The Angus Conversation

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully  

GUEST: Paul Hill  

Paul Hill says he’s been lucky in life, but his path would indicate more than luck. The longtime Angus breeder grew up on a peanut farm and commercial cattle operation in Florida, but his lifetime in the cattle business has taken him from Missouri to the East Coast and eventually to Ohio. Paul and his business partner, Marshall Reynolds, founded Champion Hill Angus and grew it into a leading Angus program across the country, especially well known for their success in the show ring. Here he shares the secret to finding the right cow lines, his philosophy around seizing opportunities and the role of surrounding yourself with good people. 

GUEST: Longtime Angus breeder Paul Hill is most notably associated with Champion Hill Angus, Bidwell, Ohio, which he owned and operated with his wife, Lynn, and business partner, Marshall Reynolds. They dispersed in 2017 but still remain involved in various ways. The Hills raised two daughters in the Angus business, Sarah and Neenah. Sarah served as 1992 Miss American Angus and on the National Junior Angus Board of Directors in 1993-1994. 

Paul’s career started at the Herdsman Institute, with an intermission for service in the Army during the Vietnam War. He worked for Briarhill Angus Farms in Union Springs, Ala., in 1971, as in Connecticut, South Carolina and Virginia before working for Marshall Reynolds 1990. The two became business partners in 1993, founding Champion Hill Angus. The herd, which included 200 donor cows and 900 recipients, had a year-round breeding program to maximize the use of recipients and supply the demand for show heifers. 

Paul served on the American Angus Association Board of Directors and was chairman in 2007-2008. During his time on the Board, he was a four-year chairman of the Angus Foundation, helping guide the structure that’s in place today and spearheading the $11 million Vision of Value: Campaign for Angus. 

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer.  

RELATED CONTENT: A Purpose for Coming Home 

 Champion of Opportunity  

To read all the Salute to Service stories, click here.   

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

There is a special sense of camaraderie found at the National Junior Angus Show each year that’s hard to describe. This episode’s guests cover finding a supportive community within the Angus breed, the challenges of traveling long distances to attend the show, and the fun and learning experiences along the way. Cailee Flood, of California, and Tripp Gibson, from New Mexico, agree that stepping out of their comfort zones has paid off in a big way. 

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman, Mark McCully and Kyli Kraft 

GUESTS: Tripp Gibson and Cailee Flood 

Roy “Tripp” Gibson, is the son of Roy and Vera Gibson and a fifth-generation rancher from New Mexico. He attended his first National Junior Angus Show in 2020 at age 9 and was instantly hooked. This fall, Tripp will begin his freshman year at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, where he is also a member of the golf team. 

Cailee Flood, from Oakdale, Calif., is a fifth-generation cattle rancher. With years of experience in 4-H, FFA and leadership roles in the Angus industry, she is pursuing a future in agricultural business and pre-law at Kansas State University. 

CO-HOST: Kyli Kraft is a fifth-generation cattlewoman from the mile-high state of Colorado. She’s been active with the Colorado Junior Angus Association and the National Junior Angus Association. A recent graduate of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, Kyli now works for the Farm Credit Association in Amarillo. 

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer. 

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

International experience has a way of changing people, and several young Angus producers recently got the chance to learn that firsthand. While at the National Junior Angus Show in Tulsa, Okla., Sam Jordan spoke about his time at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland, and Tucker Stagemeyer and Jonwyn Ayres recapped their World Angus Forum experience from Australia. They talked about adapting to different formats and country-specific styles while highlighting the global friendships they’ve kept up since returning home.  

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman, Mark McCully and Jonwyn Ayres 

GUESTS:  Sam Jordan and Tucker Stagemeyer

Sam Jordan, Savannah, Mo., is a recent high school graduate and plans to attend Redlands Community College and judge there in the fall. His 4-H livestock judging team earned third at the national contest to earn a spot to compete at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland in June.  

