C O N TI N U I N G
THE LEGACY
A NEW CHAPTER Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. – ALBERT EINSTEIN One of the great stories in the history of the seedstock business began modestly with literal blood, sweat and tears combined with tremendous fortitude, a keen eye for livestock, vision for the future and an understanding of the market few ever really appreciate. When you look at purebred operations around the world, some are multi-generation family ranches, some are individuals with great success in other businesses and a deep passion for agriculture, but very few are first-generation, self-sustaining operations that span more than three decades while raising great kids, growing great cattle, and providing intrinsic leadership to other breeders across the spectrum of breeds and topics through hard work and real-world ranching experience. Vern Suhn’s story began in South Dakota as a kid growing up on one of the largest and most progressive ranching operations in the 1960’s that was a leader in artificial insemination worldwide. Vern was an expert heat detector by age 12 and quickly learned the importance of managing cattle, grass, and people over the vast acreage that encompassed the historic 10,000 head ranching outfit his father managed at the Hyland Angus Ranch near Highmore, SD. Quickly developing an eye for evaluation through the resulting offspring of the large AI projects at Hyland, Vern was exposed to a number of the new European breeds’ first introduction to the U.S before heading off to college at South Dakota State University. Following college, Vern and his new bride, Vicki, managed large Angus operations in California and Nebraska until 1980, when a phone call from Brangus breeder Glenn Brinkman changed their path. The 1980’s saw Vern’s eye and Glenn and Lloyd Brinkman’s vision lead the Brinks Brangus program, and in turn the Brangus breed, into unparalleled times of
success with record setting sales and worldwide relevance as the leader of the Brangus breed, with an iconic name that would carry far into the future. The beginning of the most impressive story, however, shifted in 1990, a time in which Vern and Vicki Suhn stepped out on their own with 15 cows to begin what is known today worldwide as Suhn Cattle Company.
Vern’s early business model was ahead of his time in the early 90’s as he set out to develop a highly successful cooperator program, allowing smaller breeders to pool their genetics. Initially selling private treaty, the first auction was held in 1993 on the fourth Tuesday in March. As with many startups in any business, the first ten years were lean, but the world began to take notice when bulls like Alydar and Affirmed hit the scene in 2004 and Next Step in 2006. From there, the Suhn program began to compound its momentum and rolled into the next decade with a head of steam, recognized domestically and worldwide as the leader in Brangus genetics, supplying herd sires and females to leading programs globally. Cow families like 30’s, 53’s, 331’s, 416’s, 894’s, 918’s and 919’s gained their stature from the breeding program at Suhn’s. A true champion for the breed, Vern raised the visibility of the Brangus breed throughout the country and world with his tremendous genetic base, but also through his visionary leadership – helping to promote and bring to reality the Ultrablack breeding program to IBBA, as well as the formation of a next generation alliance named GENETRUST in 2009, and the refined version in GENEPLUS in 2020.
As the saying goes, behind every great man is a great woman, and undoubtedly Vicki has been a driving force behind the success of the Suhn name. Early on, while at Brinks, she showcased her skills as one of the leading livestock photographers in the business and to this day is still recognized for her immense talent behind a camera, as good a pure photographer as there is in the business. Always willing to step in to lend a hand around the ranch, she’s spent countless hours on night checks with calving heifers, sorting cattle, chopping ice, maintaining all the registration records and filling in where needed when Vern was on the road. Her dedication to the program and the drive to promote and propel the breed is unmatched and without question a large part in the accomplishments of Suhn Cattle Company. Today, Vern Suhn is a recognized and respected name across circles in the cattle business world-wide. His reputation proceeds him for the tremendous cow herd he built in the Flint Hills of Kansas but moreover for his foundation on integrity and honesty, his firm handshake, and straight forward communication. He
didn’t set out for personal recognition; he set out to breed consistent cattle that fit the greater beef industry as a whole and the needs of the customer - and in that, he found great success. The wide-spanning repeat customer base Vern cultivated over the last three+ decades, not only spans many friendships, it also spans various regions of the country, many of which traditional breeders would say were not previously Brangus country.
However, Vern’s Brangus are not traditional, they’ve been carefully selected phenotypically, genetically, and numerically to fit the box the greater industry desires, not just that of years past. Vern broke the mold on what a Brangus “could” look like, and the good Lord broke the mold when he made a cattleman like Vern.
