Loading summary
A
All right, so we got another preview for y' all and this is actually happening due to Mr. Clayton Trammell doing such an awesome job. And we're pretty excited to be able to represent the Weeping Fox Ranch out there in Iowa. Me and Mr. Todd Vogel have had a few conversations and I'm fairly excited to represent them. You can find their sale there on Steer Bidder. It happens on the 22nd. Obviously we're going to go through all the lots with y' all along with some other stuff that they got in store that they're pretty excited about. And so with that said, Mr. Vogel, you'd like to introduce yourself kind of what the primary goal is for Weeping Fox. And after that we'll dive through the lots.
B
Well, my name's Todd Vogel and I have owned Weeping Fox Ranch. It's a family operation. My wife Chris, our oldest son Cody and Peyton are here working in the day to day operation of the ranch and the farming operation. We're in Hartley, Iowa, which is northwest Iowa. So we're about 25, 30 miles from the Minnesota line and short 50, 60 miles from the South Dakota line.
A
Awes awesome. Well, with that said, you start off with lot one being a maintainer female. She's an all me out of a female called 957 which is a maternal maid. She is an October born and in my mind it doesn't get as maternal as her just in terms of the shape to her head and neck, her silhouette from the side, her ratio from fore rib to flank. I mean, she's extremely impressive. What's your thoughts on her and what your goal for her would be?
B
Well, you brought up the maternal side of the pedigree and, and that that cow we call 957 actually goes back to a purebred shorthorn cow sired by Charisma. And in the Shorthorn breed, those Charisma females are known for their maternal power. So there's not just the maternal, the maternal maid side of the 957 cow. We really look back to the charisma that's in that pedigree too. So that 957cow is actually a half blood shorthorn. But appears to us right now that that she's Homozygoma zygos black. She's young enough. We really haven't done a lot with her. This, this lot one female, this is just probably the third set of et cabs. We had our first set of et cabs on a very limited basis in 2024, I believe there's only a Couple of those. One went out to Indiana and had some success out there and then unfortunately got injured before we could get into state fair and then the fall show season, Louisville and some of those things. So unfortunately she went off the grid on us. You know, a lot of maternal power. We had one on the 2025 fall sale. Like I said, it's been kind of limited numbers that we're working with with this 957cow, but we'll be hitting her a lot harder going forward. Family that bought that one has not been showing a lot. I don't even know if they've been out at all. The kids are really active in sports. So we kind of got to get and then get that heifer out and get her seen. But she's typical of that on what we've seen in the last couple sail rounds. Great structured, as much power as you'd want to get into one and bone as you can and still keep their joints clean and keep them mobile. You get her wet. I'm a big one on what these things look like on the wash rack. She's really true when you get around the wash rack. So she'd be a real great addition to anyone that's. That's got a main NGU program. Especially when I keep going back to that charisma back in the. In the background on her. I think she has a lot to offer. A lot of different programs.
A
Absolutely. Lot two's next. This would be a shorthorn. Plus she's a May we all out of a worldwide right direction. She's another October born in my mind. Extremely bold, ribbed, has a long level hip and utilizes her hind leg correctly. Talk to me about the female and what especially how she's bred. What that cow's done for y' all as well.
B
Well, we have been consigning to the Red dirt Treasure sale in Oklahoma. Now I can't remember four or five years, three years. And we try and buy something out of that sale that we like that we think that we can work with. And. And that cow that particular year was our choice out of that sale. She's a Worldwide on the right direction. So she's a purebred. This is her first calf. She was a fall. She was a fall born herself. So this is her first calf. By May we all tickled to death with what she did on her first go round. We couldn't be happier. Like you had made note of, is just incredibly big rib. Really maternal flat shouldered, flat necked neck. Comes off the top of that Shoulder beautifully. Tail, head ties in nicely. Great structure. You get her, you watch the video and you can kind of see how she gets out and moves. If you would like one a little more on the moderate side. That's the way she's going to read. That's the way I read her. But we got to understand that it's a first calf heifer and a calving ease mating. So that's, that's going to be part of it. But a really impressive female. Like I said, we couldn't be happier with what we got out of the first try on that female.
