Courage

[Herefords.US]

Along with the recent threads like "Breeding Philosophy" and some other recent criticism in threads, I decided to post some words of encouragement to those who are exploring and doing something that's different and out of the mainstream of popular and conventional breeding programs - regardless of breed.

Thomas Alexander Simpson, whose partner was Charles Gudgell, went to England in 1881 seeking a breeding bull that they felt would insure the future success of the Hereford breed in America - by correcting a flaw that they felt American Herefords were conspicuously deficient in, the hindquarter. Simpson found that bull in Anxiety 4th and imported him, even going against the advice of the breeder who bred the bull.

For those interested, Anxiety 4th was the product of the mating of a 3/4 brother and sister, and Gudgell and Simpson continued to concentrate his blood in subsequent generations through linebreeding. Today, Anxiety 4th will appear in the distant pedigree of virtually every American Hereford - usually many, many times. He truly is the "father" of American Herefords.

But Gudgell and Simpson's breeding program was often maligned and criticized in their time.

In 1939, a time when the Hereford was truly "king of the range", John Hazelton wrote these words about Gudgell and Simpson in his book, "A History of Linebred Anxiety 4th Herefords of Straight Gudgell and Simpson Breeding":

Many men who have made less valuable and less enduring contributions to posterity than did Charles Gudgell and Thomas Alexander Simpson have been honored by their country, and monuments to their memory have been erected by their grateful fellow men. But during their lives, Charles Gudgell were the recipients of more criticism than praise, and since their death their work has not received the recognition which it merited, even from many of those that have profited much more than they did by reason of it. No other man has so greatly enriched American agriculture as have these two. In the improvement of the beef cattle of America they built their own monument in flesh and blood more enduring than any that could be molded from bronze or carved in marble. As long as Herefords are grown in this country there will be living testimonials to the work of Gudgell and Simpson.

If your breeding philosophy is out of the popular mainstream, it may NOT mean you're completely out-of-step. It COULD mean that YOU possess "vision" that others don't.

George

 

[1848]

Good post George.

 

[VanC]

Good post George.

Yes. Thanks, George.

 

[andybob]

George, if you stick your neck out, some people see it as an invitation to cut off your head! A good post, and as someone who has successfully promoted a breed in two countries where it now has widespread acceptance, and am trying to solicit interest here in the USA now, I can empathize with those who have had or are having similar experiences. With more interest in low maintenance breeds more interest is being expressed, and some other minority British breeds are enjoying a resurgence in interest, the Sussex and North Devon.
http://www.studbook.co.za/Society/sussex/index.php
http://www.sussexcattlesociety.org.uk/index.htm
http://www.redrubydevon.co.uk/index.htm

 

[Bluestem]

Thanks for the post. I've been following all the Hereford posts with interest. I was wondering why the Anxiety 4th Herefords never came up. Do those thoughts continue to this day in Hereford circles? I seriously considered switching breeds after seeing the Anxiety 4th line. I have a lot of time invested in my chosen breed and have two life times of work left. But I may still make that switch.
In fact I just went and pulled out my old issues of "The Lamplighter".

 

[rocket2222]

They are always saying history repeats its self. Makes me want to jump on a plane, see some old buds, see whats going on with the Herfs over there, and start all over again. Of coarse, I
have get my pasport, then theres that 2 hour wait in customs, then if the winds blowing the right way, just a 7 hour flight, then more customs, then theres that damp dreary wet weather.
Then I'd still have to get him back here.
Dang.
Maybe I'll just order some semen on the internet.
I can't imagine the crap they went through to do that back then.

 

[KNERSIE]

They are always saying history repeats its self. Makes me want to jump on a plane, see some old buds, see whats going on with the Herfs over there, and start all over again. Of coarse, I
have get my pasport, then theres that 2 hour wait in customs, then if the winds blowing the right way, just a 7 hour flight, then more customs, then theres that damp dreary wet weather.
Then I'd still have to get him back here.
Dang.
Maybe I'll just order some semen on the internet.
I can't imagine the crap they went through to do that back then.

If your "over there" means the UK, I am afraid you will be disappointed with the general quality. Some of the older herds like Freetown still have some traditional lines, but even they have used some Canadian genetics.

The UK herefords lacked width between the pins and weren't as well muscled as I would like to see a beef bull. I recently recieved the UK Hereford breed Journal and there are still people advertising their frame 9 bull as if that will save the breed. PM me if you want more info.