Media Releases
Ring of Gold Champions
Throughout the 2018-2019 show year, Gelbvieh and Balancer® females and bulls competed at shows across the country to earn points for the American Gelbvieh Association Ring of Gold program.
Each year the qualifying animals are ranked at the conclusion of the National Gelbvieh and Balancer show at the National Western Stock Show. This year a total of six shows were included in the Ring of Gold tally.
The American Gelbvieh Association established the Ring of Gold program to honor the top animals shown at the conclusion of the show year. Points are earned for grand and reserve grand champions, as well as division champions and reserves, and are based on the actual number of animals shown at each show.
To honor those animals who have risen to the top during the show season, The Ring of Gold awards are presented to the top Gelbvieh female, Gelbvieh bull, Balancer female and Balancer bull based on points awarded throughout the year. Animals must earn points in at least two shows to qualify for Ring of Gold points each year. The 2018-2019 Ring of Gold qualified shows were: Iowa State Fair, Kentucky State Fair, Missouri State Fair, American Royal, North American International Livestock Exposition, and the National Western Stock Show.
The following is a list of the top three animals in each Ring of Gold division. In order to qualify for recognition, animals must have earned points in at least two Ring of Gold shows throughout the calendar year.
Ring of Gold Gelbvieh Female:
- GGGE 3G Frankly My Dear 8100F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind.
- HIGH Ms Emma 9E100 ET, Jacie Carroll, Raymore, Mo.
- BCFG Butlers Ms Esmeralda 34E, Karley Rumfelt, Lebanon, Mo.
Ring of Gold Gelbvieh Bull:
- HTFM Mr Equalizer E711, Hilltop Farms Benny McWilliams, Asbury, Mo.
- GGGE 3G Fort Apache 835F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind. and Reynolds Bee Lick Gelbvieh, Crab Orchard, Ky.
- HILC All Star 500D, Cody Moore, Fountain Run, Ky.
Ring of Gold Balancer Female:
- JNCC Miss Sky High 748E, Cameron Nowack, Bland, Mo. and MDR Elly Zendt 702E ET, Brylee Thiel, Kaw City, Okla.
- GGGE 3G Cowgirl Dixie 6102D, Sarah Carroll, Raymore, Mo.
- GGGE 3G Faintly Saintly ET 852F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind. and Reid Overmiller, Smith Center, Kan.
Ring of Gold Balancer Bull:
- SKYC Sky’s Encore 7086E, Casey Martin, Oregon, Ill.
- GGGE 3G Frontier Justice 829F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind.
- GGGE 3G Double Agent 602D, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind.
The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.
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Renner Joins American Gelbvieh Association Staff
BROOMFIELD, CO – The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) would like to welcome Jake Renner to the staff as member and youth activities coordinator.
Renner grew up in the rural community of Pratt, Kansas, where he was involved in 4-H and spent a large majority of his time focusing on livestock projects. In 2013 Renner graduated from Fort Hays State University where he studied animal science and competed on the livestock judging team. For the past five years he has been a county agent for K-State Research and Extension (KSRE) in Kingman County covering agriculture and natural resources as well as a 4-H and youth development. Renner is currently finishing his final year of graduate school at Kansas State University pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural education and communication.
In his role as member and youth activities coordinator, he will guide the American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) and help to develop the next generation of leaders in the beef industry. Renner will also be tasked with enriching the membership experience for AGA members.
“Through KSRE I have found a passion for informal education and seizing any opportunity to work with the youth of the beef industry to help them find their place. I am excited about the opportunity to mentor and advise the members of the AGJA to find their passion within the beef industry,” says Renner. “I am looking forward to serving as the liaison between the AGJA and the AGA/American Gelbvieh Foundation as we think outside the box and work toward creating strong standing relationships with industry leaders for support on all levels. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the AGA team moving forward.”
“We are excited to continue to grow the AGA team with talented individuals like Jake. His experience and education in youth development and passion for agriculture makes him a great fit to lead and help develop the youth and ultimately the future of our breed,” says Megan Slater, AGA interim executive director.
Renner began his role on January 2, 2019, and will be based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Renner can be reached at 303-465-2333 or via email at jake@gelbvieh.org.
The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 Gelbvieh, Balancer and Gelbvieh-influenced cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.
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Note to Editors: A high-resolution press quality photo is available by contacting Kelsi Christian, American Gelbvieh Association multimedia coordinator, at kelsi@gelbvieh.org or 303-465-2333
Dan and Kate Warner Named Gelbvieh Association Breeder of the Year
Photo caption: The American Gelbvieh Association named Dan and Kate Warner of Warner Beef Genetics the AGA Breeder of the Year for 2018. Left to right: Dan and Kate Warner, Arapahoe, Neb.; Scott Starr, Stapleton, Neb.