A
Yes, sir. Well, lot three is next and this is the start to many Herefords. But this would be a polled and she's out of the marksman bull who's been known in the industry for a while and also out of a Calio called 22 1Z. A kind of outlier in her markings. But I think it really highlights her profile. I mean real long neck that ties to the top side of her shoulder. Extremely robust about her rib design, extremely stout featured. I love this female. Talk to me about her and what you think her future looks like.
B
Well, for those of you not familiar with Z, that was a heifer that Peyton showed back in the 2013 show season. So there's, there's some history on her. She won the bread and Owens at junior nationals. Got a piece of a division at junior nationals. We call her the, the Hereford that broke the glass ceiling because she was supreme champion at Iowa State Fair. She was supreme at the 4H Show. She won the open show. We had quite a with her. She's, she's bred different. She goes back to the cotton cow family. And for you Texans, that 221Z is sired by Brad Hale's 3011 bull. So that's where you get that extra shot of look the bone and an exceptional hair coats on those cattle for you show boys. So she's been, she's been a real jewel for us and she has been cloned. So as we get down through these cattle, you're going to see a cow that comes up we call carbon copy and she is a clone to 221 marksman mating that we have on lot three, the first Hereford lot. This marksman we've had a quite a bit of success with that mating on 221. It's, it's a real go to mating for us. The predictability on it is, is really high. This heifer in particular, she's the bigger statured heifer in the group. And it's not just because of her age. She's going to be the bigger statured heifer down the road. Is she too big? Absolutely not. But if you like the ones that just carry a little more stature, she's going to be an incredible bred. If you look at her now and you just read putting 800, 900 pounds on that heifer. What she's going to look like down the road when you throw that kind of weight on her, get a calf in her. She's going to be a factor in the show ring. And we know how these cattle feed. We know how they turn out in the right home. We had in the Texas majors. We had so far two division champions on one reserve division. Now, if I got my facts right, the reserve division and the division champion. Were full sibs to this mating. There was a heifer that won was reserve at San Antonio, I believe, a year ago. And I believe she was mated the same way. A marksman on the 1Z cow. And I believe after San Antonio, she went on to another one of the majors. And got a piece of one of those majors. So it's a predictable mating getting back to her in particular. I mean, you watch the video, but you just see the way that her neck ties out of the top of her shoulder.
A
She's.
B
If you like a Hereford that maybe can take a little more feed. And I'm not saying you're going to feed her like a steer or a shorthorn. But from a management standpoint, to me, she's going to be a little bit easier for a lot of homes to feed. And then I believe that maybe she can take a few more calories a day if it. If it comes to that. All the same, she's in a yard with about 20 other head. And I wouldn't say that she's just running ahead of them condition wise. But that's the way I read her. She's sure one of our favorites. And she's one of those that's been getting a lot of attention. For people that came around in the early winter and have been through so far.
A
Well, lot four is next. This be a horned Hereford female. That is out of the dignified bull on a cow that's actually out of Z. She reads to be a little bit more moderate in her type and kind. But I don't think that works to her demise. Because that's still an extremely proportional female. That's got a lot of rib shape. And she's extremely flexible at the surface. Talk to me about her and what you think she can do for someone?
B
So you had it. She's, she's a moderate one. Is she too moderate? Absolutely not. I feel being to enough of these Hereford majors that the moderate ones in the horn division probably get along a little better than if you put a moderate one, say in a pole division. That's just the way I read it. So I just say that she is horned a little different mating that Laura cow. She was a reserve division at Junior Nationals. Well, when it was held in Louisville, I think. I can't remember what year. Maybe in 22 or 23, something like that. We've got some more calves on the ground out of her that are coming this spring that, that, that are exceptional. We're tickled to death with them. So we know kind of going forward what this heifer can do. She's, she's bred right, great body. Another one that's flat shouldered, flat necked to a large part. Has a lot of pieces of the flatter made more feminine pieces that you might find in a pulled heifer. You're going to find in this one. Great structured, got. Got a little extra shot of muscle. I think probably if you want one that you can jackpot with down south. That she'd be a great one for, for that kind of venue is the way I read her. But a real promising future on this heifer also for sure.
