California Association of Texas Longhorn Breeders Satellite Measuring A Big Success

Horn Showcase Chairwoman Carla Jo Payne and TLBAA Sales Manager Jim Curry supervised the Horn Showcase Satellite Measuring on October 28, 2006, in Red Bluff, CA. The event was a big success and all horns measured were entered for competition in the Horn Showcase in Fort Worth, TX, on November 9-11. Here are just a few photos of the all the excitement at the Red Bluff Measuring.

Horn Showcase Chairwoman and TLBAA Board Member Carla Jo Payne kept a close eye on the measuring tape to insure the right measurements were recorded.

Leo Omlin, Manteca, CA, got a birds-eye view for the satellite measuring.

TLBAA Sales Manager Jim Curry helped measure the horns as Justin Hansen, Paskenta, CA, looks on.

Leo Omlin, Manteca, CA, and Pete Boyce, Manteca, CA. Boyce was presented with a belt buckle from the CATL for his service to the association.

Star Creek Ranch Hosts Kindergarten Field Trip

Submitted by Darlene Aldridge, Star Creek Ranch

Star Creek Ranch hosted a field trip for the Snook ISD Pre-Kindergarten classes for the second year in a row.  On October 18, 2007, 38 four-year-olds, their teachers, teachers’ aides and several parents made a bus trip to see the Texas Longhorns at Star Creek Ranch.

The kids had a fun morning.  As they got off the bus each of them received a “Star Creek Ranch” t-shirt.  They enjoyed various activities such as meeting FCF His Majesty; a 2000-pound Texas Longhorn bull. FCF His Majesty is saddle broke and has been featured on several public relations events. After meeting the big bull, the kindergarteners got to pet a young Texas Longhorn bull named Stars and Stripes as well as a two-week-old calf named Twinkle Little Star.  The Star Creek Ranch horses were treated to carrots fed to them by the kids.  Next came a hay ride out into the pastures to see more babies playing beside their dams, a chance to see the cows called up to feed and hear stories about special cows in the herd, including Ace’s Dumpling that just turned 24 years old.

After a mid-morning snack and plenty of playing on tractors, trailers and other farm equipment, they all got their pictures taken and boarded the bus for the trip back to the school.

Picture shows the kids, teachers, teacher’s aids, some parents in attendance and Darlene Aldridge with FCF His Majesty.

Fort Worth Herd Participates in Red Steagall Trail Drive

On Friday, October 27, 2006, at high noon, the Red Steagall Trail Drive, featuring the majestic Fort Worth Longhorn Herd, made its final stretch into the Fort Worth Stockyards. Many onlookers were present to clap as the Fort Worth Herd paraded down Main Street, reminiscent of trail drives and cowboy days of the Old West.

The wagon trail stretched out over a half-mile long as it followed the very same path that hundreds upon hundreds of other trail drives had traced in the heyday of Fort Worth’s trail drives and the Chisholm Trail. The drive was a free event, open to anyone who wanted to participate. It was unique to witness the Fort Worth Longhorn Herd and a trail drive mesh with modern big city traffic.

Here are just a few photos taken as the trail drive passed by the TLBAA office.

Here come the Fort Worth Herd Longhorns!

Each of the Longhorns in the Fort Worth Herd participate in the twice-daily Longhorn parade that runs through the Fort Worth Stockyards.

One of the Trail Bosses, along side Red Steagall, waves hello as the trail drive makes its final stretch into the Fort Worth Stockyards.

2006 Fall Horn Showcase Just Around the Corner!

If you haven’t made plans to attend the biggest Horn Showcase ever, then time is running out! A record number 561 entries are in this year’s Horn Showcase event making it a can’t miss Longhorn extravaganza!

Beginning on November 9, 2006, the Horn Showcase will continue through November 11 th at the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, TX. Total Horn measurements will be taken on Thursday, November 9 th at 2 pm. On Friday, November 10 th, the Tip-to-Tip measurement will commence at 10 am sharp. The deadline for entries has passed, but you can still make plans to attend by calling the Radisson North Fort Worth, the official hotel of the Fall Horn Showcase, at (817) 625-9911 – ask for the TLBAA Fall Horn Showcase rate!

