The E-Drover

International Texas Longhorn Association Newsletter

Larry Lonero, New President of ITLA

I thought this headline might get your attention.

Recently, we have seen efforts at industry "cooperation" with varying degrees of success by the three prominent associations. The ITLA and the TLMA have emerged as trailblazers in forging a path of cooperation in our industry. And this new level of cooperation has created tangible benefits to Texas Longhorn breeders. But it's not cooperation alone that has given Texas Longhorn breeders these improvements. You see, the ITLA has taken the approach that we must run our breed association like a business, specifically, a customer service business in a competitive marketplace. As a small business owner myself, my success depends upon providing outstanding customer service every day. If we don't deliver that, my customers flee to our competitors and my business suffers. And my cows don't eat!

The Texas Longhorn industry is much the same. One doesn't have to look too many years back to see the devastating effects of what I am talking about. In the past, breed associations have been run like a good ol' boys club. Political infighting was rampant, an atmosphere existed where not all breeders were welcome, favoritism was on blatant display and squandering of funds was the general rule. Membership fees were high. Registration and transfer fees were high. $500 to register a cow over two years old?!?  Turn around times on services performed was slow. And many times the answer to the question was "No!" instead of "We'll find a solution to that question."

 Well guess what? We had "industry consolidation" back then. Remember the good old days? However, with only one association in existence there was no marketplace pressure to force the association to be run like a business. By running an association in that manner a general lack of vision for the purpose of the association existed. It was the individual breeders that suffered. And this is why I say that consolidation by itself is NOT the answer.

You see, in addition to industry "consolidation" we need our associations to be run like customer service businesses if we are to insure that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. The ITLA has embraced these values. At the heart of it our association is a customer service business. We must provide value to our customers. I am proud to point out that the ITLA has been on the leading edge of this movement in our industry. While our mission is to promote Texas Longhorn cattle and support Texas Longhorn breeders, we approach it like a competitive business. We feel that we must earn your business and your trust. The success of our breed depends upon it!

And this unique approach has borne tangible success. Proof of this accomplishment can be seen if you look at where we are today and the path we have taken to get here. Thanks to the cooperative initiative between the TLMA and the ITLA we are in the middle of a three-month period where registrations and transfers are free! (Don't miss this opportunity!) Jointly, we have just completed one of the largest and most successful events in the history of our breed with the Texas Longhorn Extravaganza in Oklahoma City. These are just a few examples that have provided tangible, meaningful benefit to ALL Texas Longhorn breeders.

Additionally, over the past several years the ITLA has substantially lowered the cost of registrations and transfers. We have offered Lifetime Memberships for as low as $100. We instituted the fast turn around time on registrations. We have rolled out the industry's simplest to use on line registration program, iRegister. Our office staff was just awarded an industry Customer Service Award.

We are constantly leaning forward looking for ways to improve and to innovate. We will continue to work to earn your business. We will continue to find ways to work cooperatively with the rest of the industry. If you are not a member of the ITLA, I invite you to give us a call. Chat with us. I think you'll see the value in what we are doing.

While many feel that consolidation is important to the future of our breed I feel that a little competition has served our industry well. If we recognize this concept the future of the Texas Longhorn breed can be very bright...

Regards,

Larry Lonero

President ITLA

Jim & Jodi Small  765-793-0266   longhorncattle.tripod.com   hdwe@hotmail.com 

 FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF MEASUREMENT COMPETITION RESULTS, CLICK HERE

      "The TLMA and ITLA have created a great event with the Longhorn Extravaganza and the Oklahoma City venue. This is truly an event that every Longhorn breeder, from novice to experienced, can find value in. There is truly something for everyone. We bring the whole family and have great fun!"

- Art Oppermann

For those who were unable to attend, look for complete coverage of the 2013 Longhorn Extravaganza in the November issue of the Texas Longhorn Journal.  

And go ahead and make your plans for next year's Longhorn Extravaganza on October 17-18, 2014! 