A
Lot 5's next. This would be a polled Hereford out of the BR Cooper 124Y on a cow you'll call Venice, which is a 2296. Talk to me about her. I mean I think that she's extremely maternal. Especially when the shape to her head, especially back down to her flanks, just how tidy it is. Definitely draws back to a soft deep flank. I love her hip and hind leg. Talk to me about her, what her background is and what you think she can do for someone as well.
B
Well, I'm always like to start with the cow side of the pedigree on this. And Venice is a fairly young cow around here. She wanted one her class at Junior Nationals she wasn't showing real heavily. We had kind of a stacked, stacked barn that year. But she was sure still good enough to go to Junior Nationals and win a class. The copper 124Y's within the breed are well known just for the cow power that they have to offer. Copper124, yeah, as a horned bull. So this heifer will probably carry a horn gene if you want to make horned cattle, if that's what your pursuit is. She's going to give you that kind of flexibility. Little later bloomer in that. But got her weaned, got her on feed and she really took off on us. I mean like really took off on us. So great body, great structured. If you're looking for something that. That you know you can make a cow out of and have some mating flexibility with them, this would be the one. I think she's going to have a lot way. But yeah, she's. She has really come around here since. Since weaning time and really responded well. The cattle got kind of shaggy and we got her cleaned up and clipped and even then wet on the wash rack. We kind of knew that we had something that had really turned the corner for us. And it's promising.
A
Yes sir. Well then Lot 6 is next. This would be another horned Hereford out of the UPS 2296. So I'd assume that's a bull of yalls on the 22.1Z that we've talked about prior to. Talk to me about the female. She reads extremely intriguing. Especially her mating.
B
Well 2296 that would be sensation. 2296. And there's been countless numbers of those produced over the last few years. This is the mating that has probably sent as many cattle to the backdrop across the finish line as anything we've ever done. They've won divisions at junior nationals. They've won state fairs, you know, jackpotted. We can't say enough about mating. And this is the last one that we'll have out of the original Z right here. Anything we have going forward that's mated like that is going to be out of the clone. But honestly the clone's been working every bit as well. Maybe even better than 221Z. So you can tie into this one with a high amount of confidence. We've mated these things for the last probably four or five years and had a lot of success with them. They're extremely consistent. We know how they're going to feed, we know how they're going to turn out in the right home. But a heifer with a just a tremendous amount of body. They got great muscle, a little extra shot of bone on these things. But their joint work is still really good. Big footed, everything points the right direction. She is horned if you're looking for a horned one. But we're really high on this mating going forward. We'll probably continue to put in some more of these. That's just what we think of this mating. Even though 2296 is. He likely could be 1012 years old, I'd have to look him up. But going forward, we think that they're still right for the times. I mean even the 221z cow, when we look at how old she is, the go and clone her, we wouldn't have done it if we didn't think that she was right for the times. And these cattle are still right for what's, what's being picked out there and what the industry wants.
A
Yes sir. Lot 7 would be next and this would be mentioned the, the, the clone of which she would be out of on the marksman sire. So talk to me about her. I mean I, I love her build. I love her presence from the side, especially when she's in motion. Talk to me about her. Obviously you touched on the female being a clone. I mean, discuss about what you think she can do for someone.
