1. NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Shannon Bellis
TheCattleMarket.net
Shannon@thecattlemarket.net
(660) 492-0287
True Grit Western Spirit: Global Hereford Breeders Experience the Lone Star State
The 2015 ‘Hereford – Champion of the World’ Week is hosted in Fort Worth, Texas.
By Shannon Bellis for TheCattleMarket.net
He stood there solemnly staring off into the distance. A lone cowboy, adorned with dusty boots
and spurs, and his trusted old beat up cowboy hat, ready for the day. His name wasn’t known
throughout the land, but he knew the land throughout. It was the legacy he strived for, not the
paycheck.
A legacy worth leaving.
“There is a reason Fort Worth, Texas, is known as ‘Cowtown,’” said Robert Wilson, of
Scotland.
And so our adventure of Cattle and Culture began.
Eight Hereford cattle breeders from around the world traveled to the Lone Star State Jan.
31 to Feb. 7 to compete in the ‘Hereford – Champion of the World’ (COW) and ‘Hereford –
Miss World’ competition held in conjunction with the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. From
watching the judge award the Grand Champion Hereford at the US National Show to personal
Hereford herd tours throughout the western frontier, competitors received a true ‘taste of Texas’
throughout the week.
Champion of the World
2014 Champions revealed
Feb. 1, 2015: The day marking the ‘Hereford – Champion of the World’ and ‘Hereford –
Miss World’ award ceremony.
With an eager crowd gathered around the arena, each contestant stood anxiously awaiting
the reveal of the 2014 World titles. After an introduction of each animal and breeder, announcer
Rob Schacher called the names of top bull and female winners. Since live animals could not be
easily transported from four continents to the Stock Show, cardboard cutouts represented each
winning animal. Prize money totaling $28,000 USD was awarded to contestants- $3000 USD for
regional winners, $5000 USD for international champions.

2. Fernando Alfonso, from Cabaña Las Anitas of Montevideo, Uruguay, unanimously
claimed 2014 ‘Hereford – Champion of the World’ with his bull Kamikaze. Winning the 2014
Expo Prado spring-boarded Kamikaze into the South American regional championship,
inevitably securing his place among top bulls worldwide for the competition.
“[It was exciting] when they announced that our bull was the first in the world, and that it
was a unanimous call,” said Alfonso. “That’s a real honor for us, and it pushes us forward.”
Immediately after being named World Champion, Fernando was swarmed with
Uruguayan media outlets. “It [is huge] news to the main newspapers and TV shows that Uruguay
had the best Hereford bull this year,” said Alfonso. “[Winning will be] a marketing tool to
promote our whole operation worldwide.”
Cayley Brown of Perry, Saskatchewan, Canada, captured her second ‘Miss World’ title in
three years with her female CB 122L Lady B 222Z. Lady B first won the Canadian Western
Agribition before being selected as the North American regional champion female.
“It’s really an honor to win Miss World with how the show is run,” Brown said. “It’s an
honor that such a broad spectrum of different views and ways of looking at cattle can appreciate
what I have. It really helps for marketing.”
Regional winners were:
Females:
• Tranqueras X4564 Lady Revoltosa, exhibited by Las Tranqueras, Argentina, and
represented by Carlos Ojea Rullan
• Kanimbla Centrefold G58, exhibited by Kanimbla Poll Herefords, Australia, and
represented by Mark Baker
• Panmure 1 Blessing G6, exhibited by Panmure Herefords, Scotland, and represented by
Robert Wilson
• CB 122 L Lady B 222Z, exhibited and represented by Cayley Brown, Canada
Bulls
• Kamikaze, exhibited by Las Anitas, Uruguay, and represented by Fernando Alfonso
• Okahu Sonny Bill, exhibited by Otapawa Station Ltd., New Zealand, and represented by
Maria Robbie
• Moeskær Pacman 1417, exhibited by Moeskær Polled Herefords, Denmark, and
represented by David Ross
• ECR Who Maker 210 ET, exhibited by Fawcett’s Elm Creek Ranch, Ree Heights, South
Dakota, United States, and represented by Daniel Fawcett
The Competition

