Podcast Summary: EmpowerU – Fraker/Holmes Female Sale Preview
Podcast: EmpowerU
Hosts: Weston Hendrix, Luke Domingue
Guests: Devin Fraker, Jared Holmes
Date: December 22, 2025
Subject: Preview of the Fraker/Holmes Female Sale, a top-tier bred heifer and cow sale on SteerBidder, December 27th
Episode Overview
This episode offers a comprehensive lot-by-lot preview of the Fraker/Holmes Working Class Female Sale, bringing together some of the most promising bred females and donors in the livestock industry. Hosts Weston and Luke are joined by Devin Fraker and Jared Holmes, who openly share their breeding philosophy, backgrounds, and in-depth insight into the exceptional genetics featured in the sale. Listeners gain a transparent look at the motivations behind the offering and a detailed description of the cattle, including their pedigrees, market potential, and what sets each apart.
Meet the Guests & Their Operations
Devin Fraker
- Continues the “Working Class” sale legacy with a focus on high-quality bred females and cows.
- Family operation located in Iowa, partnering closely with his wife and kids, as well as extended family.
- Known for fall sales focused on show calves and trading.
Jared Holmes
- Runs Holmes Livestock Logistics with his wife, Megan, handling all classes of hogs and cattle in IA, IL, MO.
- Raises cattle originating from daughters’ heifer projects, now managing 20+ donors and 200 recips.
- Emphasizes learning from the best, “We surround ourselves with people who know what they’re doing and ask a lot of questions.” (03:05)
Sale Philosophy & Emotional Toll
- Both breeders stress the challenge of selling their “best stuff,” expressing a genuine passion for the cattle and seriousness about their breeding.
- Jared Holmes: “When we were loading them up... it was one of them sorts you didn’t want to do. You kind of had to shut your eyes and push them all out the gate.” (02:50)
- Both agree: “At the end of the day, you just can’t keep them all... We’re all kind of pushing the chips to the center.” (03:05)
- Sale is intentionally “deep,” with quality lots from start to finish.
Lot-by-Lot Highlights & Key Insights
Lot 1 – Elite Angus Female
Sire: Alpha 028 x Sarah’s Dream 1339, AI’d to Ma We All
- “She is a three-quarter sister to Primo himself.” (04:10)
- Showstopper in both phenotype and pedigree; “This one pays for herself in a New York minute.” (04:37, Jared Holmes)
- Two flushes reserved.
Lots 2–4 – Key Females from the Fetty Line
Lot 2: Encore x Fetty, AI’d to Dirty Mike
- “You get a rope neck like that and that much body and presence… I don’t even know how to describe her other than she’s just completely out there.” (06:13, Jared Holmes)
Lot 3: Sibling to Lot 2 – nicknamed Donut, powerhouse with belly and substance.
Lot 4: Clean sister, well-suited for steer production or to make females.
Lot 5 – Maintainer “Steer Mama”
Sire: Memphis Mafia x Addie (Crowd Pleaser x Monopoly)
- “Addie is a crowd pleaser… our females kind of stem from his line of genetics.”
- “She’s the steer mama maker in my mind.” (08:20)
Lot 6–8 – 137F Data Bank Females
- Derived from a Wisecup purchase, show-winning foundation cow (“13-time supreme champion for the Tim family”—10:00).
- Descendants noted for “soggy body, awesome feet and legs, awesome presence” (09:55, Devin Fraker).
- Full siblings to high achievers on the national show circuit.
- “This thing hits you every time you walk by… looks like she’s going to be an incredible cow.” (10:39)
Lot 9 – High Main/Low Key Female
- “Punched me right in the face… main deal is getting hot, pedigree sky’s the limit.” (12:37, Jared Holmes)
Lot 10 – Lim-Flex
- Dense, burly, and out of the famed 49G line, highly maternal.
- “Anytime I see 49G on any female, I’m interested.” (14:02, Jared Holmes)
Lot 11 – Club Calf Cow Prospect
Sire: How Great Thou Art x Holy Smoker/Driving 80/Monopoly
- “She’s put together as well as anything,” highly maternal and clean. (15:21)
- Two successful flushes retained.
Lot 12–18 – The “300” Cow Family
- Main Angus sired by Memphis Mafia, AI’d to Safety First.