B
Well, this, this calf running around out on corn stalks, you know, until she matured a little bit. She looks like a pulled heifer. She is horned, but she's built like a polled one. When she initially came through the chute for her first round of shots, we were feeling her head just to see if there was going to be horns coming and yeah, there was, but she's, she's a horned heifer with the build of a polled and those are extremely hard to find. You just in the hair coat on this thing for a horned heifer. Dark red, long straight hair. She's got hair on her like the manes. We got great structure. You can look at her in the picture and in the videos and you can see that her, her bone work is incredible. Her joint work is incredible. That shoulder, that front end, the head, the whole thing is just femininity. And if you didn't know that she was horned, you would think that she's a pulled female. She's going to be ultra competitive in that horned thing. I have no doubt about that. So when I look at these cattle that had gone down south, ran in those southern majors or those Texas majors, she's a type and kind that's going to compete. You're not going to miss that one. You look at her hip, the way her tail, head ties in there, her top, the whole thing. She didn't take the best video. She's a little down headed but you're not showing them without a halter on them anyway. But that one, when you get a halter on her and get her head up, just love her. We're really, really high on, we're really, really high on this one right Here getting a little ahead of myself. But of all the fall borns we had this year coming into them, years passed. Normally you're going to get a knucklehead in there, someone that kicks, someone that's unruly. In this whole group of fall borns, everybody in the crew had commented about how good they are. We didn't have a kicker. We didn't have one that took extra effort to get them broke. And this heifer in particular is kid ready. So you got a beginning showman or fairly, you know, inexperienced. Someone that's in their first couple years. She's perfect for them. She's just got an incredible disposition.
A
Yes, sir. Well, lot eight would be next. This would actually be a full sib to Lot 3. But I honestly feel as if she replicates the female we just talked about in Lot 7. Just in terms of her body type and build. I love the female, especially from profile. Talk to me about her. Obviously she'd be a pole, not a horned. But I feel as if, just in terms of body type, the way she moves her feet and legs at the surface replicates lot 7 in quite a way.
B
Well, you're right about that. That's where I get into. Seven really looks more pulled than horned. And when you put these two alongside and one's out of the clone, one's out of the original, but they're pretty much flush mates in my eyes. And there's so, so many similarities. This Lot 8 heifer, she was born in the middle of the night. I went out there in the morning to get her tagged and vaccinated and take care of her. And I drove away from that, from that deal with the cow, getting them all tagged in that. And I knew we had something special. She was special then and she's special now. She represents the really good ones that we've sent out of here that have been successful. The structure, the bone, the joint work, the body, her chest floor, the way her tail, head ties into her, her neck. Bright, bright future on this one. One that we're really, really high on. One that's really representative of what this mating can do, unfortunately, and I think a lot of Hereford breeders will concur with this is the marksman. Semen is really hard to work with. It won't sort of. So we have to flush with it, put them in. We got a lot of bull calves out of that mating this year, unfortunately. It'd be nice to have more individuals like the lot three, the first Hereford, seven, eight, you know those. I just wish we could Replicate those cattle more. But the. The semen, the quality of the semen really limits us in what we can produce around here. But let's face it, I mean, the recips around here are a finite asset is what I want to say. So, you know, we only have so many recips available to work with. I just wish that we had more of them and could put more of this mating in. Because we get. We get the heifer calves out of this deal. We know what we got, we know what we're going to get. They're predictable, and we know how they're going to turn out down the road.
A
Yes, sir. Nine will be next. This will be the start to the first, but also second ball borns, which will both be November's lot nine will end up being a pulled Hereford. She's out of Red river on a stock option. Female. Obviously these are a little smaller. They are fall borns. But I think they're both extremely unique in their type and kind. But especially Lot 9. Just in terms of the length of her neck, where it ties in at the top side of her shoulder, and just how long and level her hip is as well, and really highlighted her silhouette. Talk to me about her and what you think her future looks like.