3. Entries from 45 countries competed for the World titles in the competition, which was
hosted by HerefordBreeder.net. Breeders competed in their own national show to qualify for a
regional championship drive, held similar to an on-hoof show common to rural communities.
After champion cattle were selected in the four global regions, the owners qualified to compete
for ‘Champion of the World’ and ‘Miss World’ titles.
Four judges from each region, and online votes from HerefordBreeder.net’s Facebook
members, evaluated top Hereford bulls and Hereford females. Thirty-one countries participated
in judging the qualifying cattle. International champions were a result of the total composite
score.
The idea for the competition was the brainchild of PJ Budler, founder and CEO of
TheCattleMarket.net, and organizer of the HerefordBreeder.net competition. “There were many
countries around the world that were doing exciting things in the Hereford breed,” said Budler.
“I thought, why don’t we bring them all together and create awareness and goodwill, and share
trade opportunities between them.” The goal for the business is to raise the profile of Hereford
breeders and associations around the world, and create a platform where everything is centralized
and everyone is given equal exposure.
Dec. 1-7, 2015 will mark the Fourth Annual COW competition, including Hereford,
Angus, Brangus, Wagyu, Braford and Brahman breeds.
2014 Hereford winners were awarded at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in Fort
Worth, Texas… the oldest running American stock show and rodeo, hosting cattle and cowboys
since 1896.
Impact
“The ‘Champion of the World’ Hereford competition has been very influential in helping
us to develop marketing leads for our genetics,” said David Ross, representing Moeskær Polled
Herefords of Denmark. Ross continued saying that the competition has been a useful tool in
marketing their cattle on an international level.
“There are animals and programs around the world that no one would have known about
if it wasn’t for this initiative,” said Budler.
Breeders noticed increased international traffic to their cattle at national shows and
online.
“In Denver [at the National Western Stock Show], we had quite a bit of international
traffic though our pens, looking at our cattle,” said Daniel Fawcett of Fawcett’s Elm Creek
Ranch, South Dakota. “A lot of is was from the awareness the Champion of the World gave us.
[The competition] opens doors for people, giving them the opportunity to meet people from
different parts of the world.”

4. Fawcett said he believed the competition will increase as more people learn about it,
especially after the ‘Champion of the World’ week in Fort Worth. “I can’t wait. I hope I can get
back in continually in the future just to keep making these contacts,” Fawcett said.
“Our show team is now inside, and it wasn’t when we got here,” said Tom Harrison of
England, in hope of qualifying for the Champion of the World competition in the future.
Maria Robbie of Otapawa Station Ltd., New Zealand, said the delegates had the
opportunity to discuss their programs, genetics, and production practices amongst each other.
“It’s brought people together from around the world who would never see each other. It’s been
invaluable,” Robbie said.
“We’re [excited] to go home and tell people what we’ve seen,” Wilson said.
Fort Worth: Where the West Begins
Delegates experienced true western flair in the Lone Star State throughout their week,
starting at the Stockyards Hotel in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards and culminating with
Hereford Ranch tours depicting the modern American Western frontier.
“I think from an international perspective, when people think about cattle and Herefords,
they think about Texas,” said Budler. “When you think of Texas, you think of the cowboy, the
big ranches, and rangeland.”
Fort Worth is a place “where everyone appreciates what beef producers do and the
product they produce,” said Wilson. Young children even wear their Stetson hats and boots, “It’s
encouraging.”
“I’m really impressed with the western culture,” said Brown. “It’s really cool to see that.
I don’t think we have a place in Canada where there is such a concentrated amount of that
western feel.”
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo
While at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (FWSSR), visitors had the opportunity to
attend the Commercial Hereford Show and Sale, National Hereford and Polled Hereford Show
and Invitational Sale, Hereford Steer Show and Junior Steer Sale, and even received tickets to
the professional rodeo and dinner at the Back-Stage Club, courtesy of FWSSR President, Brad
Barnes. Guests also were treated to social activities hosted by the Texas Hereford and Texas
Polled Hereford Associations.
“This competition was a good complement to our long-standing and very successful
Hereford shows held every year,” said Stefan Marchman, livestock show manager for the
FWSSR, “as well as an outstanding opportunity for new exhibitors from around the World to
attend and compete at our Show.”

5. It is inspiring to see the amount of youngsters working in the barns, Wilson said. There
is a lot of preparation being done for the next generation in the beef industry. In America, “it’s
not a hobby, it’s a business,” Wilson said.
“I have a lot of respect for the American breeders,” said Carlos Ojea Rullan, representing
Las Tranqueras, Argentina. “I feel like you always get something new. The passion, the
professionalism that the American breeders put in the business is really an example for every
breeder in the world.”
The livestock show provided breeders with a visual of potential genetics they could use
on their operations back home. “I’m going to be making some mating decisions based upon the
cattle that I’ve seen here,” said Fawcett. “If not bulls that are actually here—their sires, and how
to use those sires correctly.”
“The cattle are all really high quality,” said Brown. “Now that I’ve seen them in the flesh,
I know that there are a couple bulls that I want to go home and use on my cattle.”
International guests were impressed with the prices of both commercial and purebred
Herefords during the FWSSR sales. “It’s really high,” said Ojea who works with 20 ranches in
Argentina and plans over 300,000 matings per year. “I’m more or less in all the breeds, and I get
real impressed by how the American breeders can receive the prices of the cattle for registered
and commercial. You don’t find that in other countries today.”
TCU Ranch Management
There are many reasons Fort Worth maintains true grit western spirit, one being the
Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management program. Students are selected through a
competitive application process from around the world and are prepared to ecologically and
economically manage a broad range of resources in the global marketplace.
International breeders were impressed with the quality of the program and the
professionalism the student’s exhibited. The passion for production agriculture amongst younger
generations was noted.
“A lot of people around the world could get a lot of mileage from such a fantastic
program,” said Tom Harrison of Northumberland, England.
Visitors participated in an educational question-answer session about their operations and
production practices in their respective countries, fielding questions from approximately 30
students on topics pertaining to ranch management and production.
The opportunity to learn from and interact with beef producers around the world was a
unique experience, said Garren Bellis, student at TCU Ranch Management. “The presentations
definitely broadened our horizons and gave us insight to global beef operations that we would
not have had otherwise.”