Tucker Stagemeyer, Page, Neb., finished his two-year degree at Butler Community College where he competed in livestock judging, helping to earn 2024-2025 Team of the Year honors for the school. He grew up on a diversified farming operation with registered and commercial cows, a stocker enterprise and irrigated corn and soybeans. 

CO-HOST:  Jonwyn Ayres, a third-generation Oregon Angus breeder, attends Oklahoma State University and competes on their livestock judging team. She is working toward an undergraduate degree in animal science with a pre-law emphasis and plans to raise Angus cattle with her family while specializing in water and environmental law.  

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer. 

RELATED CONTENT:  International Success 

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

Starting a small business is no small feat, but doing so while also juggling schoolwork and cattle work? That's a challenge that these podcast guests have proven they’re ready to tackle. Corbin Russell, Paxico, Kan., and Kasey Meyer, Blue Hill, Neb., both grew up in the National Junior Angus Association, so they had a feel for managing chores and schedules, but they also have another thing in common: entrepreneurship. Corbin talks about starting his leather work business, while Kasey gives insights from her custom tagging and show heifer ventures. Their advice for others ranges from “try new things” to the importance of building relationships. 

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman, Mark McCully and Suter Clark

GUESTS: Corbin Russell and Kasey Meyer

Corbin Russell, Paxico, Kan., is the son of Stephen and Dixie Russell, and he will begin his junior year of high school this fall. Corbin started doing leather work at age 7 for a 4-H project and currently takes custom orders through his business CK Leather.  

Kasey Meyer of Blue Hill, Neb., is the daughter of Brandon and Kami Meyer. She’s been involved in the National Junior Angus Association since 2015 and recently finished her associate’s degree in agricultural sciences from Central Community College. She has recently started own custom tag engraving business KLM Engraving and has developed a show heifer enterprise. 

CO-HOST:  

Suter Clark, son of Gretchen and Timothy Clark, comes from Virginia. He's been involved in the National Junior Angus Association and the Virginia Junior Angus Association since 2014 and is pursuing a degree in animal science with a minor in construction management at Oklahoma State University. Upon graduation, he hopes to return home and help his family with their show cattle operation as well as the family business. 

SPONSOR: Ready to see how Vermeer can help you get more done in a day? Visit Vermeer.com/angus to learn more and find your local dealer. 

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

With research and data top of mind for both the membership and the American Angus Association Board of Directors, the group’s June meeting was focused on topics and decisions to help keep the Angus breed progressing forward. This recap episode covers highlights from the meeting, including:  

• Questions and details about livestock efficiency research funded through the Global Methane Hub  
• Proposal of an AHIR data recognition program  
• Heart health research update 
• Success at the World Angus Forum 
• Consumer research on Certified Angus Beef 
• Upcoming business review for Angus Media regarding inflation factors  
• Declarations for the Board Treasurer position  

HOSTS: Mark McCully  

GUESTS:  

Jonathan Perry, chairman of the American Angus Association, has spent much of his life working in the purebred business. As general manager of Deer Valley, Perry developed an Angus program that balances all economically relevant traits in cattle that maintain structural soundness and phenotype. Perry and his wife established the Hickory House restaurant in 2014, and it specializes in serving 100% Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB)-branded product. 

Darrell Stevenson, White Sulphur Spring, Mont., holds strong ties to the Angus breed and a history of activity in the Montana Angus Association. In 2019 Stevenson and his wife, Sara, expanded from Hobson onto a new unit in White Sulphur Springs to establish a later-calving herd operating as Stevenson Down T. Although separated by a mountain range, Darrell continues to breed and market genetics with Stevenson Angus Ranch. 

John Dickinson is a fifth-generation Angus breeder and a former National Junior Angus Board (NJAB) chairman. A University of Illinois graduate and former regional manager for the American Angus Association, Dickinson often makes the trek between his cows in California and his home in Idaho, where he lives with his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, and their children, Blakely and Silas.  