B
Well, we. We do all the fall calving over where Peyton lives, which is predominantly where. And I'm maybe I'm going to get a little long winded here. So I don't get it. I'm over there calving the cows out. She was born late enough, probably about one of the very last ones born. So then I just packed the camper and headed for home. Because I just live out of the camper over there for a couple months, so I didn't see a lot of her. I would go over there and just drive through the corn stalks and. And I asked Peyton one time, who is that? We always called her tag 24. That was her pasture tag. Who is that? Well, that's out of that stock option. Daughter. I always liked her. I liked her from the time she was two, three weeks old. And if I over or really only ever got over there maybe once or twice a week to go through those cattle, I just leave it up to Bo to walk those cattle every day and take care of the health on them. But she's. She's really one of my favorites, honestly. In the sale. The last two lots in the sale, 9 and 10, were probably only weaned about 10 days before we did pictures. We were really pressing. They might have been maybe, what, three And a half months old, something like that. So they were getting weaned pretty young. So if you look at her, you can tell she's. She's greener than the rest of them in the lot, as is Lot 10 on the sale. Because was basically get them weaned, throw a halter on them, get the beller off them, drag them on the wash rack, give them a bath, and they went to the picture pen. Probably like I said, a week or 10 days later. It was a pretty quick turnaround. But the cow side of the deal, she was a summer born that we had a family show for us and they got along pretty well with her. I wanted to try that stock option bull. I believe the cow was. The grand dam was a 2290. That goes back to either 2012 or Cotton's blessing. But this is just her second calf. So the first calf, honestly heifer. And I'm thinking she might even had a set of twins her first year. So this is really her first chance to prove herself. Tickled to death with her long spine, great hip. I love the way her tail head sits in. Great structured. Watch the video. She's for real. We have people coming to us at our. Aren't going to get up here to look at the cattle. And I said, you really need to. You really need to take a hard look at that. That lot nine heifer. She's been one of my favorites. She's going to have a little different pedigree than a lot of the cattle are that are out there right now, which is going to give you some flexibility when she ends up being a cow. But I like her a lot and she's only going to get better and really sends pictures and videos. And we got the bell or off these last two lots. She's gained a lot of weight and she's great future. This is another one that I really, really like a lot.
A
And.
B
And I have for the last couple months. Honestly. Don't be shy on this one. I. I think she's a fairly safe bet.
A
Yes, sir. Well, lot 10 is next, and this is one that'll round out the sale. She's a horned Hereford on the bull that y' all call 2296 that we've talked about prior to out of the carbon copy female. That's the clone to 22.1Z. This one's got a lot of things bred into her, especially just in terms of y' all success. Talk to me about her future. I do believe that she's extremely fundamental in her type and kind Just in terms of her body shape and her feet and legs. Again, her future seems bright, Especially with how she's bred.
B
Well, she would be. If you take the. The clone out of it, I guess just consider the clone is also a 221Z. That's the way I read them. She would be that mating that we've had a lot of success with. As far as division champions, reserve divisions, state Fair champions, open 4H, show champions. A young one. And you look at the video, you can see that she's really, really green. You can tell that she's really, really young. This is a pedigree and a mating that. It's a pretty safe bet. We've had enough of these over the years. In the right homes. We know how they're going to turn out and the success that they're going to have. We did buy back, I think, enough of this mating. That a couple of these families are slowing down in their show careers. So we bought back a half interest and a couple full sibs to this lot 10 heifer. We're getting some of the first calves of our own. Out of those cattle on the ground right now. And we're tickled to death. So here's a female that I think has a lot of potential in the show ring. She'll be again, you get some weight on her. And you gotta look at her 12 months from now at the majors. Whether you're running around at Oklahoma City or Denver. Or then sliding into these later majors like Oye and the Texas majors. Throw 800 pounds on her, 900 pounds on her, and she's going to be a force. I'm not going to guarantee it, but I just about guarantee it. Because we know how these things are going to turn out. And then. Plus, they're going to go on. And it's looking to us like this mating. They're going to make awesome donors. So it's not just a show and done deal. You got something that the kids, the family, will have to work with. Going forward the next eight, ten years.
A
Yes, sir. Absolutely. Well, that wraps up the sale. And obviously we can find it on steer bidder. And it happens there on the 22nd. Obviously, your number's on there along with Peyton and Cody's. The sale looks extremely deep. But I also know that y' all are pretty in depth. With the shorthorn side of things. And you got some consignments in another sale. That you'd like to discuss about. And if you want to go over those with me, we can definitely discuss those. As well.
