home → articles → Producer Feature Stories | Email to a Friend

Herefords and F1’s only for this Texas ranch

published: September 1st 2004
by: Martha Hollida Garrett

For Glen Richardson and family, ranching is just not something they do, it’s something they love to do.

Since the early ‘40’s, Richardson  has been raising straightbred Herefords near Sonora and Ozona, Texas. Then in the ‘70’s Brahman bulls were incorporated to produce Tiger Stripe F1 replacement females. Today the outfit is recognized as a quality source of replacement females.

Richardson, his wife Rosalie and son, Wade and his family, run the ranches today and they are continuing what Richardson’s family started 100 years ago, with 2004 marking the 100th year that one of their ranches has been in the family.

“The greatest influence in my life was my dad. He was a cow trader and sent lots of cattle to Kansas. I grew up around the stock pens in Sonora as in those days, it was a major shipping point for cattle. My grandfather and my dad always had cattle and were involved in this business,” Richardson says.

However, it wasn’t until 1940 that Richardson made his formal entry into the cow business.

“I was raising lambs that Robert Halbert would bring to me. He was a Hereford man out here at the time and he let me have a handful of straightbred Hereford heifers and I’ve been raising them ever since,” he remembers.

Today, straightbred Herefords, predominately with Line 1 breeding, are still a large part of their operation. They raise their own replacements for this herd and also the F1 herd from this strong base. They also maintain a herd of F1 cows that are bred back to Hereford bulls, with all the calves marketed from this cross.

The straight Hereford steer and heifer calves not retained are sold annually primarily at  Producers Livestock Market, San Angelo, Texas, while some sell at Mason Livestock. This year’s steer calves averaged 700 pounds plus when marketed.

Family is a strong influence in this operation. It was Richardson’s father-in-law who introduced Brahman bulls to him.

“I guess it was 1973-74, my father-in-law purchased a set of Brahman bulls to use on his Hereford cows. Those calves impressed me and in 1978, I went to J.D. Hudgins, Hungerford, Texas and bought our first ones,” said Richardson.

Then in 1980, Richardson went through the inspection process with the American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) and since that time his F1 program has maintained certified status with ABBA.

They market the F1 heifers in select sales throughout Texas including the San Antonio All Breed Commercial Female Sale, Houston Livestock Show Commercial Female Sale, the ABBA Sale in Sealy,  and through special replacement auctions at Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas.

They have won banners year after year at these events and are repeat winners of the champion pen of F1 open heifers at the San Antonio Sale. Their heifers continually top these events where repeat customers are a key element in the ranch’s continued success. An active private treaty market, due in part to their participation in these select sales is also enjoyed.

In addition, their heifers are growing increasingly popular with 4-H and FFA members, for Pen of 3 Commercial Heifer competitions. In fact they have found this to be a very enjoyable part of the business as some of their young customers use their profits to pay for their education.

“One of the things I enjoy about this business is the people. We have been able to enjoy longstanding relationships. We have over the years purchased all of our Brahman bulls from Hudgins. We have been selling cattle in San Angelo for right at 40 years and we have purchased our Hereford genetics from Lee Campbell, Weldon Edwards and Ira Lee. In addition, we have been able to influence others, including our neighbor John Garner to be in the F1 business, “ says Richardson.

The headquarters ranch is located 40 miles south of Sonora and just 14 miles from Rocksprings. Glen and Rosalie reside here, while son, Wade and family maintain the Ozona Ranch. They also have a ranch in Kimmel County that is used primarily to winter calves.

The headquarters sits on top of the Edwards Plateau and has rolling hills with  Live Oaks. The elevation is at 2400’  feet, which makes for cool evenings in the summer and mild winters. The average rainfall is just a little over 20 inches per year and according to Richardson, “when we get it, this country is good.”

“It’s great deer and game country here and we are able to be involved in the hunting industry, also, “ he says.

Richardson is a 1946 graduate of Texas A&M, and son Wade graduated in 1977. Today the Richardson family has three grandchildren attending A&M and they look forward to their involvement in the ranch and continuing the family tradition.