Danny Poss is a first-generation Angus breeder from Scotia, Neb. Poss has taken on several leadership roles in the industry, including the Nebraska American Angus Association Board of Directors and the Nebraska Cattlemen Burwell Affiliate. Poss and his wife, Kristi, have four children: Nolan, Nathan, Neleigh and Natalie. They live on the operation, where they run nearly 750 registered females and farm about 2,500 acres of corn and soybeans.  

RELATED READING:   

President's Letter

Letter from the Board of Directors

Angus Joins Global Initiative to Improve Livestock Efficiency 

From Thin Air 

Breeding for a Better Future  

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully 

GUESTS: Tyler and Andy Musgrave  

Musgrave Angus wants to be known for balanced, moderate cattle that thrive in different environments. On this episode brothers Tyler and Andy Musgrave share their philosophy on using their own sires vs. sourcing outside genetics, how they’ve created outliers while also remaining consistent, and the importance of maintaining the traditional Angus “look.” From Bando 1961 to LD Capitalist, they tell the stories of some of their most well-known sires and give their outlook for the future challenge in the Angus breed.  

Brothers Tyler and Andy Musgrave are the second generation to raise Angus cattle on their western Illinois farm. Since 1961 Musgrave Angus has been breeding and selecting cattle that work in the fescue grass environment and perform under the stress of a humid climate. Feet, fleshing ability, structure and phenotype set the base for their program. Their parents, Melvin and Cathy Musgrave, started the operation. Today Tyler and his wife, Sarah, and their four sons; and Andy, his wife, Beth, and their three sons each take on their own roles.

SPONSOR: Ingram Angus

At Ingram Angus near Pulaski, Tenn., they have a code for doing business: “Integrity is what we stand by: good quality people who deal with good quality cattle.” Learn more about their program at IngramAngus.com. The whole Ingram crew wants to wish all the juniors “good luck” at their shows this summer. 

RELATED CONTENT: 

New Maternal EPDs Expand Selection Tools for Users of Angus Genetics 

The People Business  

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

HOST: Miranda Reiman  

GUESTS: Kurt Kangas and Reese Tuckwiller 

Angus optimism is running high across the country, as strong feeder calf prices fuel record demand for bulls. In this episode, American Angus Association regional managers Kurt Kangas and Reese Tuckwiller share numbers from their sale season and sentiments of breeders in different parts of the United States. They cover everything from useful investments during this economic period to customer service and marketing that will keep programs relevant.

Kurt Kangas works with Angus breeders in Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. He came to the Association in 2012 as regional manager for Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah before transitioning to his current position for Region 10.

Kangas grew up in the San Joaquin Valley of California. He earned a degree in range sciences from Montana State University before doing range management consulting for ranches in southwestern Montana.  

He then transitioned to working for Basin Angus Ranch in Hobson, Mont., for 10 years and played a role in their marketing, artificial insemination (AI) and calving. 

Reese Tuckwiller has served Angus breeders in the Northeast region as regional manager since 2019.

Tuckwiller grew up on a registered Angus seedstock farm near Lewisburg, W.Va., and is a ninth-generation cattleman. He showed Angus cattle and served on the National Junior Angus Board as vice chairman. He graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a bachelor of science in production management and had several herdsman and animal science internships before graduation.

He previously worked for Western Sire Service as production manager and was the West Virginia University livestock judging coach. 

Full list of American Angus Association regional managers

SPONSOR NOTE: Visit your local Vermeer dealer or go to Vermeer.com to learn more. 

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully 

GUESTS: Scott and Andrew Foster 

At Seldom Rest Farms the business model is different than many: Angus youth are their main target demographic. Selling Angus show heifers across the United States allowed brothers Scott and Bruce Foster to bring the next generation back to the Michigan farm. Today Scott’s son, Andrew, and his family are active in the day-to-day management of the nationally renowned operation. Phenotype matters, but having an end product is also important. Hear how they balance it all, the reason they’re so invested in the next generation of Angus enthusiasts and why they believe opening their farm gates to beef marketers makes a real difference.  