S U H N C AT T L E C O M PA N Y
A LEGACY OF SUCCESS The influence the Suhn program has had around the world is nearly unmatched over the last two decades and built on the backs of these elite donor females and AI sires. SUHN’S MISS CADENCE 894H
SUHN’S MISS KO 919K3
SUHN’S MISS CADENCE 331L2
SUHN’S MS CADENCE 331M3
SUHN’S MISS BT 331S43
SUHN’S MISS LTD 416X9
SUHN’S MISS PATTON 30X5
SUHN’S MISS PATTON 30X6
SCC MS MYTTY 30Z3
SCC MISS MYTTY 30Z5
SUHN’S MISS FOUNDATION 30D3
SUHN’S MISS TRADITION 30F18
SUHN’S ALYDAR 416N3
SUHN’S AFFIRMED 416N4
SUHN’S NEXT STEP 331R7
SUHN’S FOUNDATION 331Z28
SUHN’S TRAIL BOSS 30B3
SUHN’S MAJESTIK BEACON 30C
SUHN’S BUSINESS LINE 30D26
SUHN’S EPIC 331D16
SUHN’S TTT LM SIGNAL 30E13
SUHN’S SYNERGY 416E23
SUHN’S SPECTRUM 53J2
SUHN’S OCTANE 53J9
A UNITED PLAN TIME BRINGS CHANGE AND CHANGE BRINGS OPPORTUNITY.
Blessed to have been able to live and grow the ranching operation as they have, the Suhn’s have an opportunity to enter the next chapter of their life, enjoying their grandsons and much deserved time away from the day-to-day hustle of the cow/calf and seedstock business. It is with bittersweet emotion, Vern and Vicki Suhn announce the sale of their entire registered Brangus and Ultrablack herd to GENEPLUS partner Bill and Gail Davis of Chimney Rock Cattle Co, Concord, AR. As part of the acquisition
GENEPLUS partner Randy and Karen Schmidt of Schmidt Farms, Simms, TX will acquire the fall calving two-year olds. Through this transition, Vern will continue to play a vital role within the GENEPLUS organization, while continuing to assist in the genetic development of the storied Suhn herd as well as the other GENEPLUS partners. GENEPLUS will continue to maintain the Suhn sale date on the 4th Tuesday of March, relocating the sale to the beautiful Chimney Rock Cattle Company in Concord, AR.
FORWARD. TOGETHER. An immense amount of prayer, evaluation and emotion went into our decision to sell our Brangus and Ultrablack cowherd; however, that decision became easier when the opportunity arose for Bill and Gail Davis and Randy and Karen Schmidt to purchase the entire herd and keep it under the GENEPLUS umbrella. Our heartfelt thanks goes to the Davis’s and Schmidt’s, the entire GENEPLUS team, and our dedicated customers that have been an integral part of our success every step of the way. A special thanks to our children, Jared and Jessica, and son-inlaw, Nathan, who have supported us in the success and promotion of our program. We are excited for the future and the role this cowherd will still play in this great breed of cattle. We are beyond grateful to be able to continue what we have built under the GENEPLUS flag and look forwared to seeing you all at the upcoming sales.
We could not be more excited to acquire the entire Suhn herd. The job Vern and Vicki did in building, what we believe is the best set of Brangus and Ultrablack females in the world, is unparalleled. What they built is emblematic of the American Agricultural dream and shows evidence of what hard work, dedication, focus, perseverance, and faith can accomplish. Vern’s commitment to quality, consistency and real-world application is a lesson all seedstock producers should follow and certainly a foundation that we will continue to build upon. In addition, we want to thank Vern and Vicki for the opportunity to purchase this genetic asset in its entirety, and we are happy to have shared the fall calving two-year old females with our dear friend and partner Randy Schmidt, as we know it was equally as important to him to be able to acquire a portion of the legacy that Vern and Vicki built. We look forward to retaining Vern’s vast knowledge and guidance as he continues to be an integral part of GENEPLUS, assisting us at Chimney Rock in mating and breeding decisions as well as customer relations.
The role Vern Suhn has played in the development of the Brangus and Ultrablack breeds as we know it is unmatched. His mentorship to me personally exceeds that of any relationship I have had in the cattle business, bar none. He’s a true cattleman in every respect and his ability to relate to people from all walks of life has always amazed me. His years of service to the IBBA are a testament to the heart he has for the breed and his fellow breeders - always willing to serve and offer advice to help advance the greater good. We are ecstatic to have acquired the fall calving two-year olds from the Suhn herd. We do not take lightly the opportunity nor the potential that lies within the genetic base and feel honored to carry on the torch Vern lit for the Brangus breed and GENEPLUS and are looking forward to building upon it with Vern continuing at our side, helping us along the way.