6. Each producer shared the challenges they face in production agriculture, and the promise
of what the future may hold for their ranch. They also discussed their desired phenotypic
characteristics and how the environment dictated the appearance of their cattle.
Listening to the other presentations while at TCU made us realize that we’re all doing
things in slightly different ways; however, the fundamentals were essential the same, Wilson
said. “It’s the customers and the loyalty of those customers that is important to all of us.”
Home on the Range- Five Texas Ranches
Visitors traveled 1700 miles covering the Texas terrain, viewing Hereford ranches geared
for both commercial and seedstock production. From east to west, guests received a snapshot of
real production agriculture and saw first-hand the environmental differences of each cattle
operation.
Breeders spent three full days canvasing five distinguished Hereford ranches, including:
Dudley Bros., Comanche; Rocking Chair Ranch, Fort McKavett; Iron Lake Ranch, Athens; GKB
Cattle, Waxahachie; and Glaze Herefords, Gilmer.
Ranchers were gracious hosts, allowing a ‘behind the scenes’ take on their operations.
“It’s been a really good experience,” said Robbie. “It’s been interesting seeing different
ways Herefords are bred, shown and grown. The highlight for me was visiting the farms; it was
seeing real Herefords and real production.”
“I really enjoyed being able to dig into the North American pedigrees and make sense of
what we’re seeing in Australia,” said Mark Baker, Kanimbla Poll Herefords.
Most surprising was the difference of topography. East and West Texas offer two very
different terrains, where ranchers must adapt production practices to suit the livestock and the
environment. Conditions range from lush green pastures to wide-open hardy rangeland, and the
cattle are bred to survive and produce in their respective ecosystems.
“It was interesting to see how the cattle work in different conditions, in east and western
part of Texas,” said Alfonso. “I think it’s challenging for those guys; they’re real professionals.
Their environment is really tough and I think they’re doing a great job raising Hereford cattle in
those conditions.”
“Getting out on the ranches really changed my perception,” said Harrison.
Texas is Texas.
“I don’t know if I’ve had a week that’s gone by so quickly and been so jam packed,”
Baker said, commenting that he was amazed to have seen so much in such a short period of time.

7. Breeders were excited about the vast amount of knowledge they learned during their time
in Texas, and were ready to take the information back to their country and operation.
Implementation of the knowledge; however, will inevitably determine success. “Having
knowledge is like knowing a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit
salad,” Wilson said.
“The amount that I’ve learned since being here has been amazing,” Robbie said. “We’ve
done so much, but it’s just been so awesome. I would do it all again tomorrow.”
Wilson said that he believed many people would begin to do business in the United States
because of the experience. “It’s been an eye opener for new genetics over here and things that
can work at home; we look forward to trying to work with some of the people we’ve met.”
The cowboy theme reigned throughout the week, not by chance or by performance, but
because the veins of Texans run true with the Spirit of the West. As the former United States
Senator of Texas William Blakley once said, “Texas is neither southern nor western. Texas is
Texas.”
The Cattle Market.net LLC works to promote awareness, goodwill and trade worldwide
by creating an equal platform for beef producers to market their cattle, services and genetics to
an international audience. For more information, visit HerefordBreeder.net or contact
info@thecattlemarket.net.
# # #

