earlier that you send off the DNA the quicker you will get it back. The lab does process a lot of samples and turn around time can be around a month or longer. If you are needing them done by a certain date, keep that in mind when you are sending them off.
Thank you all for your dedication to the Illinois Hereford Association, and wishing you all a great fall harvest and sale season.
-Craig Crutcher
CATCHING UP WITH CORBIN
Greetings everyone,
Junior previews, the JNHE, and state fairs have come and gone as we wind down another full summer of recognition for our junior and adult members alike and the work they put in with their projects for the last calendar year. My compliments to everyone in Illinois as well as all of Territory 5 for raising the bar yet again with the quality of cattle and talent you displayed. It never ceases to amaze the skill and dedication you all put into the craft of exhibiting great Hereford cattle.
We turn our focus now to the fall sale season, and the outlook can only be described as extremely optimistic. Just yesterday, I was reading posts about new individual sale barn records as well as national sale records repeatedly being set around the region, which continues the trend of ascending prices in 2025. It’s simple: the baseline value for our commodity is at its highest point in history. Demand does not seem to show any signs of softening soon; the forecast does not show any signs of significant heifer retention. As breeders, we have the assets that people want. There is cost to acquiring quality genetics, but in the same breath those quality genetics pay. If I can be of assistance in your search for live cattle or frozen genetics, feel free to reach out.
Anticipation continues to build as we approach late October when we gather in Kansas City for the World Hereford Conference in conjunction with the AHA Annual Meeting. Our international friends have put their best foot forward with consignments to the Ladies of the Royal sale offering that will feature frozen genetics from multiple foreign countries. Our entire AHA staff has put tremendous effort into making this a first-class event that any Hereford enthusiast won’t want to miss.
If I can be of assistance in any way, feel free to reach out. Wishing you all a safe and successful harvest as well as fall calving season.
All the best,
-Corbin Cowles
Craig Crutcher, Illinois Hereford Association President
Corbin Cowles, American Hereford Association Territory 5 Field Staff
FACES OF LEADERSHIP
PURINA ANIMAL NUTRITION CENTER HOSTS HEREFORD JUNIORS
Eighty-four National Junior Hereford Association members from 21 states gathered at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Missouri., July 30 – August 2, for the 2025 Faces of Leadership conference. Hosted in partnership with Purina, this year’s event kicked off with a focus on exploring leadership through a personal lens, encouraging members to discover and develop their unique leadership styles while sharpening vital communication and team-building skills.
“People want to follow leaders who stay humble, stay hungry and always try to find better for those around them,” said Mike Matheny, St. Louis, Mo., setting the tone for NJHA members during the first night of the conference. Matheny is a New York Times best-selling author, former Major League Baseball catcher and manager. He is also a leadership coach who inspires others through his faith-based approach to mentoring, team building and character development.
Conference participants enjoyed several unique learning opportunities during the event, including:
• An inside look at Purina Animal Nutrition Center, where participants toured the dairy, beef, poultry and companion animal facilities, learning about the farm's diverse operations from industry leaders.
Association staff provided valuable insight and guidance to help prepare participants for future careers in the industry.
• The Bridging the Gap College and Career Fair included representatives from 13 agricultural companies and universities for juniors to explore opportunities.
Missouri Director of Agriculture, Chris Chinn, explained to participants how her personal “why” fuels her advocacy for agriculture and those who work in it.
“I want you [NJHA members] to have every opportunity available to you,” Chinn explained. “Don’t not try.”
Over the course of the two-day leadership simulation workshop, participants leaned into their personal leadership styles and found motivation through their individual “why.” The experience came full circle with a powerful closing keynote from NJHA Chairman Salem Sifford.
• A hands-on leadership simulation led by the NJHA board of directors, designed to challenge and grow their decision-making and communication skills, while working in a teamsetting.
• Roundtable discussions with American Hereford
“I was never told that I had to be one way or another to be a leader within the Hereford breed. My Hereford family accepted me as I am and simply encouraged me along the way. I learned that it truly is all about the people that meet you where you are and encourage you,” Sifford explained.
Made possible by the Coley-Malir Leadership Endowment and the Hereford Youth Foundation of America, this conference is a pivotal stepping-stone to building the pipeline of future leaders for the Hereford breed. This year, juniors were fortunate to have Rick Malir and his wife Bonnie Coley-Malir join for the duration of the conference, and heard from Rick as a keynote speaker.
Eighty-four NJHA juniors representing 21 states arrived in Missouri this July, to better themselves and the NJHA as a whole. Here the full group is pictured at the Purina facility.
July 12-18
Judges: Chan Phillips sorted the bred-and-owned bull show and steer show; Charlie and Blake Boyd sorted the bred-and-owned females; Cody Sankey and John McCurry sorted the owned females; Ty Bayer and Calli Spengler evaluated the senior and intermediate showmanship contests; Bob and Lauren May evaluated the junior and peewee showmanship contests. Backdrop photos by Next Level; Award photos by AHA Staff
Reserve Champion Owned Cow/calf Pair
MKS 73G 3J Yankee Girl 9L
Owned by Kade & Kendall Boatman
Champion Division 4 Bred & Owned Heifer
L2 LCC J16 Fancy Pants 63M ET
Owned by Tuck & Nash Lowderman
Reserve Champion Division 6 Bred &
Owned Heifer
CRANE Sasha 2434
Owned by Ella Crane
Reserve Champion Division 4 Bred & Owned Heifer
Lemenager Myla M55 ET
Owned by Paige Lemenager
Champion Division 5 Owned Heifer
Lemenager Myla M55 ET
Owned by Paige Lemenager
Champion Division 12 Owned Heifer
HAWK Audrey 7M ET Owned by Nolan Lee
Division 1 Champion and Bred & Owned Steer GMC Tommy 18M
by Kaylie Shelton
Division 2 Reserve Champion Bred & Owned Bull
L2 MKL LCC 7437 Gentry 2471
by Tuck & Nash Lowderman
THANK YOU to the everyone who sponsored meals and snacks throughout the week, as well as helped serve. This was greatly appreciated!