-Vern Suhn
-Bill Davis
-Randy Schmidt
Jack Moore, known as TJM by prefix in the Brangus breed, is one that has been synonymous with quality for decades in the Brangus business. Originally located in Texas in the early years, Jack found a common bond with fellow breeder Vern Suhn, and began a partnership with him in the 1990’s that would span nearly three decades, bringing the TJM brand international name recognition. With herds located in Texas and Eureka, KS for many years, the development forged by Jack, under Vern’s tutelage, built an elite base of females stacked with the breed’s leading donor dams and AI sires. Following a drought in the early 2000’s in Texas, the decision was made to move all the females to Eureka, placing the elite nucleus in one location for the first time, and great things followed. One of the first arriving on the scene from Jack Moore was TJM John Wayne 44L, a performance sire who moved the needle for years. Following him was a bull that would become one of the most used calving ease sires of the 2010’s worldwide in TJM Coronado 535X. A bull before his time, he brought true calving ease to the breed at an opportune time, leaving a tremendous set of daughters in production for years to come.
Three years later, the scenery changed even more, as TJM Three D 302A hit the ground in Eureka, selling a year later, in 2014 for $40,000 as a sire that would completely change the landscape of the Brangus breed as we know it, domestically and internationally. With nearly 2,500 progeny registered, Three D’s influence was far and wide as an outcross sire at the time that added tremendous body, bone and breed character in a moderate birthweight, high performing package. Sons such as Beacon, Signal and Synergy have gone on to continue to carry the legacy, but no sire in the past two decades can claim dollars of revenue, genetic influence, or breed impacting transformation that Three D has had.
GENEPLUS
With timing hand-in-hand with the Suhn family, Jack Moore has decided now is the time to take the next transition in the Brangus breed after decades of highly successful production, and is happy to announce the dispersal of his herd in its entirety to GENEPLUS partner Nic and Chasity Cornelison of Lake Majestik Farms, Flat Rock, AL.
GENEPLUS
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LM
We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to acquire the elite genetics within the TJM herd that Jack and Vern have spent decades crafting. The uniqueness of the genetic base and the depth of quality is tremendous, as Jack has always had a taste for the best cattle in the world, in turn producing the best of the best, including the iconic Three D, who has had such an impact on our herd. Cow families like the 59’s, 302’s, 535’s, and more recently the 102’s, 1178’s, and 2051’s bring recognizable and proven pedigrees to Flat Rock with tremendous potential in store. We look forward to continuing to work with Vern on the development of the TJM herd, as well as all our Lake Majestik females in Flat Rock. We could not be more excited for the years in front of us and are thrilled to have Vern by our side as we carry the torch of Brangus and Ultrablack throughout the country and world.
-Nic Cornelison I had always told Vern that when he was ready to slow down that he needed to include me. I am excited to see my herd, in its entirety, going to Nic Cornelison, Lake Majestik Farms, and will be anxious to watch the progress they make with them in the future. I have a high regard for the Brangus breed and have greatly enjoyed the friendships I have made over the past 30 plus years.
-Jack Moore
TJM JOHN WAYNE 44L
TJM THREE D 302A
TJM CORONADO 535X
TJM MAIN EVENT 59C10
TJM THREE D 59C6
TJM MATERNAL POWER 302H
UNITED THE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
What an exciting time it is for us at GENEPLUS as you have read in the previous pages. So many thoughts and emotions encompass this giant transition, but one thread remains constant: the purebred cattle business is a people business first, and people like Vern and Vicki Suhn and Jack Moore have raised the integrity of the business to a level that is unmatched. Their years of dedication, focus, commitment, and genuine love for the breed have driven them to the literal pinnacle of the purebred business and they are to be commended for their accomplishments as well as this monumental decision. While not an easy transition to make when one has been as deeply involved in the business as they have, it was highly important that they made this transition on their terms and I have a deep and everlasting respect for that. On a personal note, I want to thank Vern for the tremendous mentorship and opportunity he has provided me over the past 16 years. As he and I have joked many times, he first hired me as a consultant on his sale in 2006 at the ripe old age of 22 and I was undoubtedly the most overpaid man in the cattle business that year! However, 2006 started a relationship and genuine friendship that has spanned thousands of miles together, thousands of cattle sorted and evaluated together, and hours on the phone neither of us can count, providing me an opportunity and education that is literally priceless. While just garnering the tip of the infinite knowledge he has, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experiences and wealth of knowledge he has shared with me and am eternally grateful for our friendship and look forward to continuing to work together in this next chapter.
