Brangus Association celebrates 75th anniversary

The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) recently marked its 75th anniversary with a grand event in Fort Worth, Texas, attracting 420 participants from 21 states and seven countries. This historic gathering provided a significant opportunity for members to reflect on the association’s rich history, connect with fellow breeders and focus on the future of the industry.

The anniversary celebration featured a series of commemorative events, including a Celebration Gala, an industry-level panel discussion with leading seedstock breeders, and a forward-looking session on the next 25 years of the cattle industry, as well as the sharing of cherished memories.

A committee of over 35 members, led by chairman Joy Reznicek Sundbeck, spent 13 months planning the weekend commemoration. The festivities kicked off with a reception featuring mariachis and country music. Breeders, both new and seasoned, took photos against a backdrop of a 1953 Brangus cattle photo from Iowa, reminiscing about old times while creating new memories.

The Celebration Gala, emceed by Bruce Maloch, Chris Hardee, and Wade Fisher, took the audience on a journey through 75 years of Brangus history with words and a pictorial display. The evening highlighted important milestones and recognized breeders who made significant contributions to the association. Notable attendees included past presidents, breeders of the year, the first scholarship winner, the first queen, a sale manager from northeast Oklahoma who was a teenager when the breed was founded, and past staff members. The Pennington family from South Texas was also in attendance. Alfred Pennington, charter member #16, was in attendance at the founding meeting in 1949 and three generations of his family, who continue to raise Brangus under that registration number, were present at the gala. The evening concluded with a celebratory toast, music, laughter and a resolve to make the best breed better.

On Saturday, the 75th Program Committee presented "A Look into the Future of the Cattle Industry," an educational session that drew a standing-room-only crowd eager to hear insights from industry leaders.

Randy Blach, CattleFax CEO, urged attendees to learn from the past, emphasizing that while the industry is experiencing record-high beef prices, consumers are also paying unprecedented prices. He noted that only 4% of the world’s population resides in the U.S., highlighting the importance of strong export markets. He also pointed out that current herd expansion is progressing slowly, which should keep markets high, and reminded the audience that the consumer is the ultimate source of new income in the beef business.

A panel discussion followed, featuring Donnell Brown of R.A. Brown Ranch in Throckmorton, Texas, Jack Holden of Holden Herefords in Valier, Montana, Gabriel Connealy of Connealy Angus Ranch in Whitman, Nebraska, and Mark Gardiner of Gardiner Angus in Ashland, Kansas. Each panelist shared an overview of their operation, strategies, and challenges before engaging in a lively Q&A session, where they freely shared their knowledge.

Lee Leachman of Leachman Cattle Co. in Fort Collins, Colorado, concluded the program with a presentation on the next 25 years in the cattle industry. He discussed upcoming megatrends, including the doubling of the global economy to over $220 trillion, an aging population, and the need for beef to be customized to provide increased nutritional value and longevity benefits. Leachman predicted that consumers would demand more information about their food, including where and how it was raised, and that local and specialized products would gain popularity. He also highlighted the growing role of machinery and technology in the beef industry, in areas such as heat detection, feeding, and pinpointing sick animals in herds or feedlots. He forecasted that biosecurity would become increasingly important with tighter restrictions on who and what enters operations. Additionally, he stressed the increased pressure on resources, predicting that consumers could consume 60% more resources by 2060, and the growing need for data to be utilized through artificial intelligence.

In addition to these activities, IBBA standing committees, regional associations, and the International Brangus Auxiliary held meetings.

The celebration kicked off Aug. 8th at GKB Brangus in nearby Desdemona, Texas, with a seedstock panel discussion featuring Jim Williams of V8 Ranch, Kevin Hafner of Express Ranches, Timmy Lucherk of MP Brangus, and Savannah Hanson, an officer of the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association. Hosts Gary and Kathy Buchholz welcomed the standing-room-only crowd to view their cattle operation, meet their staff, and enjoy a steak dinner and a visit with PRCA World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider Jacobs Crawley.

The Brangus breed was officially formed on July 29, 1949, in Vinita, Oklahoma. Today, the association is headquartered in Adkins, Texas, and registers Brangus, Red Brangus, and Ultrablack and Ultrared cattle.