Livestock Assistance Grant Program Deadline November 13, 2006

Texas livestock producers that have had drought related losses might be illegible for up to $10,000 in federal assistance if they suffered the following drought related damages:

• Suffered livestock forage production losses from drought during the period of March 7, 2006 - August 31, 2006. Examples of losses may include: cost of lost forage, supplemental feeding costs, costs of relocating livestock to new feed supplies, increased feed transportation costs and the cost of emergency water supplies.
• Owned eligible livestock for commercial use as part of a farming operation at some point during the period of March 7, 2006 - August 31, 2006.
• Owned the livestock claimed for compensation by this program for at least 30 days.

Eligible Livestock included adult beef cattle two years of age or older that have were owned by the producer for at least 30 days. The livestock must also be located in an eligible county between March 7, 2006 and August 31, 2006.

Here is a list of the counties where assistance is available: (alphabetical)

• Anderson, Andrews, Aransas, Archer, Armstrong, Atascosa
• Bailey, Bandera, Bastrop, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brewster, Briscoe, Brooks, Brown, Burleson, Burnet
• Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cameron, Camp, Carson, Cass, Castro, Cherokee, Childress, Clay, Coke, Coleman, Collin, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Concho, Cooke, Coryell, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby
• Dallam, Dallas, Deaf Smith, Delta, Denton, De Witt, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Duval
• Eastland, Ector, Edwards, Ellis, Erath
• Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Foard, Franklin, Freestone, Frio
• Gillespie, Glasscock, Goliad, Gonzales, Gray, Grayson, Gregg, Guadalupe
• Hale, Hall, Hamilton, Hansford, Hardeman, Harrison, Hartley, Haskell, Hays, Hemphill, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hockley, Hood, Hopkins, Howard, Hunt, Hutchinson
• Irion
• Jack, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Johnson, Jones
• Karnes, Kaufman, Kendall, Kenedy, Kerr, Kimble, King, Kinney, Kleberg, Knox
• Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, La Salle, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Lipscomb, Live Oak, Llano, Lubbock
• McCulloch, McLennan, McMullen, Madison, Marion, Martin, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, Medina, Menard, Midland, Milam, Mills, Mitchell, Montague, Moore, Morris, Motley
• Navarro, Newton, Nolan, Nueces
• Ochiltree, Oldham, Orange
• Palo Pinto, Parker, Parmer, Pecos, Potter, Presidio
• Rains, Randall, Reagan, Real, Red River, Reeves, Refugio, Roberts, Robertson, Rockwall, Runnels
• San Patricio, San Saba, Schleicher, Shackelford, Sherman, Smith, Somervell, Starr, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher
• Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Throckmorton, Titus, Tom Green, Travis,
• Upshur, Upton, Uvalde
• Val Verde, Van Zandt, Victoria
• Ward, Washington, Webb, Wharton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Wise, Wood
• Young
• Zapata and Zavala

Drought Conditions Update

Dry conditions have gripped much of the Southwest; lack of rain has become real news for the Texas Longhorn industry. Click here for information about the seasonal drought conditions and updated national drought information directly from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Here is an additional weekly drought monitor from NOAA.

Weekly Hay Report from the Texas Department of Agriculture

Compared to last week: In some areas alfalfa hay is almost gone, while other types of hay remain available. Rain in some areas has slowed cutting and baling, which for some is their last cutting for the season. Supply remains tight. Trade and demand is moderate, with firm undertone still noted. The State of Texas Department of Agriculture has the Hay and Grazing Hot Line set up for buyers and sellers, number is 1-877-429-1998. The web site for TDA is www.agr.state.tx.us. For a hay report from a state other than Texas please click here.

E-Trails Note: To get your Association News front and center on the E-Trails, email the information to Cole@tlbaa.org.

-Cole Dowden