At GENEPLUS, we are grateful looking at the past but are also extremely excited looking to the future! When this opportunity presented itself in its entirety, Bill Davis didn’t blink twice and said “I’m in!”. The team he has put together at Chimney Rock with Derrick Miller, Justin Normand and crew have taken that program to the next level and will undoubtedly carry on the torch of the Suhn name. From there, Randy Schmidt certainly wanted a piece of the Suhn legacy, and the headcount and genetic base of the fall calving two-year olds was a perfect fit, so he purchased those through the transaction. The job Randy and his manager, Garrett Hinds, are doing in Simms, TX is phenomenal (if you haven’t been by lately I would encourage you to do so!) and I am certain the potential in the fall calving two-year olds they acquired will be realized. The uniqueness of the elite TJM herd was a good fit genetically for Nic Cornelison and crew on their expansive fescue based operation and Nic jumped at the opportunity to capture them to add to his storied program. So when it was all over, the entire nucleus of the Suhn and TJM herds built in Eureka, Kansas stayed within the partners of GENEPLUS. Equally as exciting in this transition is the fact that Vern is staying on with GENEPLUS to continue to help mate and market these cattle for the foreseeable future. His knowledge is undoubtedly unmatched in the breed, and to be able to utilize him in this manner is invaluable. This transition will also allow Vern to take a larger role for GENEPLUS in customer relations. This opportunity is exciting for him and for us, so expect to see Vern out and about more than ever!
So what’s next for GENEPLUS? The genetics will remain on the same trajectory as always, continuing to improve generation by generation, doing our level best to breed the most industry accepted Brangus and Ultrablack cattle out there. It is no coincidence through Vern’s leadership that GENEPLUS sells cattle to more states in the nation than any other Brangus breeder in America and we will continue to produce cattle to expand that footprint. As for our sales, the annual Chimney Rock sale the first weekend in November will be business as usual, same dates, same headcounts, same great quality and hospitality! The spring sale date, traditionally hosted at Suhn Cattle Company in Eureka, KS, will be maintained on the same 4th Tuesday in March as it has been for three decades, but moving forward will be relocated to the Davis’ first-class facility at Chimney Rock in Concord, AR. Again, expect the same great quality and hospitality with an expanded offering of coming two-year old bulls moving forward as well as the development of an expanded commercial female
offering in March. So, other than putting in a new destination on your GPS for the March sale day, it is business as usual. We are excited and grateful for the opportunities ahead and hope you join us on this journey. Change can be a little intimidating once in a while, but it also provides rare and unique opportunities. The parties involved certainly appreciate the magnitude of this momentous occasion. Be sure to congratulate Vern and Vicki Suhn and Jack Moore on this tremendous accomplishment. They’ve spent a lifetime building this legacy, and you can rest assured that at GENEPLUS, we intend to carry it on.
Sincerely,
-Cody Gariss GENEPLUS PRESIDENT
A
S T E P
A H E AD
THE ADVANTAGE YOU CAN TRUST
2022 NOVEMBER 4-5
Chimney Rock Cattle Company Concord, AR 100 Registered Brangus Females 150 Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls 350 Commercial Females
Cody Gariss • (417) 425-0368 cody@geneplusbrangus.com
2023 MARCH 28
Chimney Rock Cattle Company Concord, AR 160 Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls 200 Commercial Females
GENEPLUS
Vernon Suhn • (620) 583-3706 vern@geneplusbrangus.com
LEARN MORE AT GENEPLUSBRANGUS.COM
160 Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls 200 Commercial Females
Chimney Rock Cattle Company Concord, AR
2023 MARCH 28
100 Registered Brangus Females 150 Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls 350 Commercial Females
Chimney Rock Cattle Company Concord, AR
NOVEMBER 4-5
2022
GENEPLUS
GENEPLUS
GENEPLUSBRANGUS.COM
Post Office Box 425 Lamar, MO 64759
GENEPLUS