Dan and Kate Warner of Warner Beef Genetics, Arapahoe, Nebraska, were honored as the American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) Breeder of the Year for 2018 during the awards banquet held at the 48th Annual AGA National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dan and Kate were present at the AGA awards banquet to accept the award. Scott Starr, Stapleton, Nebraska, a longtime friend and fellow Gelbvieh and Balancer® breeder, presented the Warner couple with the award.
Dan and Kate own and operate Warner Beef Genetics along with Dan’s parents, Monte and Kristie Warner, and brother and sister-in-law Darren and Amy Warner. Warner Beef Genetics is a family operation that has been in the cattle business for over 50 years. The operation consists of over 400 registered Gelbvieh, Balancer and Angus females and 500 Gelbvieh and Angus commercial cows. The success of their cowherd revolves around breed-leading herd bulls, an aggressive AI and ET program, and unmatched customer service.
Each year Warner Beef Genetics hosts an annual bull sale in the spring and female sale in the fall. They have also partnered with two other breeders from Nebraska and Oklahoma to start a fall bull sale in Texas, with the goal of increasing demand for Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics in that area of the country.
Warner Beef Genetics has been a member of the American Gelbvieh Association since 1998. Over the years, Warner Beef has raised several bulls and females that have positively impacted the breed. Dan is a former member of the AGA Board of Directors, serving the association for six years, including time on the executive committee as vice president. As an active member of the AGA, Dan currently acts as the breed improvement committee chair.
The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.
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Al and Mary Knapp Inducted into Gelbvieh Hall of Fame
Photo caption: Dustin Aherin, Phillipsburg, Kansas, presented Al and Mary Knapp, Basehor, Kansas, with the 2019 American Gelbvieh Association Hall of Fame award. Left to right: Al Knapp, Mary Knapp, Dustin Aherin.
Al and Mary Knapp of Basehor, Kansas, were inducted into the American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) Hall of Fame for 2019. The induction took place during the awards banquet at the 48th Annual AGA National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dustin Aherin, Phillipsburg, Kansas, presented the award to the Knapp family. He expressed his sincere gratitude towards the couple on behalf of his family and the numerous other individuals throughout the country whose lives have been positively influenced by the Knapps.
The AGA Hall of Fame recognizes individuals for their lasting contribution to the growth and development of the Gelbvieh breed. Hall of fame inductee selection criterion includes contributions to breed promotion efforts, leadership provided to the association and the breeding of superior genetics that are of great influence within the Gelbvieh and Balancer® cattle population.
Over the past 22 years the Knapps have had a tremendous impact on the AGA and more importantly, the people within it. While running a successful Gelbvieh operation the Knapps served 16 years as American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) advisors. Al has served on the AGA Board of Directors, and served as AGA president in 2010, In addition, the Knapps currently serve on the American Gelbvieh Foundation (AGF) Board of Directors, with Al serving as AGF president.
Al and Mary Knapp take service-centered leadership to a whole new level and their passion for fellow breeders and the association’s youth is the standard of the breed. Both the AGA and AGJA are improved associations because of the relentless efforts and sacrifices of the Knapps.
The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,100 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.
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Third Annual Gelbvieh Carcass Contest Results Released
Results of the third annual American Gelbvieh Foundation (AGF) Steer Challenge and Scale and Rail Sire-Identified Carcass Contest were announced during the 48th Annual American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) National Convention awards banquet on Friday, November 30, 2018. Producers from South Dakota took home top honors with prize payouts totaling $4,750.
The AGF continues to help advance the Gelbvieh and Balancer® breed through its support of research and development. For this reason, the AGF launched the Steer Challenge and Scale and Rail Sire-Identified Carcass Contest in 2016. These two projects together provide the information and funds necessary to generate datasets to advance Gelbvieh and Balancer carcass merit.
The AGF Steer Challenge is a competition amongst individual Gelbvieh and Balancer-influenced steers in which the judging criteria focuses on carcass value and average daily gain in the feedyard. The Steer Challenge gives an opportunity for participants to donate a steer to the AGF. All proceeds from the donation go toward research and development within the breed.
