old shoe

[KCK]

It just bothers me everythime we buy something from them  as in show supplys it gose in to the cattle heard

That is really odd b/c if you are around them and know them you would know that isn't true. They still have some of the old school cans of adhesive with the paper lables on them. They don't have all new stuff, some chutes are worn and all that. To say that is goes (not gose) to their herd (not heard) is a bit off base. They have a great crew that works extremely for them and they treat people very well when you help them at a show. (Sorry for the spell check- grammer police) I have worked for some people that have all new everything all the time and it wasn't them.

Congrats to James on his Royal Supreme Victory, also.

 

[CAB]

  Anyone know the breeding on Jame's heifer and where she came from?

 

[Jill]

Looks like GCC All Right All Ready an Irish Whiskey out of Angus 2/521 from Griswold Cattle -missed the show, but that is the only heifer I see listed for him in the program.  They had 3 exceptional heifers in the final drive (James-2, Nick) and any one of them in my opinion could have won the show.

 

[mike]

Was James supreme heifer from the Maines if so she came out of Hartmans sale and was a sooner or did his AOB win?

 

[CAB]

  Thanks Jill. I talked to John this morning and she was an IW on a pure An. Brent

 

[kimbaljd]

Thats all im saying. Their high end is really good. People can not compete and its driving them out, need more money. Take a look at K-Kim, awsome cattle great functional cattle, can not beat Sullivans. Every year he is sending more and more steers down to Texas why keep breeding for functional femals when you can sell steers to yuppies in Texas all day long.

Rude, rude, rude you should realize there are people on this board from Texas!!!!!!!!! 

Your right that is pretty sad insulting us Texan's like that. I am also thinking he does not have much experience about Texas. Not that many "yuppies" down here. As to the whining and crying about Sullivans, jealousy usually get people to doing that and making comments like " it's all political or it is a bunch of good ole boys". 

 

[aj]

I'm not real high on the showring. It is interesting to see all those cattle side by side though. The show barn is a small place with alot of people with big egos(I am one of them). The roof is going to come off no matter what. Isn't there a point of saturation in breeds though where a line or breeder just gets old as far as genetics are concerned? And then a new herd will emerge. Seems like no one had heard of the Rocker brothers and then all of sudden, cagwin or whoever decided they were the epd cattle everybody wanted. There was a point where if you didn't try Double Stuff you were an idiot. Bakenhuses were low profile but they won a couple shows and won the pen bull show 197 years in a row and soon had terrific production sales. Like all the solution bulls advertising semen. Aren't 80% of new (denver display bull types) semen bulls a bomb out? And maybe 10% of them become legends? It seemed likes there are alot of me type breeding going on. Someone decides what route should be the new fad and everybody jumps right in line. I have heard 3rd hand that Sullivan supposedly manipulated epd's by stacking small groupings of contemporaries using a neighbors commercial herd. I don't know and don't care. Seems like to me the strictly showring people kinda deserve what they get on BWT's and who cares anyway. It is good watercooler talk. ;D

 

[Spring Creek Farms]

John Sullivan is a great guy that has help the shorthorn breed in MANY ways. Malinda is excactly right with her post. His supply company profit doesnt necessarily go straight to his heard! People need to be happy for other people's winnnings and success.

 

[aj]

Is Sullivan a director now?

 

[kane1598]

I personally think that this post is mean spirited. Sullivans are what they are, they have achieved the pinnacle of the show cattle business and should be respected. We have purchased two heifers from them, and I have to say that not only have they been pleasant and helpful, but have gone out of their way to be accomodating to our needs. The heifers that we bought from them have competed at every level of competition, are excellent on their feet and legs, have great temperments. And our purebred was definately affordable.  I guess I view the cattle world as two differnt sectors; showing and production. Obviously sullivans cattle are show oriented, but they have some growth and performance and maternal characteristics to them as well. Would u want a feedlot full of Sullivans cattle, probably not. But there is no show person out there that isnt admirable of their string, and we were honored to be a very small part of that this year. we look forward to our continued friendship and patronage of the Sullivans operation.

 

[FutureBreeder2013]

Luck + Money + Experience + Customers + Great Cattle + Advertisement = Success

Thats how I look at it.