B
So, yeah, when we started the conversation, I really didn't give you a lot of background in what we do. So I would be, to my knowledge, at least, a fourth generation a cow calf operator. My boys would be fifth generation. So we've been doing this for quite a while. My wife's side of the family, they raised multiple champions at state fairs and things like that. So they've got a background in the cow calf program. I grew up with black cattle in a commercial, really just a commercial working cow operation, feedlot operation. A lot of what was what I learned as a kid growing up, Just the production side of it. That still holds true to me today. That these cattle need to be functional. They're not just show cattle. That they represent the beef industry and they need to be beef cattle and have things to offer the beef industry. Fleshing ability, muscle, soundness. My emphasis might be maybe a little different than a lot of people out there that, you know, I like sound cattle. We need sound cattle, but we also need some muscle and some body and fleshing ability in these cattle. So as far as the shorthorn side of it, a kid growing up, my dad. Nah, we're not doing that shorthorn thing. You know, I love those like any other kid. You like those growing pretty cattle and that's what you wanted, or we're not doing that, is what I heard for however many years. And. And we got married, my wife and I, and wanted a breed we could get started in that was quiet. So we started in the shorthorn deal and literally from scratch, we had none. Had to go out, buy a female, and then maybe a couple others. And we bought some donors and had a fair amount of success in it. The Hereford deal came about that if we were off to shows, we didn't want to be competing against our customers. So we locked into a couple Herefords just for the kids to show and got them started in that. So honestly, the shorthorn side of the program came along. Might have come along maybe seven, eight, nine years before we ever got into the Herefords. So we've had a presence in the shorthorns for quite a while. Peyton really enjoyed the Hereford deal, so our focus kind of got turned over to Herefords. Starting probably in that 2010, 2011 range. We maintained the shorthorns, but we just didn't pursue it. The last junior nationals we might have been at for the shorthorns Might have been Maybe back in 15 or 16, somewhere in there. And at that point, I think Ashley had already aged out and Peyton was getting Close to aging out. So the shorthorn side of it, we've got some pedigrees, we've got some cows that have worked. This Emily cow was. Has produced for us for a long time. Been really successful, really predictable. There's some age on her. I believe that Peyton showed her at junior nationals back in 2008. She went second in class every show, every national show she went to. She went second in class to the champion overall female. The female that beat her would win the division, would win the show overall. So she just hung in there like a bite and sow. That Emily Deal turned out to be a really good cow. So you can go to our website on Facebook. Weeping Fox Ranch and we posted the pictures. The catalog for the red Dirt sale just got done yesterday, which would have been Monday the 16th. Or didn't get posted, but it got proved. So we know the catalog order. So the lot 9A and 9B heifers in that sale are going to be out of that Emily cow sired by Charisma. And like I had alluded to earlier on the lot, one heifer. The main heifer that Charisma Deal is. Those things are so maternal. Made that a heifer. We have had multiples of these Emily charismas done over the years. She flushed successfully. We could use sex semen or reverse sort the semen. So most of what we got out of her was heifer calves. And we would produce maybe three or four of them every year for our fall born sale. This lot 9 a heifer, when you get a chance to read the footnotes when the catalog comes out, she's probably one of the most dominating individuals you've ever had out of that flush. I'm just type and kind. She's going to be a blast. I mean, she truly is going to be a blast for whoever ends up owning her. The videos are done. I don't know where they're at. We'll have them available on our website eventually. A link to get to the videos. But she's really worth looking up. I jumped ahead of myself a little bit because I'm kind of going off the age of these cows. But three A and three B lots on the sale, they are out of a cow that Brooke Puckett in Iowa bought from us. I believe on the. So she'd be a 22 model of fall born. We reserve the rights to flushes on her. And we did her to Dream Weaver. I just see that Brooke just posted something on Facebook when she saw these pictures. She shared the pictures. These would be Some of the first calves out of her. And we couldn't be more happy that that mating just flat hit. And they are summer borns. One's a June and one's a July. But even in the heat of summer with. With flies and. And everything. Pastures getting shorter later in the season. We knew that these two heifers are special. Great bodied, great structure, lots of bone on them. Good color. Temperaments are decent. One's a little better than the other. But we couldn't be happier with that mating. And then they go back to that 277cow