Sale Results:

Sale Average: Cows and Heifers- $2,921

67 Lots Sold

2 Scratches and 3 POs.

High Selling Lots:

NN Sarita - $20,000 - Sold by Art and Gynell Oppermann to Kim and Mike MacLeod

JBM Terrific Agave - $12,500 - Sold by Frank and Michelle Hevrdejs to Terry and Sherri Adcock

Eva- $10,000 - Sold by Hoosier Longhorns to Trey Whichard 

BS Gorgeous Maker - $7,300 - Sold by Kim and Mike MacLeod to John Kever

Hunts HRRC Rose Red - $6,500 - Sold by Randy and Jamie Briscoe to Bill Hudson

Volume Buyers:

 Kim and Mike MacLeod - (1) Lot $20,000

 Terry and Sherri Adcock - (3) Lots $19,300

Trey Whichard - (2) Lots $12,000

Devin Graves - (6) Lots $10,700

Ben and Ann Gravett - (4) Lots - $10,300

For more information about the Longhorn Extravaganza and other TLMA events go to the TLMA website:  

Submitted by Justin Johnson 

Click here to see the list of Events coming up this year! 

Don't see your ITLA event listed? 

Just drop us an email with all the details!  Staff@itla.com

Thank You!

CHARLES GOODNIGHT AWARD RECIPIENT

Roger Hutton 

Outgoing ITLA Pres. Roger Hutton of Argyle, Texas,

received the Charles Goodnight Award during the Longhorn Extravaganza Awards banquet.

From left are in-coming ITLA President Larry Lonero, Darol Dickinson (past Goodnight Award winner), Roger and his wife Carol, and Stan Searle (another past Goodnight Award winner). 

Presented by ITLA President Larry Lonero.

Ohio River Valley Holds Field Day and Honors Unsung Heroes

Saturday September 14th may have been just another day to most people, but for Ohio River Valley Texas Longhorn Association it was the day for our annual field day and a day to honor the 2013 Unsung Hero.

This year's Field day was being hosted by John and Martha Sherer at SHERerWOOD Farm, Mansfield, Ohio. Today's guests were going to get to visit a model cow/calf operation whose primary marketing is Longhorn freezer beef.  John and Martha have been married for 50 years this year. They purchased this farm in the late 1980's and turned it into the Longhorn cattle operation it is today.

Some of the set up that could have been done on Friday was delayed until Saturday morning because a cold front passing through the area on Friday had brought wind and rain with it. By Saturday morning the front had passed, the sun was up the air was cool and fresh. I had let John and Martha know I would be there around 9:30 a.m. to help set up. Oh, I had to stop by Walmart and purchase the home made potato salad I promised to bring.

First thing, put up the tent. The instructions say 2 people, 45 minutes and you've got a tent. They did not say you have to untangle rope from its last use or pull and move the stakes when you hit a rock. 45 minutes?!

Then, set up tables for meal and chairs, too, and tables for the food.

Next, hang up welcome banner. Not only were there people from Ohio River Valley, there were guests from 4 other cattle associations, 2 guest speakers and a State Representative.

Last thing, before the start at 12:00 noon, set up some cattle panels for the one man cattle handling demonstration. All done, John checks his watch, time is 11:55a, just enough time to change cloths and get started.

After a meal of Longhorn barbecue and all of the rest of the pot luck goodies, John and Martha were introduced as the 2013 Ohio River Valley's Unsung Heroes, in honor of all the hard work the two of them have done over the years. They have not only supported the association, but have worked tirelessly to promote the Texas Longhorn Cattle breed.

Next, our guest speakers, Jeff McCutcheon and Jason Ruhl took us on a pasture tour, Jeff shared with us topic's on pasture management and held a very good question and answer time with those present. 

Then, John started the farm tour. SHERer Wood practices include all cattle being in a rotational grazing practice, cattle groups being moved every seven days to a new pasture from April 1st thru October 31st, and a tour of the manure composting facility. We were shown how the two different one person cattle handling facilities worked.  We also were shown the winter feed lots and handling areas worked.

Speaker Jason Ruhl shared how SHERer Wood had implemented programs available thru the state's Department of Agriculture, and how natural and artificial wind breaks were being used to reduce housing cost.

This had been a WOW day!  Everybody pitched in to tear down, clean up, and return SHERer Wood back to the way it looked that morning when the sun came up.

Thanks, John and Martha for such a great day!

Submitted by Tim Mills, President, Ohio River Valley Texas Longhorn Assoc.   Additional pictures from the day, below.

Image courtesy of LeerPhotography.com

Young Farmer Goes the Distance for His Longhorns

By Nicole Herman Reporter Lancaster Farming

Talk about grabbing life by the horns. Remington King, a freshman at Ohio State University, has already made a name for himself, primarily with his beloved 50-head herd of Texas Longhorn cattle. Thanks to them, as well as to his ambition to educate others about the breed, he's won numerous awards and recognitions, started the Longhorn show at the York Fair in southeastern Pennsylvania as his senior project, and holds the pride of being a fourth-generation farmer.

