TC Diary

DECEMBER DOINGS


Every year we have taken a picture of Ty & Dru in front of the Christmas tree - we use to do it to see how much taller they were but with age we now we do it to see how much wider they are!!
After Thanksgiving Vance and Ty drove to MT. Ty went to his new place of residence in Billings. Vance went to visit some herds and while there attend some sales —but had no intention of buying a bull. But —– when he saw “Tradition” the adrenaline started to flow. Vance called and talked to Dru. Dru immediately called me and asked, “What is wrong with Dad? I haven’t seen him this enthused about a bull for a long time!” After bucking studs and top cattleman — “Sitz Tradition” was my Christmas present. “Tradition” is a VR Dateline out of an Alliance 6595 dam. We did get to breed some fall cows to him so I am anxious for the 2004 falls calves to see how great my Christmas present is.

Vance then flew home and we went to Lincoln to watch the University of Nebraska Volleyball team in NCAA Regional play. NE lost the first round to UCLA who were defeated in the NCAA finals. Nebraska was a young team and with the recruiting of the “top volleyball player in the world” who is from Canada — we’ll be back strong next year.

I might as well mention Husker football. We are still without a new coach and the Nebraska fans are getting concerned, anxious and stressed. It has been 40 years since Nebraska has had to really “hire” a football coach. Think our athletic director is testing our patience. But with NU beating Michigan State in the Bowl game —– we are ready for next year. Had a 10 - 3 season which most teams would be pleased with —– but in NE we expect a little more.

Dru traveled to Valley City, ND, to judge their winter show. He saw some good cattle and enjoyed judging. Vance traveled to Scottsbluff, NE, to attend the Range Cow Beef Symposium. This is a four state sponsored event and they always have good speakers with lots of “bull” sessions.


Hannah is enjoying her horse barn which is all decorated for Christmas

With the guys being gone — Connie decided it was her turn. So my Mother, my sister and I spent four days in St. Louis seeing the city decorated for Christmas. We mainly went to hear the Symphony’s Christmas concert and it was worth the trip. We had a good time with many laughs and deep breaths trying to keep up with Mother.

We had a nice Christmas. Ty flew home from Billings MT and Vance’s Mother (age 93) and my Mother (age 91) were with us as well as Dru and his wife, Trude and daughter Hannah (age 6). Dru and Vance are trying to convert Hannah from horses to cattle — but for Christmas it was a barn with horse stables and a Dodge pickup with a horse trailer. I think they still have work to do getting Angus in Hannah’s blood.

The drought continues in our area — but we are still one day closer to moisture. As of the end of the month we have not had to feed. The cattle are on stalk fields.


A Freedom son

The guys say this is the deepest set of calves they have ever bred and several sire groups look excellent. They are getting a carload of bulls ready for Denver and I hear them talking it is a very uniform group with several herd bulls. Sires that we own - Alliance, Forefront, Foreman, Moonshine and Replica have all done a nice job. We used E161, Bushwacker 41-73, Future Direction and 6I6 as our outside sires . . .and there are excellent bulls in all the groups.

We also have some special mating ET bulls that will be in our sale. There are Alliance sons out of Freedom’s dam, a son of Gridmaker out of Foreman’s dam, 044 sons out of Moonshine’s dam, 6I6 sons out of Freedom’s grandam and Saugahatchee sons out of TC Peg 9100.

At the end of the year when everyone is making New Years resolutions, I leave you with . . .
“One resolve is like another—–
In one year and out the other.”