Your Support Was Humbling

We would like to thank each and every individual who helped make our 43rd Annual Bull Sale a resounding success. We appreciate the loyalty of our many repeat customers and would like to welcome several new buyers into our camp. We look forward to watching the positive impact our genetics will make on the industry when in the capable hands of our friends and customers.

“At the end of the day, the Limousin Association is going to grow because they have got these exhibitors that end up staying in agriculture and have 20 cows that are registered Limousin,” John said.

Sullivan Farms

Today, Sullivan Farms calves approximately 300 head per year concentrating on high-quality individuals of a few select breeds. “We will grow our Limousin program and will sell our best progeny in the years to come,” John said. “We’re looking to grow with our top Limousin donor females and we’re really excited about that.” continued on page 32

Their top donors include Ratliff Howboutit 008H ET, DL Hush Money 502H, MKLN 1105J, CELL Fascination 8231F and WLR Eden 80E (owned by Davis Limousin Ranch).

Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black

S: CELL Envision 7023E

D: WZRK Miss Atomic 5022C

CE: 8 BW: 0.5 WW: 90 YW: 136 MK: 24

CM: 5 SC: 1.40 DC: 17 YG: -0.35 CW: 62

RE: 1.32 MB: 0.07 $MI: 63

Act. BW: 96 • Adj. WW: 767 • Adj. YW: 1,444

Adj. SC: 37.7 • Adj. REA: 16.16 • Adj. IMF: 2.215

Owned with Fillmore Ranches.

Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).

Purebred • Homo Polled • Homo Black

S: CELL History Buff 0245H

D: WZRK Black Widow 4038B

CE: 8 BW: 2.4 WW: 81 YW: 128 MK: 22

CM: 2 SC: 1.05 DC: 18 YG: -0.42 CW: 52 RE: 1.29 MB: 0.14 $MI: 63

Act. BW: 89 • Adj. WW: 711 • Adj. YW: 1,356

Adj. SC: 39.5 • Adj. REA: 15.70 • Adj. IMF: 2.650

Owned with Bullis Creek Ranch. Contact owners for semen availability.

Wzrk Kalua 0033k

Purebred • Homo Polled • Red

S: Wulfs Gallagher 7056G

D: WZRK 0033H

CE: 15 BW: -1.9 WW: 71 YW: 102 MK: 30

CM: 8 SC: 0.93 DC: 15 YG: -0.30 CW: 46

RE: 0.81 MB: 0.22 $MI: 62

Act. BW: 75 • Adj. WW: 725 • Adj. YW: 1,233

Adj. SC: 38.2 • Adj. REA: 12.96 • Adj. IMF: 2.830 continued from page 31

Owned with Duplaga Limousin.

Semen available through Grassroots Genetics (515.965.1458).

Sullivan Farms wouldn’t be where they are today without the influence of four individuals—John Elder, Josh Elder, Nate Tice and Jess Recknor. “Those four have been instrumental. You’ve got to have good people. We’re very fortunate,” John said. “I don’t believe we could find any better crew than what we have, they’ve been so solid.”

“They’re our family,” Dede remarked.

Sullivan Supply Scholarship Program

The Sullivans are passionate about giving back to the industry that built them. John and Dede are visionaries who bring to life some of the livestock show industry’s top programs for junior exhibitors and beyond.

The scholarship program began in 2009 and has awarded more than $300,000 since its inception.

“We knew we wanted to do something to give back and we had some great help along the way to get the program started,” Dede said. “The first year we had so many applications from kids all over the country. We have close to 1,500 applicants across 48 states and Canada.”

Stock Show University

In 2010, Stock Show University was founded as a complimentary youth education program with more than $350,000 contributed annually. The program travels to more than 300 shows each year educating the livestock industry’s youth with top individuals that have a rich history in the industry.

The Pulse

The Pulse is an online daily news source complimentary to the industry that began in 2014.

“The original idea behind it was that we wanted to be a place the seedstock industry gets on every day that’s similar to reading the newspaper,” John said. “It’s incredible how many people are on it. There are days where there are 150,000 people on it and it averages close to 40,000 people each day.”

Growing Together

There have been many influential individuals supporting John and Dede. Early on, Ed Hughes and Gene Lively were mentors for John.

“Randy Ratliff is a lifelong friend and has been there since the very beginning. We’ve had a great relationship over the years and he loves the Limousin breed. He inspired us and he introduced us to a lot of individuals in the breed and we’re still great friends to this day,” John said.

When asked about the key to success, John immediately points to Dede. “The most important thing is you have to have a good spouse and partner above all else,” John said. “Perseverance and vision is also what it takes. You have to be creative with products and provide good old-fashioned customer service. On the cattle side of things, you have to be able to see how they’re going to develop and you have to be honest with your livestock to be a good cattle breeder. Be your harshest critic,” John explained.

“Somehow we made it work,” Dede said. “We never worked in the same part of the business, we always had our own departments. I don’t know anyone else smarter than John in business, he’s got a brain for it and he can see the big picture. He’s great with employees,” Dede remarked.

“At the end of the day I love the cattle and Dede loves the people and the industry,” John said. “We wouldn’t be half the size we are today without Dede’s involvement in the business and that’s the truth,” John said.

John Sullivan’s famous motto of “progressive, aggressive and family oriented,” has morphed Sullivan Supply and Sullivan Farms into the top-notch programs they are today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sarah Anne Johnson raises registered Limousin & Lim-Flex cattle with her family and Coulton West in Ohio. She is a sixth-generation beef cattle producer, works as a District Sales Manager for Syngenta and is the Northern Region Sales Representative for Limousin365. She has also exhibited Limousin cattle on the state and national levels since the age of four and she served as a NALJA Board Member during her junior show career. Connect with her at 614-266-2646 or sarah@limousin365.com.