NAME THE BULL!

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librarian

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Says GRAND CHAMPION SHORTHORN BULL REGINA 1969 SPOTLIGHT SHOW.
I didn't know they wore hats like that in 1969!
 

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oakview

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Certainly is Duke of Swisher, sire of AF Shannon Margie 924, one of the most influential cows in the history of the Shorthorn breed.  He was a straight dual purpose bull, sired by Foxdale Favorite Robin and bred by the Jones Family of Washington, Iowa.  K & K Shorthorns bought some cows that originated at the Jones farm and showed several of the resulting offspring the next year.  Alden Farms later purchased him, I believe in Denver.  As a yearling he was Grand Champion bull at the Illinois State Fair and I believe reserve junior champion bull to Hilltop Lancer 457 at the Iowa State Fair.  I had purchased a half brother to Duke, Justamere Todd, from the Jones Family earlier in 1975 that ended up as Grand Champion bull at both the Iowa and Minnesota State Fairs.  I traveled on the show road with the Lamparek Brothers (K & K Shorthorns) that fall and winter so I saw plenty of the Duke. 
 

Medium Rare

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Missouri
I always wonder what these animals would look like if they were raised in today's systems.

I send you a message Oakview.
 

RyanChandler

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Pottsboro, TX
Duke of Swisher looks like a pretty useful bull to me and his TYPE would certainly improve and provide the angularity that many of the modern SH cattle need.
 

oakview

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That line, and several others, of straight dual purpose breeding were VERY useful.  Not all the duals looked like Holsteins.  Many dual purpose breeders of that era really had their act together.  Some still do.
 

mark tenenbaum

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Virginia Sometimes Iowa and Kansas
Anybody remember Deertrail Goliath, Deertrail Dynamite 80, Wallstreet , or any of their really good Mark 4 x Hilltop Lancer (Sulleir  x Shorthorn xs)) breeding. The Marvel dual cows were very big and stout-and when crossed with Irish (Guiness and Dividend) and Maine,(Dollar the 2nd, Covino 2 and ???) produced some pretty useful cattle.Deertrail Buckshot introduced ALOT of the above  <alien> into Canada at Shadybrooke-his dam was a beautiful BIG RED cow who lived till she was something like 16-or 17. O0
 

idalee

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Just a poor picture of a very good bull!  Amateur photographers need to remember this as these kind of images stay around forever and give good cattle a bad press.
 

knabe

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Hollister, CA
what was good about him.


he has no bone, no gaskin, no neck, no quarter, he's sheathy, neck comes out low from his withers, hip seems short. he has a lot of volume for how short his front and rear end is, he's very level topped. maybe the picture is when he's older? I don't remember seeing a lot of shorthorn bulls that looked like him, or any bull for that matter.
 

Medium Rare

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Missouri
There are better pics of the bull, but they are hard to find. I believe Oakview dug this one up for us at one time or another. I think it gives a little different perspective on the bull.

If I can find it, I have the page saved out of the old shorthorn mag that used the original picture. I believe it talked about his performance figures.
 

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Medium Rare

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Missouri
The add with a very similar pic to the one from above.

Columbus_2.jpg
 

justintime

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Saskatchewan Canada
Columbus was a better bull than is shown in this picture, for the times. He seemed to really work on some bloodlines popular in that era, and worked very well on Super Flag daughters. As was the case with most milking Shorthorn bulls, his daughters were better than his sons. I do remember a couple very good Columbus sons. I purchased a Columbus son at the Regina Bull Sale in the early 80s that was probably one of the best bulls I have ever owned. The Crestdale herd at Dysart, SK had some Columbus daughters in their herd that were pretty amazing cows then and would be today as well. They were apple smooth with perfect udders and adequate size. They produced very well for them. One of these cows still ranks in my mental list of top 10 cows I have ever seen. I remember taking Barry Jordan from Waukaru there, many years ago. He offered them some huge dollars for a couple cows there and they would not sell them. As we left their farm, he said that he had just seen 3 of the very best Shorthorn cows he had ever seen in his lifetime.
There were far poorer sires being used when Columbus was alive and there are lots of poorer bulls than him being used today.
 
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