 

[justintime]

Amen Kane1598...... I could not agree more. I also have purchased two females from Sullivan's, both this past year, and I have to say that the service and help has been exceptional. Our two heifers were both very reasonably priced and I am pleased with them both when they got home. If the service and help the people who purchased the high selling animals was more than we received, then, the Sullivan operation is a very unique place. They were as sincere in their thanks for our support as I have received at any place... ever.They are a show oriented operation, and they do a very good job at it. The two females I have here, have running with our bred heifers, and they are holding up excellently... and they are NOT falling apart once they hit the real world, as some have suggested in this thread.

I don't care if you like the show ring, or don't like it, I think everyone should be thankful for outfits like the Sullivan's operate. They may not do what you do, but they have certainly raised the bar, for those who do, and the breeds they raise are better off because of it. They are not everything to everyone, and they are not everything to every part of any breed, but they have never tried to be.. or wanted to be. They are a specialized outfit that does a great job.

Much of this thread looks to me to be personal attacks along with a little  old fashioned envy tossed in for good measure. Quite frankly, most of it annoyed me a bunch.

 

[kane1598]

The sincerity of all of the people involved in the operation is what amazes me the most. John has spent hours on the phone with us, just talking about the sale cattle, upcoming shows and things like that. He speaks very truly about thier offerings, he has never told me that they had a perfect one. We bought both of our heifers sight unseen, and if you dont like them it is gauranteed by sullivans that they will take the animal back, the customer service and the confidence we had when purchasing is very high.  Our heifers were treated just like thier own at north american at no additional cost. And i can honestly say that no matter what your goal is, good cattle are good cattle. and sullivans cattle are among the best in the business. we have gotten every penny of what we put into our heifers out of them in the ring so far, and we cannot wait to watch them perform in the donor pen after their show days are over.

 

[box6rranch]

This topic keeps resurfacing. I think it's been hashed over every single angle now over and over again. The Sullivan's are great people who run an amazing outfit. I don't know one person who wouldn't want to be in their shoes. Unfortunately we would all have to win the lottery to get there.
This is only my opinion, I think it's fine to start out by buying some good quality breeding stock to start your own breeding program. After that though anyone if they have enough money can go buy a winner. The challenge becomes breeding and raising your own to win. Granted we don't have as many cows to reproduce as the Sullivan's but we feel like we will be on the road to success when we show our own and do well with them. Last year we showed all our own except one steer, this year every single one of ours are from our own stock. We have a very nice High Roller/Deadwood heifer, she is going to Denver. Well see how she competes. But when the show is over and the day is done, we can look at our stall and know that we've raised what we show and didn't have to go out and buy a winner.

 

[Cattledog]

But when the show is over and the day is done, we can look at our stall and know that we've raised what we show and didn't have to go out and buy a winner.

I've been guilty of spending a fare amount for cattle over the years, but if I were just going to buy a winner I probably wouldn't be in business now.  Alot of really good show heifers make terrible cows!  Whenever I make a purchase I always look at the customer service of the particular breeder.  If embryo interest is involved I definitely do some soul-searching if I want to be partners for the lifetime of the cow. 

It is an admirable situation to raise your own stock for show, however if you are just starting out you need to buy from somebody.  I don't blame anybody for wanting to do business with people who are extremely successful because the beginners usually need the most help and have the most questions.  I don't raise shorthorns and don't really know the Sullivans but I try to practice what the Sullivans practice.  I try to create a trusting relationship with my customers. 

 

[oakbar]

I agree that this thread has been mean spirited!!  John and his crew have always been very cordial to me--if they weren't I guess I'd take it up with them rather than try to bash them on a public forum.    I think its time for everyone to just give it a rest with the bashing of individuals on these publice sites.    If you have a problem with someone just "man Up" and talk with them in person!!  JMHO

 

[farmboy]

Old thread is old.

 

[afhm]

Just think about all of the new people (mainly juniors) showing shorthorns that showing Shorthorns from Sullivan's that never gave the breed a second thought before John was in the breed.  Also imo the breed has gotten tougher as far as the showring goes and the overall quality of the cattle in the breed has improved since Sullivan's have been involved.