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Donald Kasper to receive LOBBA Legends Award

published: December 12th 2003
source: BBU

Donald Kasper, Three Rivers, Texas has been selected to receive the Live Oak Beefmaster Breeders Association (LOBBA) Legends award.

Kasper joins a select group of individuals who have contributed greatly to the LOBBA and/or the Beefmaster breed.

Kasper will receive the Legends award at the LOBBA  Bull Sale, January 10, 2004. It is one of the most recognized and prestigious awards in cattle circles in South Texas and the Beefmaster breed.

Kasper is being honored for his work with the LOBBA. It was his idea for the association and since 1980 he has served faithfully as the secretary-treasurer of the organization.

“I’ve thoroughly en-joyed working with the breeders and the cattle. I’ve made life long friendships. I’ve worked with 10 different presidents over the past 23 years and we’ve gone through the good times and the hard times together, “ he says.

It was 1974 and Kasper was teaching ag in Three Rivers. He was impressed by the Beefmaster cattle and the number of quality breeders that were involved in Live Oak County. He suggested they form an association and focus on marketing their product.

Well the rest is history. Kasper mailed out 34 letters to prospective members and the LOBBA was formed in October 1974.

Then just six months later, they held their first sale.

“Our first sale was in March 1975 at the Live Oak County Fairgrounds Auc-tion Barn and we have been having them ever since. Our January sale features bulls, where as our spring and fall sales (added in 1979)  have all categories of Beefmaster females and some bulls,” describes Kasper.

Then the “Beefmaster Barn” as it is known was built by the LOBBA.

On January 11, 1977, 22 members, mainly from Live Oak County, signed a $50,000 note and built the Beefmaster Barn at the Live Oak Fairgrounds. The note was paid off on May 5, 1981 primarily from the proceeds of donated heifers. The facility was donated to the fair association in September 1984. The barn was built in about 2 1/2 months and was the site for the March 1977 sale. Then in 1984 the LOBBA donated the barn to the Live Oak Fair Association with the agreement they would always be able to have their sales at the facility.

“We were still finishing the pens as the bulls were coming in for that sale in 1977,“ remembers Kasper.

In 2001, the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce attributed $3.7 million in income for Live Oak businesses in the form of motel rooms, meals and gasoline from the three annual sales sponsored by the group.

In the beginning, Kasper’s duties included handling all the sale money as well as the regular business of the association. Regular business has also included over $25,000 in LOBBA donations to the South Texas Children’s home and $15,000 plus to the Junior Beefmaster Breeders Association.

Kasper purchased his first Beefmaster cattle in 1977. He selected three heifers and over the years has maintained a small herd outside of Three Rivers. In addition, he retired with 39 years involvement in public education—-37 of those in Three Rivers schools.

“I taught my first two years in Taft, then became the ag teacher in Three Rivers for 17 years.  I then became the junior high principal for five years, then  the high school principal for seven years and the business manager for eight years. After that I retired.

Kasper and his wife, Peggy, have three children, Sherri Lynn, Stacy Dee and Donald Jr and one grandson, Jordan.

“I feel honored to have been selected by this group for this award. I consider it a privilege to join those who have received the honor previously. I have thoroughly enjoyed my years with the LOBBA and consider it an honor to receive this award,” he concludes.