that that Brook bought. Goes back to the picture perfect cow family that's fairly well known in. In the shorthorn breed. The. The lot 10 heifer in the catalog is. Is an evolution out of. Out of Emily. She's the only one we got. She's. I believe she's a little later. She's probably a November model if my memory serves me right. Like that one a lot. Moderate, really good structured, good disposition. But take a look at her. Like I said, the videos will be coming out later. My guess is that this catalog for the red dirt sale will probably be. It's being proofed now. Would be available to view online at Agata Marketing Services Services. So you should be able to check that out. Just. Just log into his website Agater Marketing Services and just kind of keep your eye out to see when that catalog is going to be posted. Next one down is Bee Heifer. And that was kind of a FA a father versus his sons deal. She's really young. She's a December. Wasn't even weaned for pictures. It was a day we did pictures and videos. I told the boys that we're going to get that heifer in. I know she's not broke. We're going to scrape the mud off her hocks. We're going to blow some oil in her, clip her up the best we can because there's too many good pieces in that heifer. And she was an orphan to a bottle calf. Finally eventually got her over on a. On a nurse cow. She's had a rough life. But here the last four weeks she's really turned the corner. She's got an awesome pedigree. We've had cattle pedigree like this. This red Knight out of that 044 picture perfect cow that have been really successful for people. And. And I would not write her off. She. We're probably not even going to wean her until about a week or 10 days before the sale. She is just that young. But she is doing that well, so don't write that one off. If you have the ability to go to the sale April 11th in Seminole, Oklahoma, she'll be worth looking up. She's going to be in a division that's not heavily pursued by a lot of people out there. So she's got that going for her. But even the girls that come up from Iowa State and work with these cattle, we just washed her for the first time this weekend, had her broke well enough to bring her in. And they said, you know, that thing wet. There's a lot of good in that heifer and a lot of good pieces. So I'm not ready to write her off. Like I said, when the boys, they kind of moaned and groaned when I said, hey, you know, I know it's going to be a long day in the picture pan, but this one's coming through. So it's dad's call and you're just gonna have to put up with what dad tells you to do. The last, the, the Last Heifer was kind of one of those deals where I just like to throw some darts in our ET program and just see what we can get and what sticks. She's out of the Tony Cow. And the people that follow the shorthorn purebred shorthorn steer deal have started to learn that there probably is not a more dominating purebred shorthorn steer mama in the country than Toni. And I think that I can brag on her that high. She's had two reserve champion steers at junior nationals. If you follow what's going on off Sullivan's pulse. You watch the shorthorn steers around the country right now, whether it be in Indiana. She's got a son out there that hasn't been beaten the shorthorn division. She's got a couple of them running around in Ohio that have been multiple shorthorn steer champions multiple times. One here in Iowa that's been out two, three times and hasn't been beat. She just flat out works. So. So we'd been doing her to perfection again and again and I thought, well, let's just do something different. And so we tried the St. Jude bull that came from Chris Black. He was a high selling bull on Chris Black's sale just fairly recently. And he has a little bit of a. He's half blood, semi St. Jude is, but he's got some shorthorn influence in there. He looks a little bit shorthorn. I called Brandon Kellis because Brandon had worked that sale. I said, what's the story on him? He said, well, that thing's flat good. He said that thing bit as good as might be one of the best ones Chris Black's ever raised. That whole operation is really high on that one. So we gave him a try and she's a result of that. She's cool marked, huge body, big bone, but still nice jointed, big footed. That one's a beast. She's a late May, but she'll paper is a shorthorn. Plus, like I said, she goes back to that Tony cow that has done just a phenomenal job on the short purebred shorthorn steers. There might only be three daughters to my knowledge, that ever came out of Tony because we were always using sex semen on her and raising steers. She would be one of them. I've got one here and the third one, if there even is a third one, I cannot account for it. But. And Tony is gone. She's dead. We did clone her. There's three clones running around over at Transova, but we're not going to see those in production for a couple years. So here's one you can tie into that's just got a interesting pedigree on the sire side and an absolutely sure bet pedigree coming out of the dam side with that Tony cow. But she's an interesting deal and just like I said, cool colored, I mean really, really cool. There's me a lot of kids that gonna love that one. And you walk in the ring with this one and you're not gonna get missed.