Scott Foster is a Niles, Mich., native and second generation Angus breeder. He and his siblings grew up on a row crop farm with a small herd of Angus show cattle, which first sparked his interest in the ring. Scott earned a degree in animal husbandry from Michigan State University, married his wife Elaine and raised their children, Andrew and Danielle, with a strong involvement in the National Junior Angus Association. Along with his brother, Bruce, Scott grew Seldom Rest Farm into a nationally recognized program, which has received many honors including 2023 Certified Angus Beef Ambassador of the Year and 2022 Master Breeder of the Year Award at the All-American Angus Breeders’ Futurity show in Louisville.  

Andrew Foster grew up in the National Junior Angus Association, serving as vice chairman of the National Junior Angus Association Board. After earning an animal science degree from Oklahoma State University, he returned to become a partner in Seldom Rest Farms. He was honored as the 2013 Herdsman of the Year and is a well-known cattle judge across the United States. He and his wife, Emily, are raising their three daughters in the lifestyle he grew up in.  

SPONSOR: Deer Valley Farms invites you to their Spring Cow Sale on Saturday, May 10th, at 11 a.m. at the farm near Fayetteville, Tenn.  Several of the donor females have been huge contributors to their program — see what they can do for your herd! For more information, visit https://deervalleyfarm.com/. 

 RELATED CONTENT:   

•  Building Bonds 
• Watch: The Foster Family, Seldom Rest Farms, 2023 Ambassador Awards  

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully  

GUESTS: Richard and Kathy Tokach  

Traditions can be a nice foundation for or a barrier to progress, and the key lies in knowing which to keep and which to use as a springboard. In this episode, Richard and Kathy Tokach talk about their return to the family’s fourth-generation North Dakota ranch and about all that’s changed in that time. After four decades of marriage — raising three kids on the operation — they now work alongside the next generation as they look to transitions and the future. They share insights on their breeding philosophy, the evolution of their annual bull sale and the opportunities and challenges facing the Angus breed today. They cover technology, serving on industry boards and advice for young couples starting out in the cattle business.  

GUESTS: Richard and Kathy Tokach own and operate Tokach Angus Ranch, which was homesteaded in 1897 by Richard’s great-grandfather. Their present-day herd still traces back to Richard’s dad’s original purchase of a registered heifer from Lyle Dawson of Oak Coulee Ranch in 1955. Richard graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in animal science, and Kathy earned a nursing degree from the University of North Dakota. Following graduation they married and made their home on the ranch, raising their children Rebecca, Ben and Renae. They’ve been active in the American Angus Association, the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and various local boards, and recently had their 50th Angus production sale.  

RELATED CONTENT:

True Grit with a Grin 

Tokach Angus Ranch: Seedstock Commitment to Excellence 

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

Sometimes you hear history second-hand, and sometimes you get to talk to people who lived it. In this episode, Keith Evans shares a little of both. As a 36-year employee of the American Angus Association public relations department he had a unique vantage for many big changes through the years. He first covers early history from proxy voting to the move to St. Joseph, before switching to changes he observed, such as the incorporation of artificial insemination to the “elephant ads.” Upon retirement from the Association, he authored, “A Historic Angus Journey — The American Angus Association 1883 to 2000.”  

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully 

GUEST: Keith Evans — writer, marketing expert and Angus promoter — spent 36 years working in the public relations department at the American Angus Association. He came to the Association in 1962 with journalistic experience, which helped him in his quest to provide news that editors wanted to run. He worked his way to director of publication relations and retired in 1998. That’s when he undertook the research and writing of a comprehensive history of the Association, “A Historic Angus Journey — The American Angus Association 1883 to 2000.” 

RELATED CONTENT:  

Purchase “A Historic Angus Journey — The American Angus Association 1883 to 2000.”  

After 35 years with the American Angus Association, Keith Evans retires.

The "elephant ad" highlighted in the Annual Report on page 57 of the December 1984 Angus Journal.

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.