In its third year, six ranches participated at Roode Feedyard in Fairbury, Nebraska. All steers were harvested and index values were calculated in July 2018 with a total of 156 individual carcass data records. The Gelbvieh and Balancer breed continues to prove itself on the rail with 90 percent of these carcasses obtaining a quality grade of USDA Choice and better. In addition, 92 percent of the steers were USDA Yield Grades 1,2, and 3. These steers averaged a 958-pound hot carcass weight with an average daily gain of 3.81 pounds per head with a 5.47:1 feed conversion on a dry matter basis.
Hamilton Farms, a commercial operation near Hitchcock, South Dakota, won big at this event. Scott Hamilton, who was named AGA’s Commercial Producer of the Year in 2016, had the champion Balancer steer in the average daily gain category with the winning steer gaining 5.17 pounds per day. They also had the runner-up Balancer steer in the average daily gain category with the steer gaining 4.99 pounds per day. In the AGF Steer Challenge portion of this contest Hamilton Farms had the champion steer in average daily gain with the animal gaining 4.36 pounds per day. That same animal also had the highest carcass value index in the steer challenge portion of the contest with a 17.20 square inch ribeye, 1,043 hot carcass weight and graded USDA Choice, Yield Grade 2 carcass. Hamilton Farms took home $2,250, which was the highest amount of prize money awarded for this year’s event.
Eagle Pass Ranch, Highmore, South Dakota, owned the champion pen of Balancer steers in the Scale and Rail Contest with a total carcass value index of 3,357.66. They had the champion Balancer steer in the carcass value category with an animal hanging a USDA Choice, Yield Grade 2 carcass with a 16.90 square inch ribeye and 1,048 pound hot carcass weight for a total carcass value index of 1,124.They also had the runner-up Balancer Steer in the carcass value category with an animal hanging USDA Choice, Yield Grade 3 carcass with a 16.65 square inch ribeye and a 1,046 pound hot carcass weight. In total, Eagle Pass Ranch took home $1,500 in prize money.
In the Gelbvieh division, CKS Gelbvieh, Collins, Iowa, was the winner, owning the steer for top average daily gain and carcass value indexing steer as well as champion pen and won $1,000 in prize payouts. CKS Gelbvieh’s winning steer in the average daily gain category gained 4.40 pounds per day. Their top carcass steer had a carcass value index of 996.92, a hot carcass weight of 936 pounds, and a ribeye area of 16.22 square inches. This steer also hung a Yield Grade 2 and USDA Choice carcass. CKS Gelbvieh also owned the champion pen of Gelbvieh steers with a total carcass value index of 2,913.26.
To view full results, including all closeout data, please visit the projects page under the Foundation section of www.gelbvieh.org.
The American Gelbvieh Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation which helps support member education, youth development and research for the American Gelbvieh Association.
The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.
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Fiske Joins American Gelbvieh Association Staff
Broomfield, CO – The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is pleased to announce and welcome Will Fiske as the breed growth specialist.
In this role, Fiske will be involved with data analysis projects, assist the AGA marketing team’s efforts to further grow demand for Gelbvieh and Balancer®-influenced cattle, and facilitate and increase the use of AGA’s commercial cowherd database, Smart Select Service.
“I’m truly honored and excited to serve the membership of the AGA and work with such an excellent team,” says Fiske. “I look forward to connecting our members and their customers with profitable opportunities in today’s beef industry through technologies and markets.”
A native of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Fiske grew up in the commercial cow-calf and stocker business. Taking an active role in 4-H and FFA as well as serving as a junior board director of the National Junior Angus Association also encouraged his passion for the beef industry.
With bachelor’s degrees in agribusiness and animal science from Virginia Tech, Fiske managed a heifer research and development facility before pursuing a master’s degree in animal breeding and genetics at Kansas State University.
While at Kansas State, Fiske was involved with projects that assessed structural soundness of purebred cattle. Additionally, Fiske was involved with a nutritional supplementation study. His thesis work includes the development of a genetic evaluation for a Bos indicus cattle breed (Afrikaner) in South Africa. Most recently, he served as a contractor with American Angus Association’s Angus Genetics Inc., collecting and analyzing foot data in Angus herds across the country.
“We are excited to have Will joining the AGA team. His expertise and industry experience are sure to be an asset for the AGA as we continue to become a progressive breed association in today’s modern beef industry,” says Megan Slater, AGA interim executive director.
Fiske will begin fulltime with the AGA on January 2, 2019, and will be based in Manhattan, Kansas. Fiske can be reached at 303-465-2333 or via email at will@gelbvieh.org.
The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.
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Note to Editors: A high-resolution press quality photo is available by contacting Kelsi Christian, American Gelbvieh Association multimedia coordinator, at kelsi@gelbvieh.org or 303-465-2333