The annual American Devon Cattle Association conference show and sale was held October 24th and 25th in Culpepper, VA. The association has named this their “Great Event” and it lived up to the name.

The event drew over 100 members and interested individuals from many eastern, central and mid western states. Jacob Owens, the event organizer, explained that the association wanted to bring in speakers who could present information and ideas that would be helpful, educational and interesting to both beginning farmers and those who have been in farming for years or generations.

On Friday, October 24, attendees learned about forages, genetics and best properties to look for in a bull from Dr. Allen Williams of Tall Grass Beef and Jeremy Engh at a field day at Lakota Farm where the Lakota Bull Test program is currently underway. Participants in the free field day were able to see the bulls entered in the Lakota Bull Test and learn how each bull performed on the various tests that were conducted throughout the past year aimed at determining which bull grows and performs best on grass forages.

Later that day Kit Pharo of Pharo Cattle Company challenged conventional wisdoms and entrenched ideas about animal size, stocking rates, grazing and culling in his presentation of Pharo’s Philosophies. Mr. Pharo specializes in raising bulls and producing beef cattle best suited to finishing on grass and his philosophies were a natural fit with the Devon breed.

The ADCA Banquet Friday night featured steaks from Lakota Farm to introduce newcomers to the superb taste and texture of grass fed beef. Awards were presented including The Stuart Fowler Award to Jerry Engh, Honorary Lifetime Membership Award to Bob Grant and Appreciation Awards to Martha Trantham and Paul Dodge in recognition of their hard work and dedication to the association and the Devon breed.

During the meal, the audience was treated to a slide show presentation by Jerry Engh from the World Devon Congress trip to Australia that took place in September. The pictures showed the enormity of the cattle ranches in Australia and Dr. Engh’s narrative described the high quality Devon cattle and the hospitality shown by the hosts during this truly memorable trip. Dr. Engh encouraged all members to begin planning and saving to attend the 2012 World Congress in Brazil.

Saturday, Kit Pharo shared more of his unconventional wisdom and opinions in judging the ADCA National Pen show with Grand Champion Female going to a 3 year old cow with calf owned by Paul Colucci of Full Moon Farm and Grand Champion Bull going to 4 year old Herd Sire owned by Dave Roffey of Roffey Cattle Company. Reserve Champion Female went to Dave Roffey’s 3 year old cow with calf, Reserve Champion Bull belonged to Jacob Owens of Brookview Farm.

The hungry crowd was served grass fed beef hamburgers for lunch while waiting for the ADCA sale to begin. The much anticipated sale was an opportunity for buyers to have access to Devon cattle from breeders all across the nation. A total of 29 lots were sold at an average of $3,900 per lot. ADCA president, Charlie Trantham, said he was pleased with the overall high quality of animals sold in the sale and was especially pleased to see that several new Devon beef breeders started their herd at this sale.

A special thanks goes out to the Great Event Committee that put in countless hours of labor to pull off this Event, thanks to the crew at the Best Western in Culpeper for their hospitality and their grilling skills for a spectacular steak dinner. Thanks also to the Engh family and all the crew at the Lakota Ranch for a spectacular day on the ranch educating us on the Lakota Bull Test.

Hope to see you all at the Bull Sale on December 6th 2008, for more information on the sale please go to the Lakota Ranch website. Thank you as well, to the Culpepper Ag Expo for the barns and sale ring which allowed everything to run very smoothly. Lastly, we would like to thank Kit Pharo of Pharo Cattle Company and Dr. Allen Williams of the Tall Grass Beef Company, your inspirations and philosophies are the foundation of the success for the present and future cattlemen of this country.