1881

1881 traveled to Madison, Wis., for the 2026 VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE). In this three-part series, Shane Bedwell sat down with the judges of the Masters in Madison to hear their perspectives from one of the most prestigious events of the summer. In this episode, Shane visits with Tyler Cates, Modoc, Ind., and Kyle Gillooly, Wadley, Ga., who evaluated the owned female show at the 2026 JNHE.   Tyler operates Cates Farms and Sunrise Sunset Farm with his wife, Cortney, and daughter, Piper, raising Shorthorn and Angus cattle. A former livestock judging team member at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and Purdue University, Tyler has gone on to judge numerous national shows and junior nationals across the country.   Kyle serves as manager of CES Herefords and, alongside his wife, Jennifer, owns and operates Predestined Cattle Co. A Purdue University graduate and former livestock judging team member, Kyle has judged cattle in 25 states and Canada.

1881 traveled to Madison, Wis., for the 2026 VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE). In this three-part series, Shane Bedwell sits down with the judges of the Hereford Masters in Madison to discuss their careers, experiences and perspectives from one of the summer's most prestigious events. In Part 2, Shane is joined by owned female show judges Randy Mullinix, Toulon, Ill., and Jake Bohnsack, Taylor Ridge, Ill. Randy owns and operates Purple Reign Cattle Co. in Toulon, Ill. Raised on a diversified cattle and grain operation in Woodbine, Md., he attended Black Hawk East and Kansas State University, where he was a member of national champion livestock judging teams at both institutions. Purple Reign has produced numerous national champions and earned nearly 50 premier breeder honors at national events. Randy has judged livestock shows in 40 states, including national shows and junior nationals for more than a dozen breeds. Jake was raised in Taylor Ridge, Ill., where he developed a passion for exhibiting Hereford cattle. He attended Black Hawk East before earning a degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University, where he further developed his livestock evaluation skills as a member of the livestock judging program.

1881 travels to Madison, Wis., for the 2026 VitaFerm® Junior National Hereford Expo. In this three-part series, Shane Bedwell sits down with the judges of the Masters in Madison to discuss their careers, experiences and perspectives from one of the most prestigious events of the summer.  The first guest is Montie Soules, CEO of the American Shorthorn Association (ASA), who judged the steers and bred-and-owned bulls. Shane and Montie recap the show, reflect on Montie's career in the beef industry and Hereford breed. Before joining ASA, Montie spent 34 years as general manager of Star Lake Cattle Ranch/ACE Polled Herefords, where the program exhibited 49 national and reserve national champions and 13 consecutive champion carloads of bulls at the National Western Stock Show. He has judged cattle across the United States and internationally and spent 18 years consulting in Argentina. Raised on his family's farm in Michigan, Montie graduated from Michigan State University. 

In this episode of 1881, Jirl Buck, Madill, Okla., shares the story behind his lifelong passion for the livestock industry and the experiences that led him to the Hereford breed. Working alongside his father sparked Jirl's interest in the cattle business at a young age, and years later, he found his way to the Hereford breed through the National Hereford Sale, where the females purchased helped lay the groundwork for Buck Cattle Co.'s success in the breed. Throughout the episode, he reflects on the cattle and people that have influenced his journey and shaped his success.

In this episode of 1881, Justin Miller, the American Hereford Association’s new director of commercial programs visits with Shane Bedwell. The conversation highlights Miller’s long-standing career in the beef business, his enthusiasm for the Hereford breed and the growing value of Hereford genetics in the commercial sector.