A
Yes, sir. For sure. Well, and as you said prior to that sale happens on the 11th of April and y' all are extremely excited for those heifers to get in the right homes. I briefly saw the pictures on Facebook and was extremely excited to look at a few of them. For sure. To be that intriguing for the short breed in a hole I think is very, very sought after for the industry and what we're in right now for sure. With that said, I'm extremely grateful to be able to represent y' all and, and be able to do this with you. Glad that we were able to get it done and grateful for Clayton Trammell and all his hard work as well. So with that said, is there any extra comments that you'd like to leave the listeners with?
B
So the weather looks promising this weekend, so if you want to run up, take a peek, the weather's going to be good, it's going to warm up. Might be a little bit on the muddy side because we just got done going through a blizzard and all that stuff's going to melt off. But we'll be around. We'll be available if you feel like running up. If you need. If you need more cell phone videos, the boys might be doing some more, but please give us some advance notice. I guess if you need something when the sale's going on is really not the time to be texting us and asking for more videos. So. So. But yeah, we'd love to have you up. Like I said, the weather's going to be good this weekend. And call ahead of time, Texas ahead of time. Let us know that you're coming. But we'd love to see you up here. Last year, we just freighting these things around is kind of a concern for people. Last year, we just threw everybody on a trailer. We had enough Herefords going south. We ran everybody south of Oklahoma City and met up with most of the buyers. South Oklahoma City. Worst case scenario, we would bring them down to the Red Dirt sale in Seminole, Oklahoma, at no charge. And you would have to pick them up there the first day that we're there, which would be around April 8th. So we can get them. We can get them to that Seminole, Oklahoma City area at no charge. So either way, we'll get them south for you. For our Southern people.
A
Extremely good to know. Yes, sir.
B
For sure.
A
Well, glad that we were able to get that out there for the people, for sure. Especially for down here in the South. Great. Once again, grateful to be able to do this for y' all and glad that we were able to represent y' all and y' all stock. They look extremely high quality and very excited to see what the future holds. So with that said, empowerment's here, and thank y' all for tuning in.
B
Thanks, Bonches.
EmpowerU Podcast: Weeping Fox Ranch Sale Preview
Host: Weston Hendrix
Guest: Todd Vogel (Owner, Weeping Fox Ranch)
Date: March 17, 2026
This episode delivers an in-depth preview of the Weeping Fox Ranch sale, set for March 22nd on Steer Bidder. Host Weston Hendrix and guest Todd Vogel (ranch owner) discuss each lot in the upcoming sale, offering expert insight into the cattle’s pedigrees, traits, and performance potential. The episode also covers the ranch's shorthorn breeding program and their consignments to the Red Dirt sale, offering listeners a wealth of knowledge for buyers and breeders seeking to build their herds with proven genetics. Throughout, the tone is open, practical, and deeply rooted in livestock industry expertise.
On Maternal Genetics & Breeding Philosophy
On Predictability of “221Z” Line
On the Sale’s Youngest Lots
On Customer Service
Throughout the episode, Todd and Weston speak candidly and knowledgeably, often delving into specifics about pedigrees, cattle structure, and the realities of preparing young show prospects. There is an air of helpfulness and pride in the program’s consistency and emphasis on functional, industry-relevant cattle.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone considering participation in the Weeping Fox Ranch sale or learning about high-quality shorthorn and Hereford cattle. Todd Vogel’s practical philosophy and multi-generational experience shine through, making clear the rigorous standards and care that define the Weeping Fox program.
Sale date: March 22 on Steer Bidder
Consignment: Red Dirt Sale, April 11 in Seminole, OK
For more videos and to arrange a visit, listeners are encouraged to call ahead and check social media for updates.