Freshly graduated in June from Bermudian Springs High School, York Springs, Pa., King already misses his friends that he made during his years with his FFA chapter. His junior year, he was an officer and also the student council representative. When he became a senior, he stepped up to be president.

One of the many rewards he received during his time at high school was the chance to compete at the Pennsylvania FFA Convention, June 11-13, at Penn State. He came away with a beef placement proficiency award, a plaque and $250. To prepare for the competition, King, as herd manager at his family-owned organic farm - Latimore Valley Farms - had to keep track of breeding and herd records. As for any teenager, balancing school work, home work, farm work and a dream is mighty hard.

"There is always something to do," King said recently. "It gets harder to find time. I would try to write down (the data) everyday, as much as I could, but there were times where one or two weeks would go past and I had to rush to record the information."

With his win comes the opportunity to represent Pennsylvania in the beef placement proficiency category at the National FFA Convention this fall, Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, in Louisville, Ky. For King, the drive to Kentucky will start in Ohio before meeting up with five to six other Bermudian Springs High School FFA members to head south. It sounds like a taxing trip, but King is excited that there will be time to catch up with the Bermudian friends he left behind.

Once at the convention, King will be stuck in a waiting game as his records are judged for organization and completeness.

"I don't really have much to do," he said. "(I'll) hope and pray it goes well."

King said that FFA has provided him with many opportunities, including helping start his college career.

"(FFA is) a chance to meet new people," King said. "If interested in agriculture, there is an event for it - for money, for experience - a little bit of everything for everyone. Since I am getting out of it, I want to see my brother (Quinton, a sophomore at Bermudian Springs High School) at the convention, and I hope to see if they're putting on something better for the future generation."

Always thinking about the future implications of his actions and the future of his farm, King is attending Ohio State University for engineering. He received a full-ride scholarship to attend, with his tuition for the next four years being paid as well as 75 percent of his room and board.

Asked about his choice to pursue engineering, King said it was a thought-out process. During his senior year in high school, his FFA chapter visited Krone Equipment - a company that sells hay and forage equipment - to learn more about the machines, network with industry leaders and check out the new products.

"That was when I was deciding what to do," King said. "I was always big into the equipment - tractors and such - hopefully I'll specialize in equipment, maybe get a job with (Krone) in the future."

His family, an important part of King's life, also had a say in what course of action he took when it came to college.

"My mother said I'd better go to school for something other than farming. If something happened to the farm, it'd be better to have different skills."

With plans to one day takeover the family farm, King is in a good position to do so. He remembers when his father, Roger King, set up their farm, Latimore Valley Farms Inc., in 2000, as an organic operation.

Remington King, pictured here with Field Marshal, a high point winner in the country in 2011.    Image courtesy of LeerPhotography.com

"It was just becoming a popular thing, to be organic," Remington King recalled. "We were at the head front and wanted to get ahead of it - be one of the first to do it. It made sense." Not only that, but his sister, Samantha, 19, had asthma and found it hard to breathe around pesticides. The switch to organic seemed to be the best solution.

Since that time, Latimore Valley Farms has become quite a production. They sell "a little bit of everything," he said.

Roger King grows the apples that are made into apple juice and applesauce; the farm's varieties of vegetables are sold from Maine clear down to Florida; and grain and soybeans take root in the farm's soil as well. In total, the Kings own about 500 acres.

Farming has been in Remington King's blood for generations. His grandfathers on both sides of his family own 100 acres each that they've farmed, and his mother, Jodi King, farmed for some time.

The Longhorn cattle that King manages is one of the many things he misses while away at college. He quickly dismisses the idea that Longhorns have a temper, calling the idea a long-held "myth."

"I rarely have a problem with them being mean," he said. "We spend a lot of time with the calves, so that helps.

"I love the Longhorns and their colors. You never know what you're going to get."

He doesn't like to play favorites, but his first bull, named Dbl Trouble, is attached to him "a bit," as he puts it. The dark brown-and-white Longhorn was national high point bull winner in 2011. His pet steer, Field Marshal, has been to 25 shows across the country with King and is an elite Longhorn - meaning he has 200 points, the highest point level possible.

He hopes to make the most of his college career, but getting back to the farm is his highest priority.

"(College) is not something you want," he said. "If I had a choice ..." he paused, "I wouldn't go." He mentions, however, that his future depends on the next four years. "The faster I get this over with, the faster I can get back to the farm."