8. PHOTOS: (Click the link to access photos from Dropbox)
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q6p7jkgt14p85kd/AADj9sG4jExIy0JZlGo8OCDGa?dl=0
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
FWSSR_IMG_9190.JPG
Carlos Ojea Rullan speaks to a group of Texas Christian University Ranch Management students
after his presentation. Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
FWSSR_IMG_9208.JPG
Group at Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management program. From left to right: (back
row) Robert Wilson, Scotland; Daniel Fawcett, South Dakota; Cayley Brown, Canada; Mesut
Çetin, Turkey; Austin Fisk, Canada; (middle row) Tom Harrison, England; Mark Baker,
Australia; Linda Shailer, New Zealand; Fernando Alfonso, Uruguay; David Ross, Denmark;
(front row) Shannon Bellis, Texas; Carlos Ojea Rullan, Argentina; Maria Robbie, New Zealand;
PJ Budler; Texas. Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
FWSSR_IMG_9251.JPG
Mr. Chris Farley, professor at TCU Ranch Management, discusses genetic selection of cattle
with Carlos Ojea Rullan, Argentina. Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
FWSSR_IMG_9341.JPG
Fancy show heifer poses for the crowd during the Invitational Hereford Sale at the Fort Worth
Stock Show and Rodeo. Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Robbie, Maria_IMG 10907324.jpg
Maria Robbie and Linda Shailer, both of New Zealand, at Glaze Herefords, Gilmer, Texas. “The
highlight for me was seeing the farms,” Robbie said. “We’ve seen it all.” Photo courtesy of
Maria Robbie.
TexasHerefordAssociation_IMG 10830524
Cayley Brown, Saskatchewan, Canada, receives ‘Hereford- Miss World’ honors during award
ceremony at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Regional winners pictured are Robert
Wilson, Scotland; Carlos Ojea Rullan, Argentina; Mark Baker, Australia. Texas and National
Hereford and Polled Hereford Queens along with Gary Buchholz, Stefan Marchman and Jordan
Glaze also pictured. Photo courtesy of the Texas Hereford Association.
TexasHerefordAssociation_IMG 10947379.jpg
Fernando Alfonso, Montevideo, Uruguay, is awarded ‘Hereford- Champion of the World’ at Fort
Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. Regional winners pictured are Daniel Fawcett, South Dakota,
US; David Ross, representing Denmark; and Maria Robbie, New Zealand. Texas and National
Hereford and Polled Hereford Queens and Gary Buchholz, Stefan Marchman, and Jordan Glaze
also pictured. Photo courtesy of the Texas Hereford Association.

9. TheCattleMarket_DSC01552.JPG
International guests visit Rocking Chair Ranch, Fort McKavett, Texas, during ranch tours.
Pictured from left to right are (back row) PJ Budler, Tom Harrison, Austin Fisk, Mark Baker,
Fernando Alfonso; (middle row) Linda Shailer, Cayley Brown, Robert Wilson; (front row) Wade
and Brie Perks with son Loyd, and Maria Robbie. Photo courtesy of TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.ner_DSC01414.JPG
Guests eagerly watch National Hereford and Polled Hereford shows at the Fort Worth Stock
Show and Rodeo. “I’ve never been to a show in the US before,” said Mark Baker. “It’s given me
the opportunity to look at some animals here that I’ve never seen before.”
Photo courtesy of
TheCattleMarket.net
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01473.JPG
Dudley Bros., Comanche, Texas, hosted international group at their ranch headquarters. Photo
courtesy of TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01492.JPG
John Dudley, of Dudley Bros., shows pedigrees of Hereford bulls to Tom Harrison, England.
Ranch hosts gave guests a ‘behind the scenes’ take on their ranching operations. “We’ll
certainly
be
picking
up
whatever
we
can
from
what
we’ve
seen,”
Harrison
said.
Photo
courtesy
of
TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01453.JPG
From east to west, guests received a snapshot of real production agriculture in Texas, traveling
1700 miles across the state. Mark Baker (left), Tom Harrison (center) and PJ Budler (right) look
at Hereford Bull at Iron Lake Ranch, Athens, Texas. Photo courtesy of TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01653.JPG
Austin Fisk and Cayley Brown admire winning Hereford bulls at GKB Cattle Co, Waxahachie,
Texas. “I started showing when I was three,” said Brown. “It’s kind of a lifestyle thing for us.
My goal is to keep improving the breed.” Photo courtesy of TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01692.JPG

10. Tom Harrison, England, is all smiles while touring GKB Cattle Co., Waxahachie, Texas. Photo
courtesy of TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01778.JPG
Mark
Baker,
Australia,
and
Maria
Robbie,
New
Zealand,
are
interviewed
about
their
experience
during
the
Champion
of
the
World
Week.
“I
don’t
know
if
I’ve
had
a
week
that’s
gone
by
so
quickly
and
been
so
jammed
packed,”
Baker
said.
Photo
courtesy
of
TheCattleMarket.net.
TheCattleMarket.net_DCO01473.JPG
After
winning
‘Hereford-­‐
Champion
of
the
World’,
Fernando
Alfonso,
owner
of
Kamikaze,
was
interviewed
by
the
press.
“There
will
be
big
[impact]
in
my
country
with
a
win
of
our
bull,
Kamikaze,”
Alfonso
said.
“It
has
been
great.”
Photo
courtesy
of
TheCattleMarket.net.