- “The 300 is the cornerstone to what got us going... maternal Angus side with power, punch, and bone from main genetics.” (16:45, Jared Holmes)
- Lot 18 called “in a league of her own,” visually striking, the kind “I want to go look at when the sun’s going down.” (19:14)
Lot 19 – Maintainer: Driving 80 x The Show (Angus)
- “Driving 80 is probably underused today and he’s coming back. This one is good looking and good wheeled and going to be awesome cow.” (20:04, Devin Fraker)
Lot 20–22 – Club Calf Female Trios
- Lot 20: Monopoly x Miss Universe, triple clean, “Rip stout... not very photogenic, but in person, wow.” (22:13, Jared Holmes)
- Lots 21–22: Focus on club calf potential, tested for TH/DS. “That red cow… that’s what they’re supposed to look like.” (23:05, Jared Holmes)
Lot 23–25 – Maintainer and Outcross Opportunities
- Versatile, moderate, and maternal genetics.
- Notable insight: “Highway 21s… most underused main Cavanese bull in the industry as far as I’m concerned.” (24:07, Devin Fraker)
- Intentional, sometimes “accidental,” but productive matings.
Lot 26–27 – Full Sib Memphis Mafia x 52 Female
- “Full sisters, flushmates, cool to see that they can be so different.”
- Extreme functionality, “productivity… they just look like cows are supposed to look like.” (28:50, Jared Holmes)
Lot 28 – High Key: Onset x Hired Man
- Acquired from Idaho via Michigan. “She’s a changing kind… long, level, and super sound.” (29:24, Devin Fraker)
Lot 29 – Club Calf: Worth the Wade x Slugger
- Maternal look for a club calf bred, “first calf will damn sure be sellable.” (30:33, Jared Holmes)
Lot 30 – Club Calf: In God We Trust x Lizzo
- “The cow side of that deal is very, very high quality… I’d go back to How Great or something like that, make steers down the road.” (31:37, Devin Fraker)
Lot 31 – Club Calf: Here I Am x Dixie
- “Victim of the sorting machine” (32:46, Jared Holmes), came out with “the wrong plumbing,” but extremely functional—monster footed and long-bodied.
Lot 32 – Half Sim/Key (Red)
- AI’d to Trust No Bay, described as “a herd marker for sure.”
- “Pick her out right away in the best of herds… denseness, feet, legs, all incredible.” (33:46, Devin Fraker)
Lot 33 – Club Calf: Clean Image x Angus
- “Very maternal looking… makes females all day.” (35:14, Devin Fraker)
Lot 34 – Club Calf: Monopoly x Doctor Who
- “Monopoly daughters have flat-out done it. Doctor Who, that’s some old stuff there… can’t believe I’m selling her, but I am.” (36:36, Devin Fraker)
- Strong pin width, bone, and presence.
Lots 35–36 – Proven Older Donors
Lot 35: Here I Am x High Definition (2017)
- “Don’t shy away from her because of her age, her quality is high and her calves are really good.” (38:46, Devin Fraker)
Lot 36: Fu Manchu x Irish Whiskey/Maximus
- Continues to produce monetary return, “She cracks it off every year.” (39:45)
- Bred to New World Order for 2026; proven “big haired, big footed cattle.” (40:37)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “You just can’t keep them all… we’re all pushing the chips toward the center and here they are, the best of what we got.” – Jared Holmes (03:05)
- “Loaded them all. That’s right.” – Weston (03:21)
- “This thing hits you every time you walk by… Soggy body, awesome feet and legs, awesome presence.” – Devin Fraker on Lot 6 (09:55)
- “There weren’t very many of them, but you know… that was one of the few that worked out in all of our experiments.” – Jared Holmes on Lot 18 (18:48)
- “We’re not selling these cows because there’s anything wrong with them. We do this for a living and I need to generate revenue for my family to eat.” – Devin Fraker (38:36)
- “Putting the best quality forward for public offering is what the main mission was and I think we did it.” – Jared Holmes (41:07)
Final Thoughts & Sale Logistics
- Both breeders stress the pride and pain of letting top females go, solidifying the sale’s reputation for offering exceptional cattle.
- Sale happens December 27 on SteerBidder.
- Contact details for both breeders will accompany the sale catalog.
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:37 – Fraker and Holmes Introductions, Philosophy
- 03:21 – Loading the sale cattle; emotional impact
- 03:47 – Lot-by-lot breakdown begins (Lot 1)
- 09:06 – Lots 6–8, the 137F Data Bank females
- 14:40 – Lot 11, club calf and flush discussion
- 16:45 – Lot 12 onward, 300 family and production philosophy
- 28:38 – Lot 26/27, full sibs, comparing functionality
- 36:36 – Older proven donors, Lot 34–36
- 41:07 – Closing comments and sale mission
This episode serves as not just a sale preview, but a guided tour of the Fraker/Holmes breeding ethos, combining years of pedigree study, showring experience, and the willingness to “let the best go” for the betterment of the industry. For breeders and buyers seeking top-tier maternal and club calf genetics, this is a must-listen, jam-packed with background, honest evaluations, and the stories behind every exceptional female in the lineup.