Larson Red Angus was a stop I had highly anticipated since the spring.  The incredible interest that has amassed since our purchased of 7AR61 Sun King made this a can’t-miss stop for this tour of the Big Sky State.  The dam of Sun King, ‘545’ as she is known around the ranch was a moderate sized tank that seemed to be one of the widest based Red Angus females that I have ever seen.  I wish we could fast forward a few years to see the Sun King daughters in production; with a granddam like 545, you know they are going to be good!  Emily & Dave were great hosts and they were excited to present this show-case herd of cows on their picturesque ranch; it was a great way to start the day.

Montana State University has become a great partner in the YSP-II program at Select Sires.  Pete Olind, manager of the university beef program, met Jay & I for lunch then took us to see the weaned calves, 2 year olds and three year old females on the campus farm.  Like many of the herds using our younger bulls, I found the Angus sired calves by 44 Changeup to be pretty easy to pick out--  There always seems to be a lot of mass and class in those calves.  The Hereford sired calves by 7HP105 Durango were very long-spined, smooth shouldered and deep flanked.  The future replacements in this Land Grant project are destined for a great future. 

When Pete took us out of Bozeman to Red Bluff to see some of the mature cows, I was delighted by the uniformity of the daughters by the SS MARB standout for the Hereford breed, 7HP99 Magnum.  Very moderate in frame, these big barreled 4 year olds had model commercial cow written all over them.  Their cross with some of our young sires will be fantastic.  Pete also showed us a small pen of heifers that were being halter broke.  In this pen was probably the greatest Angus show heifer prospect I have seen all fall.  Sired by GAR Progress, this heifer calf was as angular made, deep sided, and as massive in her lower 1/3 as you could imagine.  Jay Nansel & I both found each other laughing as we approached this great one.  She was ready to show off then come visit us for a scratch.  I have always appreciated GAR Progress for his picture and video on this website along with his on-hoof appearance in stud, but after the week I had in the Big Sky State, I can say that the proof is in the progeny.  That bull is for real.