After the March winds blew us to the 37th Carolina Angus Futurity, April brought us showers. Thanks for the rain!
37th Carolina Angus Futurity
On Friday, March 14th the South Carolina Angus Association members and guests gathered for the banquet and annual meeting at the Ramada Inn in Clemson. The dinner and annual meeting started at 7:00 PM. The new directors were introduced. William Rushton will serve for a second term. Jesse Adkins and Ted Bourne were also elected to serve.
Bobby Mullikin Honored
This year the South Carolina Officers and Directors voted to dedicate the 37th Carolina Angus Futurity to Bobby Mullikin for his work with the Angus breed, the SC Junior and SC Angus Associations. Many of his family were present to join in the accolades. Frankie Mullikin introduced his father and presented him with the Angus bull trophy.
High-Indexing Bulls
The Angus bull owners whose bulls had the highest index at the bull tests were also honored with plaques. Larry Olson was proud to present Billy McLeod of Black Crest Angus with both plaques for high-indexing senior bull (Lot 24 with 9.01) and junior bull (Lot 52 with 8.8) from the Clemson Bull Test in February 2008. Larry Olson also presented himself with a plaque for the high-indexing bull (Lot 52 with 7.49) from the 2007 Edisto Bull Test.
Sales Coming Up-Check Ads inside
May 3- Ogeechee –Wadley, GA
May 31-Hilltop Angus-Mt. Gilead, NC
Carolina Angus Futurity Sale
The sale of the top Angus females went well. Lewis Smith was the sales chairman with Ted Bourne helping. American Angus Hall of Fame was the sale manager with Jeremy Haag on site. Fifty-one lots sold for a total of $112,600. The average was $2208.
Stephanie Clark held the silent auction to benefit the SC Junior Angus Association.
Dues are Due
The SC Angus Association year runs June to June. Therefore the $20 dues for membership is due on June 1st each year. If you have not already pay, please send $20 to SCAA, Windy Bartee, secretary, 1717 St. Paul Church Road, Clover, SC 29710. Many members paid their dues at the banquet. Your address label should read 2009 if your dues have been paid through June 2009.
SC Angus Hall of Fame Inductees
The SC Angus Association began a SC Angus Hall of Fame last year with four charter inductees. This year Walter Shealy and his committee selected three inductees into the SC Angus Hall of Fame. Shirley Brown, Doris Blackmon and Jeff Richardson were honored for their work with Angus in South Carolina. These three will join the 2007 charter members, W.H. McPhail, Dell Owens, Ernie Craig, and Evelyn Edmunds. Plaques will be hung at the American Angus Hall of Fame in Smithfield, Missouri. Walter Shealy’s remarks on the inductees appear in the following section.
SC Angus Hall of Fame Remarks
by Walter Shealy
Jeff Richardson
Born May 2, 1929, Jeff Roland Richardson, Jr. graduated from Simpsonville High School in 1946 and Furman University in 1950. He married Florence McKenzie in 1951, and was married for 55 years. They had 3 daughters and 8 grandchildren.
After being discharged from the army, Jeff went to work with his father at the Jeff Richardson Company, an insurance and real estate business. He slowly took over the business, moving it from a primarily insurance based business to a strictly a real estate business with a reputation for being the first in farm and land sales. Jeff retired from the family business in 2005.
Throughout his life he has been active in a variety of civic activities, from serving as President of the Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce in the late 1950s to most recently serving as President of the Greenville County Historical Society.
Jeff served as Chairman of the Greenville County Republican Party in the early 1960s, and served as a delegate to the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami. He filled an un-expired term in the South Carolina Senate, then served a complete term before retiring from active political life in 1984.
In the late 1960s Jeff came home one day with 3 heifers and a bull. He gradually turned this into the Landmark Farms, with around 250 head of cattle at its height, and many prizewinners including Mark III, which won the Southern Regional Championship.
Jeff served as Director, VP and President of the South Carolina Angus Association and is credited with being the driver behind beginning the Carolina Futurity. He served as its Sale Chairman from 1972-1980.
Jeff showed the same dedication and drive in this aspect of his life as he did in all others, from working with local organizations to promote interest among young people to hosting Livestock Association Dinners. When the South Carolina Department of Transportation deemed it necessary to run the Southern Connector through his family property, Jeff sold off the last of his herd.
Shirley Brown & Doris Blackmon
Fa-mo-da- n. Derived from the first 2 letters of Father, Mother and Daughters. An intricately woven business, spanning decades, built on family values and the love of Angus cattle.
Our story begins in 1945 when William Paul Brown along with his wife Minnie opened Brown’s Packing Plant in Gaffney SC. What was to be a small business that would support his family of 4, ultimately turned into a thriving business and meat market. Brown’s quickly expanded as Shirley, the eldest daughter, began to take an interest. In 1952 while watching the newest load arrive at the plant, Shirley was credited for noticing that one was “fixin’ to calve and insisted that she be separated and allowed to finish. To the amazement of the family, Shirley was right and she now had her first calf. Like many families, all siblings must have the same thing. Doris, the youngest Brown daughter, was no exception and insisted on having her own calf as well. In 1955, with steers in tow, the Brown girls discovered the American Angus Association and started showing.
Brown’s Packing became Famoda Farm in 1962 with the purchase of 350 acres in Northern Greenville County. The packinghouse soon became the “farm house” and the barns were quickly filled with blue ribbons. The same year Doris was named the American Angus Queen while Shirley served as the Shorthorn Princess. Shirley and Doris had proven that in fact there was room for women in the fitting business and that they could compete with any other fitting crew on the road. They became extremely successful and took pride in their work every time they stepped into the show ring. The Brown girls lead champions all over the East Coast.
Like many of us know, there are many stories and friendships made both in and out of the show ring. A few of their highlights included: Winning Champion steer at the Bourbon Beef show in Louisville, KY then promptly being asked to take him to the TV station for an interview. Not only was the interview successful, but they managed not to have any accidents on the elevator as they lead him to the top floor. They’ve been shot at for “attempting” to steal chickens as they changed a tire in Georgia coming back from the Florida state fair and they even once got arrested for not having mud flaps on their truck while hauling cattle though Ohio. From the way I hear it, Doris had to do some creative talking to get out of that one. They avoided jail by tying feed sacks under their truck until they could get home. Famoda cattle have even been known to keep company with politicians and movie stars. In 1967, one was even presented to the Governor of the great state of South Carolina.
Today, life is much quieter for the Brown girls. The focus is more on family and the breeding of top Angus cattle. In the recent years, Famoda progeny have topped the state sales, been slapped for champion in Denver and even been internationally exported to Pakistan. Both Shirley and Doris remain active with local 4H and FFA clubs and on more than one occasion Famoda has hosted judging teams from around the upstate. They are always willing to give a word of encouragement to a member of the Jr. Angus Association.
What started out as a family business has evolved into so much more. Famoda was built, and still stands, on Faith, Family and the Farm. When looking at the years of service, dedication and impact on the Angus Association and to the Angus Breed itself, Shirley and Doris embody what being a member of the Hall of Fame means. I am proud that they are my family.
Daniel Jarrard Memorial Scholarship
The South Carolina Angus Association gave two scholarships to honor the memory of Daniel Jarrard. Daniel a promising 16-year-old SC Junior was tragically killed in a truck accident last year. Lewis Smith presented Sally Yon and Samuel Hall each a $1000 scholarships.
Both students are active in showing Angus and plan to use their degree for a career in agriculture.
SC Junior Angus Show
With the April showers hopefully we will have May flowers and a good hay crop. After May flowers June will bring the juniors with the South Carolina Junior Angus Show the first weekend in June. Look for them on Saturday, June 7th at the Clemson Cattle Complex next to the T. Ed Garrison Arena. The show should begin by 9:00 AM. Advisors Ted Bourne, Lydia Yon and Jesse Adkins are working on the details.
